Houghton Bay
Safety Score (12-month average)
56
–
Crime rate
25.5 per 1,000
Population 1,569
Total crimes (past 12 months)
40
Trend (last 3 months)
→ 0.0%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#112 / 232
Top 48%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Updated August 2026Houghton Bay Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (62.5%) and burglary (35.0%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Houghton Bay is 25.4939 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 112 within Wellington Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Oct 2025, Mar 2026, Apr 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in October 2025, March 2026, and April 2026.
Houghton Bay crime statistics: common questions
Is Houghton Bay safe?
Houghton Bay recorded 40 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 25.5 per 1,000 residents across about 1,569 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 Houghton Bay?
The crime rate in Houghton Bay is 25.5 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 40 recorded offences across about 1,569 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 Houghton Bay?
The most common offence category in Houghton Bay is theft, with 25 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 63% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (14).
Is crime going up or down in Houghton Bay?
Recorded offences in Houghton Bay have stayed level 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 Houghton Bay compare with other suburbs in Wellington Region?
Houghton Bay ranks 112 of 232 suburbs in Wellington Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Houghton Bay only with other suburbs in Wellington Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Houghton Bay come from?
Figures for Houghton Bay, Wellington City 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 Houghton Bay is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz