Merrilands

New Plymouth District•Taranaki Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

66

–

Crime rate

17.2 per 1,000

Population 3,021

Total crimes (past 12 months)

52

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 66.7%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#34 / 66

Bottom 48%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Merrilands Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Robbery, blackmail, and extortion
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (44.2%), burglary (36.5%), and assault (17.3%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Merrilands is 17.2128 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 34 within Taranaki Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Sep 2025, Nov 2025, Jan 2026.

Crime activity peaked in September 2025, November 2025, and January 2026.

Merrilands crime statistics: common questions

Is Merrilands safe?

Merrilands recorded 52 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 17.2 per 1,000 residents across about 3,021 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Merrilands?

The crime rate in Merrilands is 17.2 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 52 recorded offences across about 3,021 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Merrilands?

The most common offence category in Merrilands is theft, with 23 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 44% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (19).

Is crime going up or down in Merrilands?

Recorded offences in Merrilands have fallen 66.7% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Merrilands compare with other suburbs in Taranaki Region?

Merrilands ranks 34 of 66 suburbs in Taranaki Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Merrilands only with other suburbs in Taranaki Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Merrilands come from?

Figures for Merrilands, New Plymouth District come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.

Looking for a plain-English safety summary?

👉 See how safe Merrilands is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz