Safety index · Hackney, London · data through April 2026
Is Hackney Central safe?
Hackney Central records more reported crime than most London neighbourhoods. Its SafeRoute safety index is 26 out of 100 — 5 points below the Inner London median of 31, ranking 210th of 248 Inner London areas — based on 680 incidents reported to the police within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre (data through April 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (23% 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 | 154 · 23% | |
| Anti-social behaviour | 140 · 21% | |
| Theft from a person | 66 · 10% | |
| Public order | 44 · 6% | |
| Drugs | 43 · 6% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 30 · 4% |
Walking in Hackney Central at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- Dalston26/100 · Elevated
- Homerton26/100 · Elevated
- Shacklewell26/100 · Elevated
- Hackney Downs30/100 · Elevated
- London Fields28/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Hackney Central safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 26/100). At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a short detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Hackney Central?
Violent crime — 154 of 680 incidents (23%) reported within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre through April 2026.
How is the Hackney Central safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each police-recorded incident by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre, and normalises against national crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety.