Is Islington safe? Islington records a little more crime than the London average: 90.89 offences per 1,000 people in the 12 months to April 2026, about 10 per cent above London (82.39) and 10th of London’s 32 boroughs. It is lower than its neighbours Camden (97.84), Hackney (97.19) and Haringey (95.10), the total fell slightly on the year, and the risk is concentrated in Archway, Finsbury Park, Holloway and around Angel rather than spread across the borough. CrimeRate counts 31,591 recorded offences in Islington over that period.
Data: police-recorded crime, 12 months to April 2026 (latest CrimeRate period, checked 22 October 2026), counts and rates from CrimeRate’s analysis of data.police.uk; neighbourhood team priorities from the Metropolitan Police’s local pages (checked 22 October 2026); street data on data.police.uk published to August 2026. Shares, ratios and changes are our own arithmetic on those figures. The figures describe recorded incidents, not the people who live here. Updated 22 October 2026.
What is the crime rate in Islington?
Islington’s recorded crime rate is 90.89 per 1,000 people in the 12 months to April 2026, according to CrimeRate, from 31,591 recorded offences. That is about 10 per cent above the London rate of 82.39 and about 34 per cent above the England rate of 67.79. The 31,591 offences exclude anti-social behaviour: the 13 crime categories CrimeRate lists add up exactly to that total, and a further 9,213 anti-social behaviour reports were logged on top, so Islington recorded 40,804 incidents in all, of which about 23 per cent were anti-social behaviour. CrimeRate’s rates use its own population base, so compare them only with other CrimeRate figures.
How does Islington rank among London boroughs?
Islington is 10th of London’s 32 boroughs by recorded crime rate in the 12 months to April 2026, at 90.89 per 1,000: below Westminster (125.02), Kensington and Chelsea (119.60), Lambeth (103.24), Newham (100.22), Camden (97.84), Hackney (97.19), Haringey (95.10), Lewisham (92.69) and Southwark (91.28), and above 22 others, starting with Greenwich (87.11). Islington is one of 14 boroughs above the London rate.
| Rank in London (of 32 boroughs) | Borough | Recorded crime per 1,000, 12 months to April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westminster | 125.02 |
| 5 | Camden | 97.84 |
| 6 | Hackney | 97.19 |
| 7 | Haringey | 95.10 |
| 8 | Lewisham | 92.69 |
| 9 | Southwark | 91.28 |
| 10 | Islington | 90.89 |
| 11 | Greenwich | 87.11 |
| – | London (all) | 82.39 |
| 32 | Merton | 53.01 |
Source: CrimeRate analysis of data.police.uk (borough pages, checked 22 October 2026), anti-social behaviour excluded. Selected boroughs; the full list is on our London crime rate by borough page.
Islington is a statutory Inner London borough, and the inner boroughs together record about 93.5 crimes per 1,000 on the same measure, so Islington is slightly below the inner-London level. The borough is small and dense, and its rate is pushed up by busy transport hubs and high streets rather than by every residential street.
Is Islington safer than Camden or Hackney?
Yes, by recorded rate. In the 12 months to April 2026 Islington recorded 90.89 offences per 1,000 people, about 7 per cent below Camden (97.84), 6.5 per cent below Hackney (97.19) and 4 per cent below Haringey (95.10), its three neighbours to the west, east and north. All four boroughs are above the London rate of 82.39, so the difference between them is small.
| Borough | Recorded offences, 12 months to April 2026 | Recorded crime per 1,000, 12 months to April 2026 | Compared with London (82.39) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | 39,579 | 97.84 | +19% |
| Hackney | 31,315 | 97.19 | +18% |
| Haringey | – | 95.10 | +15% |
| Islington | 31,591 | 90.89 | +10% |
| London | 896,400 | 82.39 | – |
Source: CrimeRate analysis of data.police.uk, anti-social behaviour excluded; percentages are our own arithmetic.
Islington and Hackney record almost the same number of offences (31,591 against 31,315), but Islington’s rate is lower because CrimeRate’s population base for Islington is larger. For the neighbouring pictures, read is Camden safe?, is Hackney safe? and is Tottenham safe? for Haringey.
