Spotswood
Safety Score (12-month average)
29
–
Crime rate
38.3 per 1,000
Population 3,861
Total crimes (past 12 months)
148
Trend (last 3 months)
▲ 6.1%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#11 / 66
Top 17%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026Spotswood Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (52.7%), burglary (29.1%), and assault (14.9%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Spotswood is 38.332 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 11 within Taranaki Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Jan 2026, May 2026, Aug 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in January, May, and August 2026.
Spotswood crime statistics: common questions
Is Spotswood safe?
Spotswood recorded 148 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 38.3 per 1,000 residents across about 3,861 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 Spotswood?
The crime rate in Spotswood is 38.3 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 148 recorded offences across about 3,861 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 Spotswood?
The most common offence category in Spotswood is theft, with 78 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 53% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (43).
Is crime going up or down in Spotswood?
Recorded offences in Spotswood have risen 6.1% 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 Spotswood compare with other suburbs in Taranaki Region?
Spotswood ranks 11 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 Spotswood only with other suburbs in Taranaki Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Spotswood come from?
Figures for Spotswood, 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 Spotswood is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz