With a rich and complex history, it is fair to say that the city of Manchester, with a population of 2.92 million when you include Greater Manchester, is not to be overlooked.
Manchester is vibrant with culture, architecture, scientific engineering, and sports clubs, without mentioning renowned universities. Yet, with so much life buzzing in a city contending for the title of the Second Largest City of the UK—alongside Birmingham—, there can also be an alarming crime rate.
What is the situation when it comes to crime in Manchester 2024? Is Manchester a safe city to live in? We answer the question.
Types of Crime in Manchester 2024
If you are considering moving to Manchester, you need to be aware of the situation. Crimes are widespread in the city, and especially violent crimes with over 140,000 reports made in 2022/2023. Violence against an individual is the most frequently recorded crime by the Greater Manchester Police.
Theft is the second most common crime, with 101,230 recorded offences. Public order offences, which include disturbances and anti-social behaviour, rank third with 50,880 incidents reported.
Criminal damage and arson also present significant concerns, with 32,703 recorded cases.
Miscellaneous crimes against society, which include a range of offences not categorized elsewhere, accounted for 9,738 recorded incidents.
Robbery, with 5,097 cases, and possession of weapons, with 4,911 incidents, further highlight the prevalence of violent and potentially dangerous situations within Manchester.
Comparing these figures to the previous year’s data reveals some shifts in crime patterns. While violent crime and theft remain the most common offences, other categories have seen changes. For instance, robbery incidents decreased from 7,356 in 2022 to 5,097 in 2023, indicating a positive trend.
However, as Labour wiped out the Tories in Greater Manchester during the general election 2024, it’ll be interesting to monitor how the political change will affect crime in Manchester.
How Does Manchester Compare to Other UK Cities?
In 2022/2023, authorities noticed a spike in crime in Manchester, with 128.9 offences per 1,000 population. This is an increase compared to the previous period by almost 2%. Compared to other areas in Northern England, Greater Manchester holds the third largest crime rates, being Cleveland, 147.7, and West Yorkshire, 138.8.
Comparatively, London records a crime rate of 100,2 per 1,000 inhabitants, which is still above the average crime rate for England and Wales at 93.6.
The rising crime figures may indicate a variety of issues, ranging from a tired justice system to a societal fed-up, which could be linked to economic and political issues. But while we are curious to see the consequences the latest political landslide will have on crime in Manchester, there is no denying that blaming the alarming crime increase on the previous government is not a solution.
That being said, when it comes to violent crimes only, Manchester ranks at the bottom of the top 10 most violent cities in the UK, recording 595.9 violent offences per 10,000 residents. The most violent city for 2022/2023 is Blackpool, with 769.7, followed by Middlesborough, Thanet, and Birmingham. However, this is no consolation, as while Manchester is the “only the 8th most violent city in the UK”, violent crimes are on the rise in Greater Manchester.
Is Crime In Manchester Increasing?
Unfortunately, there is solid evidence that the number of crimes being reported in Manchester is the on the rise. The Home Office crime figures for 2023, however, shows an improved police response, with more offenders being brought to justice.
Year-on-year, the Greater Manchester police reports improvements for 2023, with of reduction of violent crime in Manchester by 6.4%, burglary by 24%, robbery by 10%, and theft by almost 5%. So, what does it look like in Manchester? How can the city still rank among the most violent cities in the UK while seeing crime reduction?
Reports have different time period, with some analysing 2022/2023 and other focusing only the year 2023. Nevertheless, regardless of the method chosen to report on crime in Manchester, there is no denying that the city now has the highest number of officers it’s ever had, 8,200 police officers, in an effort to tackle crimes down.
The bottom line: Policing has been increasing, solving 48% more crimes in the past three years, yet this increase is proportional to the growing crime rates.
So, whether you are a resident or a business owner in Manchester, you want to make sure you take the right measures to discourage criminals.
What Are The Safest Areas To Locate In Manchester?
Manchester offers several safe and community-oriented neighborhoods. Didsbury stands out for its family-friendly atmosphere and beautiful parks. Chorlton-cum-Hardy is celebrated for its artsy vibe and vibrant community spirit. Altrincham boasts low crime rates and an active community, providing a balanced lifestyle. Sale is known for its excellent schools and strong community networks. Each of these areas blends safety, community, and a high quality of life.
How Does Manchester Compare To Other Global Cities?
Manchester has a safety index of 44.7, according to Numbeo. It’s worth noting that the other contender for Second Largest City in the UK, Birmingham, has a safety index of 36.4, which is below.
Currently the city with the lowest safety index is Pietermaritzburg, in South Africa, with 17.5. Abyu Dhabi, UAE, earns the title of safest city in the world, with 88.1. Manchester ranks in 229th position out of a list of 314 cities reviewed by Numbeo, between Hamilton in Cananda (which has also 44.7 safety index) and Casablanca in Morocco, with 44.6.
Manchester is safer than cities like Paris, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Soa Paulo. However, it isn’t as safe as Seattle, Seoul, and Jakarta, for example.
Yet, compared to previous years, Manchester’s safety index has shown improvements., from 43.85 in 2022 to 44.7 in 2024, echoing the results boasted by the GM police force. Additionally, Manchester still has to see which policing and security support the new Labour government will introduce.
Protect Your Business
If you are considering relocating your business to Manchester, we strongly recommend targeting some of the safest neighbourhoods.
Additionally, while GM police boasts higher crime resolutions in 2023, you still want to implement security measures, including CCTV cameras, security guards, alarms, and professional solutions provided by an experienced security company in Manchester.