These are the 15 Russell Group student areas with the most violent crime in 2025

When you’re looking at places to live and study, one of the biggest factors can be how safe the place is.

Therefore, The Tab has analysed crime data for some of the UK’s most popular Russell Group student areas – and we have found 15 with the highest levels of violent crime.

This list below looks at student areas nearby Russell Group universities, with data on violence and sexual offences between May 2024 and April 2025 sourced from Police.UK.

Note that many students are often feel very happy and safe in student areas, and whilst this data analyses violent crime, it does not determine whether these crimes were committed against students themselves.

So, let’s have a look at the Russell Group student areas with the most violent crime in 2024/25.

15. Stokes Croft and St Michael’s – Bristol

Firstly, the banks of the River Avon. This area includes the main campus, nearby social destinations, and residences such as St Michael’s Hill.

594 violence and sexual offences were reported here since May 2024, according to Police UK.

14. York Outer East

Up in Yorkshire, York Outer East cover Osbaldwick, Tang Hall East, and Campus East.

799 violence and sexual crime offences are listed as having happened here.

13. Durham

Durham City is next with 918 offences.

12. Jesmond and Heaton – Newcastle

One of two Newcastle areas, Jesmond and Heaton tips over the 1,000 mark with 1,021 violence and sexual offences in the time period.

11. Cambridge

The first of the Oxbridge university cities, Cambridge City and West ranks 11th due to 1,084 recorded violence and sexual offences.

10. Selly Oak – Birmingham

Selly Oak is one of the most popular areas for student living in Birmingham. However, there were more than one thousand offences were reported in the time period: 1,153.

9. Edgbaston – Birmingham

Just across the road and the home of the main university campus and home to more student accommodation is Edgbaston – also famous for its cricket ground.

It’s only slightly up on Selly Oak’s figures with 1,369 reported offences over the last 12 months.

8. Oxford

The second of the Oxbridge cities, Thames Valley Police reports 1,430 offences in Oxford Central last year.

7. Portswood – Southampton

Further down in the south Portswood in Southampton is listed as having 1,649 violence and sexual offences.

6. Woodland, Wainbody, Westwood and Whoberley – Warwick

The name of the neighbourhood may be quite a mouthful, but for students this is simply campus and some of the halls of residence. Coming in at number six, data shows 2,040 recorded incidents.

Another popular area in Warwick, Kenilworth, placed down in 20th place on our list with 349.

5. Cathays – Cardiff

Outside of England, Cathays in Cardiff enters the list at number five.

A place for living, socialising, and studying, 2,083 offences have been recorded in Cathays.

4. Sheffield North West

The Sheffield North West neighbourhood incorporates the upper part of the university campus and popular student housing areas such as Crookes, Crookesmoor, Broomhall, and Ecclesall Road.

2,762 violence and sexual offences have been recorded in the area by South Yorkshire Police over the last year.

3. St James’s – London

This is one of the only areas where violence and sexual offences (5,288) was not the most frequent crime. That is instead theft from a person with 9,188 instances recorded.

St James’s incorporates Westminster – a popular spot for students at nearby London universities, not just tourists.

2. Newcastle Central

Newcastle Central is the centre of the city plus the university campus and neighbouring accommodation.

3,398 offences were recorded here since last May.

1. Leeds North West

Topping the list is Leeds North West with huge 5,288 reported violence and sexual offences – averaging 440 per month.

The area incorporates Hyde Park and Headingley – home of the Otley Run pub crawl.

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