Waitaha
Safety Score (12-month average)
87
–
Crime rate
19.5 per 1,000
Population 462
Total crimes (past 12 months)
9
Trend (last 3 months)
▼ 50.0%
vs previous 3-month period
Regional rank
#16 / 33
Top 48%
About this rate: About 462 people live in Waitaha, fewer than the 500 we need for a rate per 1,000 residents to be a fair comparison, so the rate is not a reliable guide to the risk for someone living here. Compare the number of offences instead. How this works
Safety Score (NZCHI)
Police data to August 2026Waitaha Overview
Most common offences by count were theft (44.4%), burglary (33.3%), and assault (22.2%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.
Crime Summary
The annual total crime rate in Waitaha is 19.4805 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 16 within West Coast Region. The overall crime trend in the area has decreased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Mar 2026, Jun 2026, Aug 2026.
Explore crime in nearby locations
Crime activity peaked in March, June, and August 2026.
Waitaha crime statistics: common questions
Is Waitaha safe?
Waitaha recorded 9 offences in the last 12 months. It has about 462 residents, which is below the 500-resident threshold we use for comparing rates, so its crime rate per 1,000 people is not a reliable comparison with other suburbs. Judge it on the offence count, not the rate.
What is the most common crime in Waitaha?
The most common offence category in Waitaha is theft, with 4 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 44% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (3).
Is crime going up or down in Waitaha?
Recorded offences in Waitaha 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 Waitaha compare with other suburbs in West Coast Region?
Waitaha ranks 16 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 Waitaha only with other suburbs in West Coast Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.
Where does the crime data for Waitaha come from?
Figures for Waitaha, Westland 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 Waitaha is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz