Wollongong Crime Index

9

(100 is safest)

Safer than 9% of most Australia suburbs

Wollongong Crime Map

Wollongong crime map

Wollongong Crime Statistics at a Glance

The chart below shows the 60-month trend of the number of offences that occurred in Wollongong.

60-month trend of criminal incidents across Wollongong
  • The number of criminal incidents recorded by NSW Police in the year 2021 was 6012, up 3% from 5863 incidents recorded in the same period last year.
  • Wollongong is in the 4th percentile for safety, meaning 96% of NSW suburbs are safer than Wollongong and 4% of suburbs are more dangerous than Wollongong.
  • The number of assault offences recorded in 2021 decreased by 6% (23 Incidents) compared to the previous year..
  • There was no change in the number of sexual offences recorded during the years 2020 and 2021.
  • There was no change in the number of homicide offences recorded during the years 2020 and 2021.
  • The number of burglary offences recorded in 2021 increased by 24% (29 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of theft offences recorded in 2021 decreased by 2% (23 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of robbery offences recorded in 2021 increased by 20% (2 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of motor vehicle thefts recorded in 2021 increased by 3% (2 Incidents) compared to the previous year.
  • The number of vandalism offences (Property damage) recorded in 2021 decreased by 5% (14 Incidents) compared to the previous year.

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Crime in Wollongong: An In-Depth Analysis

AU Crime Rate analyzed crime data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and found that crime rates in Wollongong are considerably higher than the average across most suburbs in Australia. In fact, it is considered safer than about 9% of suburbs in the country across all population sizes.

The crime rates in Wollongong are higher than approximately 96% of other suburbs in NSW. Consequently, the suburb has low scores for public safety.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime if you live here? It’s 1 in 9 based on the combined crime rate of offences against the person and property while the risk of becoming a victim of crime in New South Wales is at 1 in 20.

Discovering the full picture of Wollongong’s crime statistics is crucial, and delving into the details of its against the person and property crime data is the key. By doing so, we can uncover which type of crime is more prevalent, whether it be violent or property-related, and gain a deeper understanding of the crime rate in Wollongong. So join us on this exploration, as we uncover the nature and extent of crime in this community.

Wollongong Crime rate for crimes against the person is 2749 per 100,000 inhabitants, whereas the NSW average rate is 1500. This meant that the likelihood of becoming a victim of such crimes in Wollongong was 1 in 35. The crimes against persons included in this analysis are homicide, assault, sexual offences, robbery, abduction, kidnapping, stalking, blackmail, and extortion.

According to our data, the likelihood of an individual becoming a victim of property crime in Wollongong is 1 in 13, with a rate of 7321 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants. It is important to note that the average rate of property crime in NSW is 3158 incidents per 100,000 residents. The property crimes included in this analysis consist of theft, burglary, arson, and malicious damage to property.

Looking to understand the various types of criminal offences in New South Wales and make sense of crime data? Check out our NSW crime glossary for easy-to-understand definitions of common criminal offences.

Wollongong Crime Rates by Offences Division

DivisionNumber of CrimesCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Crimes against the person5612749
Property and deception offences14947321
Drug offences3971946
Public order and security offences2241098
Justice procedures offences14567135
Other offences18809213
Total601229462

Wollongong Crimes Against the Person

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Crime Against the Person

1 in 35

In Wollongong

1 in 65

In NSW

Crimes Against the Person Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Violent crimes against the person in Wollongong vs New South Wales in Australia

Crimes Against the Person: Wollongong vs NSW

Wollongong population: 20406

NSW population: 8058541

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsNSW Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)NSW Crime Rate (per 100,000 residents)
Homicide17251
Assault332628641627770
Sexual offences5114650250179
Robbery1217605922
Abduction and kidnapping4203203
Blackmail and Extortion012702
Intimidation, stalking and harassment14840910725501
Other offences against the person1318836423

Here is a breakdown of the major crimes against the person (violent crimes) including the number of offences and Wollongong crime rates for the selected offences.

CrimesNo. of offencesRate
Murder00
Sexual assault27132
Sexual touching, sexual act and other sexual offences24118
Domestic violence related assault69338
Non-domestic violence related assault2341147

Wollongong Property and Deception Offences

My Chances of Becoming a Victim of Property and Deception Offences

1 in 13

In Wollongong

1 in 30

In NSW

Property and Deception Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Property offences in Wollongong vs New South Wales

Property and Deception Offences: Wollongong vs NSW, Australia

Wollongong population: 20406

NSW population: 8058541

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsNSW Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)NSW Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Theft106018002851952204
Burglary/Break and Enter14924967730306
Arson1437606946
Malicious damage to property271491361328602

An overview of the major property and deception offences, including Wollongong crime statistics for each offence type.

CrimesNo. of offencesRate
Motor vehicle theft63309
Steal from motor vehicle188921
Steal from retail store3241588
Break and enter dwelling106519
Break and enter non-dwelling43211

Drug Offences

Drug Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Drug offences in Wollongong vs NSW

Drug Offences: Wollongong vs New South Wales

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsNSW Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)NSW Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Drug use and possession22034032107841667
Drug dealing and trafficking12362936037705
Cultivate or manufacture drugs0111601366
Other drug offences54584126572

Public Order and Security Offences

Public Order and Security Offences Comparison (Per 100,000 Residents)

Public order and security offences comparison chart

Public Order and Security Offences: Wollongong vs NSW

CrimesTotal Criminal IncidentsNSW Total Criminal IncidentsCrime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)NSW Crime Rate (Per 100,000 Residents)
Disorderly conduct13017321637212.07
Prohibited and regulated weapons offences9414664461179.54

Wollongong Crimes per Square KM

Crimes per square km in Wollongong vs NSW

Wollongong Crime FAQs

How many murders were in Wollongong in 2021?

