Central ward · Belfast. Every figure carries its own date.
Boundary: May 2026. Census and crime records have different dates and purposes.
What makes this ward different?
Homes rented privately: 51% here, compared with 21% across Belfast (30.4 percentage points higher).
A larger private-rented sector changes the mix of housing advice, enforcement and tenant support needed. It does not tell us whether individual homes are affordable or safe.
21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.
Why this comparison is valid
The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.
People aged 65 or over: 5.2% here, compared with 14.7% across Belfast (9.5 percentage points lower).
Age helps locate demand for accessible homes, transport and support. Being older does not itself mean someone needs care.
21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.
Why this comparison is valid
The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.
People aged 16+ with no qualifications: 15.4% here, compared with 23.9% across Belfast (8.6 percentage points lower).
Formal qualifications are only one part of someone's skills. Training decisions also need current vacancies, employment and residents' experience.
21 March 2021 · ward and council use the same source, measure and date.
Why this comparison is valid
The difference is in percentage points. The wider figure is the published council total, not the average of its wards. Differences describe groups, not every resident.
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-a02.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-d01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
All usual residents; self-reported, not age-standardised
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-a01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-g01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-g01.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-e15.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
Homes rented from a council or housing association
28%
21 March 2021 · Central ward
Show the workings
First count table in Ward/LGD/NI worksheets of census-2021-ms-e15.xlsx. Each percentage uses its own table denominator. Census privacy adjustments can make totals differ slightly between tables.
Police-recorded locations for Central ward. Locations are approximate; these are not all crimes or a measure of personal risk.
6,567 mapped crimes
September 2025 to August 2026. Compared with 5,896 in the previous 12 months. Anti-social behaviour is counted separately.
Mapped crime over time
September 2024 to August 2026
Central ward · mapped crimes
Reviewed figures: September 2024 to August 2026. This reviewed record covers fewer than 30 years, so the chart opens on all of it.
Shown on this chart: 534 mapped crimes in September 2024; 688 mapped crimes in August 2026. These are recorded counts; check the coverage notes before comparing periods.
393.4551.2709
September 2024August 2026
The line joins consecutive published observations.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Monthly crime and anti-social behaviour
Recorded locations by month · Central
Month
Mapped crime
Anti-social behaviour
September 2024
534
293
October 2024
590
247
November 2024
557
225
December 2024
537
218
January 2025
425
212
February 2025
439
209
March 2025
479
284
April 2025
444
216
May 2025
455
283
June 2025
438
225
July 2025
544
255
August 2025
454
246
September 2025
502
233
October 2025
555
288
November 2025
514
233
December 2025
645
220
January 2026
451
172
February 2026
493
242
March 2026
554
292
April 2026
505
254
May 2026
557
293
June 2026
535
292
July 2026
568
297
August 2026
688
307
Crime categories in the latest complete year
September 2025 to August 2026 · Central
Category
Mapped crimes
violent crime
2,465
shoplifting
1,230
drugs
732
criminal damage arson
660
other theft
569
burglary
167
other crime
154
robbery
138
vehicle crime
135
possession of weapons
114
bicycle theft
83
theft from the person
80
public order
40
What these numbers include
Approximate published locations, not every crime or personal risk.
Anti-social behaviour is separate. Transport police and records without usable locations are excluded.
Do not compare directly with Scottish council-level recorded crime totals.
These are retrieved mapped records, not a guarantee of complete crime reporting. Approximate locations and unmapped incidents limit comparisons.
Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for September 2024. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.
Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for March 2025. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.
Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for April 2025. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.
Publication history: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime data not provided for May 2025. The force will provide a data refresh as soon as possible. Later update: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Crime Data refreshed from January - May 2025, January to December 2024 and August to December 2023.
Missing ward-months invalidate totals and changes. Busy centres attract visitors, so residential population is not a measure of the number of people exposed.
