Waitara West

New Plymouth District•Taranaki Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

28

–

Crime rate

41.8 per 1,000

Population 4,188

Total crimes (past 12 months)

175

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 8.3%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#7 / 66

Top 11%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Waitara West Overview

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

Most common offences by count were theft (45.1%), burglary (28.6%), and assault (23.4%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Waitara West is 41.7861 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 7 within Taranaki Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Jan 2026, Mar 2026, Jul 2026.

Crime activity peaked in January, March, and July 2026.

Waitara West crime statistics: common questions

Is Waitara West safe?

Waitara West recorded 175 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 41.8 per 1,000 residents across about 4,188 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 Waitara West?

The crime rate in Waitara West is 41.8 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 175 recorded offences across about 4,188 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 Waitara West?

The most common offence category in Waitara West is theft, with 79 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 45% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (50).

Is crime going up or down in Waitara West?

Recorded offences in Waitara West have fallen 8.3% 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 Waitara West compare with other suburbs in Taranaki Region?

Waitara West ranks 7 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 Waitara West only with other suburbs in Taranaki Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Waitara West come from?

Figures for Waitara West, 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 Waitara West is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz