Crime & safety
The authoritative source for crime in NSW is the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), which publishes recorded incidents reported to or detected by NSW Police. Below are Ballina's 12 major offences for the 12 months from April 2025 to March 2026 (the year ending March 2026), with each rate (per 100,000 people) placed next to the NSW rate. The 'vs NSW' column is Ballina's rate divided by the NSW rate: 1.0 means the same as NSW, below 1.0 is lower than NSW, above 1.0 is higher.
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Rate per 100,000
- Crime counts adjusted for population, so different-sized places can be compared.
- Compared to NSW (×)
- How the local rate compares to the NSW average (1.0 = the same).
- Recorded incident
- An incident reported to police — not a proven charge or conviction.
- Major offence categories
- The high-level offence groups official rates are calculated for.
- Police Area Command / Police District
- The local NSW Police command responsible for an area.
- BOCSAR
- The official source of NSW recorded-crime data.
- Reporting period
- April 2025 to March 2026 (12 months)Latest BOCSAR recorded-crime release.
- How Ballina compares
- 2 of 12 major offences below the NSW rateBelow NSW: domestic violence assault 0.76× and non-DV assault 0.94×. The other 10 offence types sit above the NSW rate — highest relative: break & enter (non-dwelling) 1.91×, steal from retail store 1.80×, robbery 1.62×.
- Context for a coastal service centre
- Rates are per resident, against a large visitor & retail catchmentSee the note below — BOCSAR divides recorded incidents by resident population, which can lift the per-100,000 rate in a regional town that serves far more people than live there.
- Local policing
- Richmond Police DistrictConfirm the exact Police District boundary on the BOCSAR mapping tool, as parts of the LGA can sit near neighbouring commands.
- Latest figures & other areas
- BOCSAR Crime Mapping ToolBuild a tailored report and compare any LGA to the NSW rate.
| Offence | Incidents | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steal from retail store | 322 | 671.7 | 372.5 | 1.80× |
| Malicious damage to property | 312 | 650.9 | 554.7 | 1.17× |
| Other stealing offences | 277 | 577.9 | 463.1 | 1.25× |
| Non-DV related assault | 181 | 377.6 | 401.8 | 0.94× |
| Steal from motor vehicle | 170 | 354.6 | 295.5 | 1.20× |
| Domestic violence related assault | 165 | 344.2 | 451.9 | 0.76× |
| Break & enter (dwelling) | 158 | 329.6 | 212.3 | 1.55× |
| Motor vehicle theft | 111 | 231.6 | 171.2 | 1.35× |
| Sexual assault | 94 | 196.1 | 154.4 | 1.27× |
| Break & enter (non-dwelling) | 84 | 175.2 | 91.8 | 1.91× |
| Sexual touching & other sexual offences | 51 | 106.4 | 104.1 | 1.02× |
| Robbery | 16 | 33.4 | 20.6 | 1.62× |
Major offences in Ballina vs the NSW rate, per 100,000 population, for the 12 months from April 2025 to March 2026. Source: BOCSAR LGA & NSW recorded-crime tables. 'vs NSW' = Ballina rate ÷ NSW rate.
BOCSAR calculates rates only for these 'major offences', so high-volume justice offences (e.g. breach of bail or AVO) aren't rate-compared here. These are recorded incidents, not convictions, and counts move with population and reporting. One thing to keep in mind when reading the 'vs NSW' column: BOCSAR divides recorded incidents by the LGA's resident population, but Ballina is a regional service, retail and tourism centre for the wider Northern Rivers — a per-resident rate does not adjust for the many non-residents who shop, work and holiday in the shire, which can raise rates for offences like retail theft and break & enter. This is context for reading the numbers, not a conclusion about safety. For the latest figures, trends and other offence types, use BOCSAR's tools below.
Sources — check it yourself
- BOCSAR — Ballina LGA crime table (XLSX) · Apr 2025 to Mar 2026
- BOCSAR — NSW recorded-crime table (XLSX) · Apr 2025 to Mar 2026
- BOCSAR — Crime statistics by LGA · Updated quarterly
- BOCSAR — Crime Mapping Tool (compare to NSW)
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.