What kind of crime is recorded in Islington?
Violence and sexual offences is the largest single category in Islington, with 8,421 of the 31,591 offences (26.7 per cent) in the 12 months to April 2026, but theft-type offences together are much larger: 13,557 offences, or 42.9 per cent. The table compares Islington’s rate per 1,000 people in each category with London.
| Category | Islington offences, 12 months to April 2026 | Islington per 1,000 | London per 1,000 | Islington vs London |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 8,421 | 24.23 | 25.12 | 0.96× |
| Other theft | 3,856 | 11.08 | 8.97 | 1.24× |
| Theft from the person | 3,546 | 10.19 | 7.11 | 1.43× |
| Shoplifting | 3,506 | 10.10 | 8.09 | 1.25× |
| Public order | 2,306 | 6.65 | 5.52 | 1.20× |
| Drugs | 2,228 | 6.40 | 4.87 | 1.31× |
| Vehicle crime | 1,846 | 5.32 | 7.50 | 0.71× |
| Burglary | 1,639 | 4.71 | 4.34 | 1.09× |
| Criminal damage and arson | 1,583 | 4.55 | 4.99 | 0.91× |
| Robbery | 1,288 | 3.72 | 2.83 | 1.31× |
| Bicycle theft | 803 | 2.31 | 1.26 | 1.83× |
| Other crime | 337 | 0.97 | 1.19 | 0.82× |
| Possession of weapons | 232 | 0.66 | 0.60 | 1.10× |
| Total (excl. anti-social behaviour) | 31,591 | 90.89 | 82.39 | 1.10× |
| Anti-social behaviour (not in total) | 9,213 | 26.49 | 21.68 | 1.22× |
Source: CrimeRate analysis of data.police.uk, 12 months to April 2026; shares and ratios are our own arithmetic. Theft-type offences = other theft, theft from the person, shoplifting, vehicle crime and bicycle theft.
Four things stand out. First, bicycle theft (2.31 per 1,000) is almost twice the London rate and theft from the person (10.19) about 1.4 times, the pattern of busy pavements, stations and parked bikes. Second, drugs offences (6.40) and anti-social behaviour (26.49) are both about 1.2 to 1.3 times the London rate, which matches what several local police teams list as priorities (see below). Third, violence and sexual offences (24.23) is slightly below the London rate, so Islington’s higher total is about theft, drugs and disorder rather than violence. Fourth, vehicle crime (5.32) is well below London, about 0.7 times, which suits a borough where fewer households own cars. Violence and sexual offences is a broad police category that includes harassment and offences with no injury, so it does not mean that a quarter of incidents are assaults.
Is crime in Islington going up or down?
Slightly down in the latest year. Islington recorded 31,591 offences in the 12 months to April 2026, down from 31,826 the year before (a fall of 235, or 0.7 per cent), and the rate eased from 91.89 to 90.89 per 1,000. Over ten years the count rose about 10 per cent from 28,816 in CrimeRate’s 2017 row and the rate about 8 per cent, less than London’s 14 per cent, and the latest count is about 37 per cent above the 2021 lockdown low.
| Year (CrimeRate yearly row; 2026 = 12 months to April 2026) | Islington offences | Islington rate per 1,000 | London rate per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 28,816 | 83.82 | 72.41 |
| 2018 | 31,525 | 92.24 | 77.08 |
| 2019 | 29,139 | 86.13 | 80.70 |
| 2020 | 27,609 | 81.27 | 77.66 |
| 2021 | 23,035 | 67.57 | 69.09 |
| 2022 | 25,917 | 76.49 | 75.77 |
| 2023 | 27,705 | 81.23 | 78.98 |
| 2024 | 29,276 | 85.21 | 84.38 |
| 2025 | 31,826 | 91.89 | 83.23 |
| 2026 | 31,591 | 90.89 | 82.39 |
Source: CrimeRate analysis of data.police.uk, anti-social behaviour excluded. Changes are our own arithmetic.