According to the New South Wales Police Force and BOSCAR data, there were 0 murders in Wollongong in 2021. The number of homicides (which includes murders, attempted murder, murder conspiracy, and manslaughters) was 1.

What’s the most common crime in Wollongong?

According to the latest available data from the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the most common type of crime in Wollongong is breach bail conditions.

What is the crime rate in Wollongong?

The overall crime rate in Wollongong, as measured by the number of reported offences per 100,000 population was 29462 in the year ending December 2021.

However, it’s important to note that this is an aggregate figure that includes all types of crime, and some types of offences are more prevalent than others. Additionally, crime rates can vary by location, with some areas experiencing higher rates of certain types of crime than others.

Is Wollongong a safe place to live in?

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) states that Wollongong total crime rate in 2021 was 29462. This means it’s 4% safer than all NSW suburbs. So Wollongong has a low safety profile according to our scoring systems.

Is Wollongong safe at night?

33% of crimes in Wollongong occur between 6 PM and 6 AM so, it’s fairly safe to walk alone in Wollongong at night.

Total Crime Stats of Wollongong

DivisionSubdivisionOffence typeYear (2020)Year (2021)
Crimes against the personHomicideMurder00
Crimes against the personHomicideAttempted murder11
Crimes against the personHomicideMurder accessory, conspiracy00
Crimes against the personHomicideManslaughter00
Crimes against the personAssaultAssault Police3029
Crimes against the personAssaultDomestic violence related assault9669
Crimes against the personAssaultNon-domestic violence related assault229234
Crimes against the personSexual offencensSexual assault2627
Crimes against the personSexual offencensSexual touching, sexual act and other sexual offences25167
Crimes against the personRobberyRobbery16224
Crimes against the personAbduction and kidnappingAbduction and kidnapping14
Crimes against the personBlackmail and extortionBlackmail and extortion00
Crimes against the personIntimidation, stalking and harassmentIntimidation, stalking and harassment161148
Crimes against the personOther offences against the personOther offences against the person513
Property and deception offencesTheftMotor vehicle theft6163
Property and deception offencesTheftSteal from motor vehicle159188
Property and deception offencesTheftSteal from retail store371324
Property and deception offencesTheftReceiving or handling stolen goods6862
Property and deception offencesTheftSteal from dwelling7078
Property and deception offencesTheftSteal from person1817
Property and deception offencesTheftStock theft00
Property and deception offencesTheftFraud162167
Property and deception offencesTheftOther theft offences174161
Property and deception offencesBurglary/Break and enterBreak and enter dwelling86106
Property and deception offencesBurglary/Break and enterBreak and enter non-dwelling34143
Property and deception offencesArsonArson1814
Property and deception offencesMalicious damage to propertyMalicious damage to property285271
Drug offencesDrug use and possessionPossession and/or use of cocaine1121
Drug offencesDrug use and possessionPossession and/or use of narcotics128
Drug offencesDrug use and possessionPossession and/or use of cannabis9787
Drug offencesDrug use and possessionPossession and/or use of amphetamines4863
Drug offencesDrug use and possessionPossession and/or use of ecstasy51
Drug offencesDrug use and possessionPossession and/or use of other drugs5940
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingDealing, trafficking in cocaine1230
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingDealing, trafficking in narcotics12
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingDealing, trafficking in cannabis30
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingDealing, trafficking in amphetamines2986
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingDealing, trafficking in ecstasy10
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingDealing, trafficking in other drugs105
Drug offencesCultivate or manufacture drugsCultivating cannabis20
Drug offencesCultivate or manufacture drugsManufacture drug00
Drug offencesDrug dealing and traffickingImporting drugs00
Drug offencesOther drug offencesOther drug offences3154
Public order and security offencesDisorderly conductTrespass6845
Public order and security offencesDisorderly conductOffensive conduct5447
Public order and security offencesDisorderly conductOffensive language3719
Public order and security offencesDisorderly conductCriminal intent919
Public order and security offencesProhibited and regulated weapons offencesProhibited and regulated weapons offences6694
Other offencesBetting and gaming offencesBetting and gaming offences00
Other offencesLiquor offencesLiquor offences11184
Other offencesPornography offencesPornography offences123
Other offencesProstitution offencesProstitution offences00
Other offencesTransport regulatory offencesTransport regulatory offences14871114
Other offencesMiscellaneous offencesMiscellaneous offences179679
Justice procedures offencesAgainst justice proceduresEscape custody12
Justice procedures offencesAgainst justice proceduresBreach Apprehended Violence Order10263
Justice procedures offencesAgainst justice proceduresBreach bail conditions12321298
Justice procedures offencesAgainst justice proceduresFail to appear317
Justice procedures offencesAgainst justice proceduresResist or hinder officer7961
Justice procedures offencesAgainst justice proceduresOther offences against justice procedures1215

Note: The data for murder and manslaughter refers to the number of recorded victims, not criminal incidents.

References

  • NSW Police public site
  • NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census QuickStats for all persons

Greater Capital City Statistical Area

Greater Sydney