Safety index · Bristol · data through August 2026
Is Central, Bristol safe?
Central records a high level of reported crime for Bristol. Its SafeRoute safety index is 16 out of 100 — 42 points below the Bristol median of 58, ranking 34th of 34 Bristol wards — based on 1,237 incidents reported to Avon and Somerset Police within 1 km of the ward centre over the month to August 2026.
DATA THROUGH AUGUST 2026 · 1 MONTH OF DATA
The 0–100 scale is calibrated to Bristol — a typical Bristol ward sits near 58. It ranks Central against other wards here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
The largest reported category here is violent crime (29% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 361 · 29% | |
| Anti-social behaviour | 222 · 18% | |
| Shoplifting | 193 · 16% | |
| Other theft | 103 · 8% | |
| Public order | 71 · 6% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 66 · 5% |
Walking in Central at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same official crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Compare the routes and share your walk. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Hotwells and Harbourside21/100 · High risk
- Southville37/100 · Elevated
- Cotham35/100 · Elevated
- Clifton Down62/100 · Moderate
- Clifton60/100 · Moderate
Common questions
Is Central safe at night?
High risk overall (safety index 16/100). At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a short detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Central?
Violent crime — 361 of 1,237 incidents (29%) reported within 1 km of the ward centre over the month to August 2026.
How is the Central safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each police-recorded incident by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last published month within 1 km of the ward centre, and normalises against Bristol rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety. The scale is calibrated within Bristol, so scores compare wards to each other and cannot be read against another city's.