The trend has two halves. Islington’s rate was well above London’s in 2017 and 2018 (92.24 against 77.08 in 2018), fell to slightly below the London rate in the 2021 lockdown year (67.57 against 69.09), and then climbed faster than London for four years, rising about 36 per cent between 2021 and 2025 while London rose about 20 per cent. The 2025 count of 31,826 was the highest in the ten rows. The small fall in the latest year is the first since 2021, but one year is not yet a trend. Measured against 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, the latest count is about 8 per cent higher.
Which parts of Islington have the most crime?
Archway (142.33 per 1,000) and Finsbury Park (140.65) have the highest recorded crime rates of Islington’s 16 CrimeRate areas in the 12 months to April 2026, both about 55 per cent above the borough rate, followed by the Islington area around Angel and Upper Street (124.36) and Holloway (123.29). Clerkenwell (39.16), Farringdon (45.96) and St Luke’s (51.13) have the lowest rates.
| Area (Islington) | Recorded offences, 12 months to April 2026 | Recorded crime per 1,000, 12 months to April 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Archway | 2,888 | 142.33 |
| Finsbury Park | 3,980 | 140.65 |
| Islington (Angel and Upper Street area) | 4,042 | 124.36 |
| Holloway | 3,002 | 123.29 |
| Canonbury | 1,302 | 108.49 |
| Lower Holloway | 2,052 | 100.41 |
| Barnsbury | 1,737 | 96.00 |
| Mildmay | 905 | 93.86 |
| Upper Holloway | 1,279 | 89.38 |
| Finsbury | 1,148 | 88.95 |
| East Canonbury | 679 | 86.33 |
| Highbury | 2,075 | 73.31 |
| Pentonville | 369 | 58.10 |
| St Luke’s | 3,214 | 51.13 |
| Farringdon | 746 | 45.96 |
| Clerkenwell | 1,090 | 39.16 |
| Islington (borough) | 31,591 | 90.89 |
Source: CrimeRate analysis of data.police.uk (Islington borough page, checked 22 October 2026), anti-social behaviour excluded. The 16 area counts add up to 30,508, slightly less than the borough total; CrimeRate does not explain the gap.
Two patterns stand out. The four highest-rate areas, all along the Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road corridor plus Angel, record 13,912 offences between them, about 46 per cent of the area total. And the low rates in St Luke’s, Farringdon and Clerkenwell, next to the City of London, are partly a denominator effect: St Luke’s records 3,214 offences, more than Holloway, but CrimeRate divides them by a much larger population base because so many people work there, which pulls the rate down. A low rate there does not mean few incidents.
Which police neighbourhood teams cover Islington?
Islington is policed by the Metropolitan Police, with a Safer Neighbourhood Team for each ward. The current priorities of five teams covering the higher-rate areas, all issued in July 2026 (Met Police pages, checked 22 October 2026), all name drug use, drug dealing or drug-related anti-social behaviour, plus shoplifting, robbery and dangerous e-bike and e-scooter riding.
| Met Police neighbourhood team (Islington) | Priorities issued | Current priorities (summary) |
|---|---|---|
| Holloway | 28 July 2026 | Retail crime and prolific offenders; drug-related anti-social behaviour around named estates; dangerous e-bike and e-scooter riding |
| Junction (Archway) | 23 July 2026 | Drug-related issues linked to the street population; shoplifting in the Archway area; robbery and snatch thefts from pedal cycles, mopeds and e-scooters |
| Finsbury Park | 30 July 2026 | Robbery and theft around the station and Seven Sisters Road; violence against women and girls; violence; drug-related anti-social behaviour |
| Canonbury | 27 July 2026 | Rough sleeping, drug use and anti-social behaviour in Canonbury Gardens and New River Walk; anti-social behaviour in named streets |
| Bunhill | 11 July 2026 | Anti-social behaviour and drug dealing in a named car park and estate; cyclists ignoring red lights on Bunhill Row |
Source: Met Police neighbourhood team pages. Ward boundaries do not match the CrimeRate areas exactly, so compare streets, not wards.
The priorities line up with the data. Islington’s drugs rate (6.40 per 1,000) is about 1.3 times London’s and anti-social behaviour about 1.2 times, and drug-related disorder appears in all five teams’ priorities. The Junction and Finsbury Park teams both name robbery and snatch thefts, matching the two highest-rate areas and a theft from the person rate about 1.4 times London’s. Priorities are set at ward panel meetings from what residents report, so they are a signal, not a crime count.
When is crime most likely in Islington?
CrimeRate’s Islington figures for the 12 months to April 2026 are mainly annual totals, so they show no full month-by-month pattern. The monthly figures it does publish show 792 anti-social behaviour reports in March 2026 and 832 in April 2026, above the monthly average of about 768 for the year (our arithmetic), and CrimeRate says Islington had the highest anti-social behaviour rate of any London borough in both months. Police street data is published monthly, and the postcode checker shows the last 12 months for any Islington postcode by month, which is the best way to see whether your street has a seasonal peak.
Is Islington safe at night?
No official data shows whether Islington is riskier at night: police street-level data, including the 31,591 offences recorded in the 12 months to April 2026, carries a month and an approximate location but no time of day. What the mix does show is that theft from the person (3,546 offences, about 1.4 times the London rate) and robbery (1,288, about 1.3 times) are high, which is consistent with busy late-evening streets around Angel and Upper Street, Holloway Road, Archway and Finsbury Park station, and with match days at the Emirates Stadium. Late at night, keep your phone out of sight near stations and bus stops, especially where snatch thefts from bikes and e-scooters are a named priority, and plan the trip home before the night starts; our sister site explains how phone snatching happens and how to avoid it. You can also check your route in the UK crime map.
Is Islington a safe place to live?
For most residents the rate that matters is the one for their own street, not the borough average of 90.89 per 1,000. Islington’s figure is pushed up by a handful of busy areas: Archway, Finsbury Park, Angel and Holloway together record almost half of the area total, while Highbury (73.31) records less crime per person than London as a whole. For a home, the numbers to watch are burglary (4.71 per 1,000, about 1.1 times London), bicycle theft (2.31, almost twice London) if you cycle, and anti-social behaviour (26.49, about 1.2 times London). Vehicle crime is well below the London rate. Compare two postcodes before deciding, and read how to check crime in your area for the limits of any single number. This page describes what was recorded, not the people who live here.
How do I check a specific street or postcode in Islington?
- Enter the postcode in the postcode checker to see 12 months of police-recorded crime and the trend by month.
- Add a second postcode, for example one near Highbury and Islington station and one near Archway, to compare two streets side by side.
- Use the London crime map guide to see how Islington compares with Camden, Hackney and Haringey.
- Check your ward’s Met Police team page for current priorities and how to contact the team about a non-urgent problem.
These figures describe areas, not addresses. Police data covers reported crime only, and each crime is shown at a nearby anonymised point. Read where our crime data comes from for the limits. Rates from different websites use different population estimates and are not directly comparable, so the numbers on this page all come from one source.
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Islington crime FAQ
Is Islington safe?
Islington records slightly more crime than the London average: 90.89 per 1,000 people in the 12 months to April 2026, against 82.39 for London. It ranks 10th of 32 boroughs and is lower than Camden (97.84), Hackney (97.19) and Haringey (95.10).
What is the crime rate in Islington?
90.89 recorded crimes per 1,000 people in the 12 months to April 2026 (31,591 offences), according to CrimeRate’s analysis of police data. Anti-social behaviour, a further 9,213 reports, is not included in that figure.
What is the most dangerous area in Islington?
By recorded rate, Archway (142.33 per 1,000) and Finsbury Park (140.65) in the 12 months to April 2026, both about 55 per cent above the borough rate. Clerkenwell (39.16) has the lowest rate, partly because many people work there.
Is Islington safe at night?
Police data cannot answer it directly, because the 31,591 offences recorded in the 12 months to April 2026 have no time of day. Theft from the person runs at about 1.4 times the London rate, so keep your phone out of sight near stations and busy high streets late at night.
Is crime in Islington going up?
Not in the latest year. Recorded offences fell from 31,826 to 31,591 (0.7 per cent) in the 12 months to April 2026, after four years of rises from the 2021 low of 23,035.
More on north and inner London: is Camden safe?, is Hackney safe?, is Tottenham safe? and is Bethnal Green safe? Across the capital: is London safe? and safest areas in London. In an emergency call 999.