Birmingham has been identified as the most dangerous major city in the West Midlands, with an overall crime rate of 105 offences per 1,000 residents in 2026. This figure notably exceeds the West Midlands average crime rate of 90 per 1,000 people during the daytime, marking a 17% increase.
In June alone, West Midlands Police recorded a total of 13,192 crimes across Birmingham. The data includes a wide range of offences, from the most serious violent and sexual crimes to more common crimes such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
Of particular concern are the violent and sexual offences, which accounted for 5,808 incidents in the city during June - significantly higher than any other crime category. Following this, shoplifting was the next most prevalent crime with 1,062 cases, closely accompanied by criminal damage and arson which totalled 1,059 incidents. Vehicle-related crimes, including theft and damage, made up 1,032 recorded offences.
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Below is an in-depth look at crime rates in each ward to help residents understand how their local areas compare.
“Knife crime remains a top priority for West Midlands Police, despite encouraging reductions in recent statistics.”
Recent reports from the Press Association highlighted a 15% decrease in overall knife crime in the West Midlands between April 2025 and March 2026, compared to the previous year. This improvement is attributed to quicker police response times, increased arrests, enhanced victim support, and thorough investigations.
More broadly, crime rates across the West Midlands have shown encouraging declines, with nearly 6,000 fewer victims recorded than in the previous year. Specific reductions include a 9% fall in serious youth violence involving knives, an 8.5% decrease in home burglaries, a 1.6% drop in robberies, and a 3.9% decline in vehicle crimes, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).