St David's, Exeter: Safety
Safety
Crime rates in St David's are higher than UK and South West averages, which makes sense given it's Exeter's busy city centre neighbourhood rather than just a residential area.
In 2024 and 2025, the neighbourhood recorded around 417 to 437 crimes per 1,000 people, compared to a UK average of around 89 to 92. Most of this comes from shoplifting and anti-social behaviour — the kinds of crimes that naturally cluster in busy commercial areas with lots of footfall.
Vehicle crime and burglary are much closer to national averages, which matters more for how safe you'll actually feel day-to-day. If you're after somewhere quieter, neighbouring areas like Alphington and Exwick have significantly lower overall crime rates.
Source: police-recorded crime for St David's ward (Devon & Cornwall Police, data.police.uk), Jan 2024–Aug 2026; residents from Census 2021. This summary may predate the latest data release; the table below has the current figures.
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Crime rate comparison
Crimes per 1,000 residents, Jan–Dec 2025. St David's ward: Devon & Cornwall Police data via data.police.uk; residents from Census 2021. Averages are for all wards in the area over the same months. Planna's safety index uses the latest 12 months instead, so it can differ.
2024
2025
Jan–Aug 2026
St David's ward
Crimes/1,000 residents
430.5
Higher than
UK average (England, Wales & N. Ireland)
98.8
Higher than
South West region average
82.6
Neighbouring wards
Higher than
St Thomas
125.9
Higher than
Alphington
80.2
Higher than
Exwick
62.1
Higher than
Newtown and St Leonard's
134.4
Higher than
Priory
119.4
Higher than
Duryard and St James
76.9
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Types of Crime
Share of police-recorded crimes in St David's ward and the South West region average, Jan–Dec 2025.
This ward
Regional average
- Violent offences34%39%
- Shoplifting21%8%
- Anti-social behaviour18%18%
- Public order6%8%
- Criminal damage and arson5%8%
- Other theft5%7%
- Drugs3%2%
- Bicycle theft2%1%
- Burglary2%3%
- Possession of weapons1%1%
- Theft from the person1%<1%
- Robbery1%1%
- Vehicle crime1%3%
- Other crime1%2%
