Karamea
Safety Score (12-month average)
63
–
Crime rate
14.8 per 1,000
Population 876
Total crimes (past 12 months)
13
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 50.0%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#21 / 33
Bottom 36%
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026Karamea Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (38.5%), assault (30.8%), and burglary (23.1%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Karamea is 14.8402 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 21 within West Coast Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Nov 2025, Mar 2026, May 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in November 2025, March 2026, and May 2026.
Karamea crime statistics: common questions
Is Karamea safe?
Karamea recorded 13 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 14.8 per 1,000 residents across about 876 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 Karamea?
The crime rate in Karamea is 14.8 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 13 recorded offences across about 876 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 Karamea?
The most common offence category in Karamea is theft, with 5 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 38% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is assault (4).
Is crime going up or down in Karamea?
Recorded offences in Karamea have fallen 50.0% 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 Karamea compare with other suburbs in West Coast Region?
Karamea ranks 21 of 33 suburbs in West Coast Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Karamea only with other suburbs in West Coast Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Karamea come from?
Figures for Karamea, Buller 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 Karamea is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz