Wellington Central

Wellington CityWellington Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

5

Crime rate

315.9 per 1,000

Population 2,985

Total crimes (past 12 months)

943

Trend (last 3 months)

▼ 4.1%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#11 / 232

Top 5%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Wellington Central Overview

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

Most common offences by count were theft (77.2%), assault (12.6%), and burglary (7.6%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Wellington Central is 315.913 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 11 within Wellington Region. The overall crime trend in the area has remained the same in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Jul 2025, Sep 2025, Dec 2025.

Crime activity peaked in July, September, and December 2025.

Wellington Central crime statistics: common questions

Is Wellington Central safe?

Wellington Central recorded 943 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 315.9 per 1,000 residents across about 2,985 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 Wellington Central?

The crime rate in Wellington Central is 315.9 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 943 recorded offences across about 2,985 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 Wellington Central?

The most common offence category in Wellington Central is theft, with 728 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 77% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is assault (119).

Is crime going up or down in Wellington Central?

Recorded offences in Wellington Central have fallen 4.1% 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 Wellington Central compare with other suburbs in Wellington Region?

Wellington Central ranks 11 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 Wellington Central only with other suburbs in Wellington Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Wellington Central come from?

Figures for Wellington Central, 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 Wellington Central is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz