The surprising suburbs that have emerged as one of Syndey's most unsafe areas – is yours on the list?
Recent crime data has revealed NSW's most dangerous suburbs for serious crime, as the state recorded almost 200,000 serious offenses in just 12 months.
The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics found that more than 3,000 serious offenses were recorded in some suburbs in 12 months, with Sydney CBD, Mount Druitt and the regional city of Bourke emerging as the worst locations.
In the 12 months to June 2023, the state recorded more than 192,000 serious crimes, including 72 murders and more than 66 assaults.
Bourke, which has a population of just 2,389, recorded 622 offences, while Sydney's CBD saw almost 3,000 serious offences, including more than 1,200 non-domestic offences.
Popular inner city neighborhoods such as Redfern, Surry Hills and Glebe are also listed as some of New South Wales' most unsafe suburbs.
The figures include the 13 main crime categories: murder, assault, burglary, sexual offences, theft, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, kidnapping and malicious damage.
Western Sydney suburb Mount Druitt topped the list for the highest crime rate with 3,021 serious crimes recorded in one year
The Bureau of Crime Statistics said nine of the 13 top crime categories in NSW have shown “a significant upward trend” over the past two years.
Domestic violence increased by 8.7 percent, while non-domestic violence increased by 16.2 percent.
Meanwhile, thefts, thefts from stores and motor vehicle thefts also saw increases of 26.6, 47.7 and 23 percent respectively.
Crime hotspots included the Sydney CBD, Redfern, Surry Hills, Mount Druitt, Glebe, Parramatta, Penrith, Kings Cross, Villawood and Macquarie Fields.
Greater Sydney's most dangerous suburbs
Mount Druitt
Western Sydney suburb Mount Druitt topped the list for the highest crime rate with 3,021 serious crimes recorded in one year.
The suburb, home to 61,494 people, had the highest number of domestic assaults in Sydney, at 743 offences, and the highest number of burglary incidents at 257.
Other offenses recorded for the postcode include 815 offenses of malicious damage, 34 offenses of arson and one murder.
Penrith recorded 1,972 offences, including 531 offenses involving malicious damage – making it the third highest figure in Greater Sydney, behind the Sydney CBD and Mount Druitt
Located on the edge of the CBD, Redfern records 756 offenses among its 12,072 residents (photo, entrance to Redfern train station)
Sydney CBD
The Sydney CBD had the second highest serious crime rate – and the highest among the city's suburbs – after recording 2,950 offenses among its 27,936 residents.
The country was responsible for the highest number of non-domestic violence, with 1,220 incidents, followed by 571 intentional harm crimes and 284 domestic violence.
The CBD also recorded 273 assaults, 56 robberies and six arsons in the 12 months to June 2023.
Penrith
Penrith recorded 1,972 offences, including 531 intentional damage offences, making it the third highest figure in Greater Sydney after the Sydney CBD and Mount Druitt.
The zip code also recorded 380 non-domestic assaults, 286 domestic assaults, 146 thefts from homes and 189 burglaries and burglaries.
Red fern
Redfern, located on the edge of the CBD, recorded 756 offenses among its 12,072 residents.
The crimes included 132 non-domestic violence, 125 domestic violence, 117 theft from home, 202 malicious damage crimes and 24 motor vehicle thefts.
Surry Hills recorded 1,414 offences, including 443 non-domestic assaults (pictured, Bourke Street, Surry Hills)
In the inner city suburb of Glebe, 746 offenses were recorded, including 174 malicious damage offenses and 132 non-domestic assaults (pictured, colorful Victorian houses in the Glebe district)
Surry Hills
Meanwhile, the nearby suburb of Surry Hills recorded 1,414 offences, including 443 non-domestic assaults. There were also 295 intentional damage offences, 166 domestic violence offenses and 152 domestic violence.
Glebe
The inner city suburb of Glebe recorded 746 offences, including 174 intentional damage offenses and 132 non-domestic assaults.
In the suburb, which has a population of 16,641, 109 thefts from homes, 74 burglaries and six arsons were registered.
Parramatta
Parramatta recorded a total of 1,524 serious crimes, including 374 non-domestic crimes, 294 malicious damage, 167 thefts from homes, 174 domestic crimes and 140 burglaries.
King's Cross
Kings Cross recorded 723 offenses among its 18,187 residents, with 247 non-domestic assaults recorded.
The once famous nightlife destination also recorded 173 intentional damage crimes, 68 thefts from homes and 66 sex crimes.
Parramatta (pictured) recorded a total of 1,524 serious crimes, including 374 non-domestic crimes
The once famous nightlife destination of Kings Cross racked up 723 violations among its 18,187 residents (pictured, iconic Coco-Cola sign at Kings Cross, Sydney)
Villawood
Villawood, about 27km west of Sydney, recorded 406 serious offences, including 119 domestic violence and 65 malicious damage incidents.
The suburb also recorded 35 motor vehicle thefts, 27 residential thefts and three kidnappings.
Macquarie Fields
The south-west Sydney suburb of Macquarie Fields completed Sydney's top 10 most dangerous postcodes with 538 offences.
In the fast-growing suburb, which has a population of 14,198, 138 malicious damage crimes, 121 domestic violence, 87 non-domestic violence and 42 burglaries were recorded.
Completing the top 20 most dangerous suburbs in Greater Sydney are Katoomba and St Marys, followed by Ultimo, Blacktown, Waterloo, Newtown, Camperdown, Granville, Pyrmont and Doonside.
Most dangerous suburbs in regional NSW
Bourke
The regional NSW town of Bourke, located about 800km northwest of the capital, had the highest crime rate by population.
The outback city recorded 622 serious crimes, including 148 domestic violence, 135 malicious damage offences, 138 burglaries, 27 arson and 24 sexual offenses among its 2,389 residents.
Boggabilla
The small town of Boggabilla, located in the far north of inland NSW north of Moree, came in second place with 254 crimes recorded among 1,072 people in just one year.
Serious crimes were recorded, including 45 intentional damage offenses and 35 domestic violence crimes.
Wilcannia
Wilcannia, a small town located in the Central Darling Shire in north-west NSW, comes in third with 196 serious offences, followed by Newcastle West with 256 offences.
Notable suburbs
Coonamble, Hamilton North, Lighting Ridge, Moree, Warren and Walgett completed the top 10 most dangerous suburbs in regional NSW.
Other dangerous cases in regional NSW included Dubbo with 3,332 offenses among 444,963 residents, Kempsey with 1,697 offenses against 23,166 residents, Newcastle with 855 offenses against 12,058 residents and Broken Hill with 1,276 offenses against 18,097 residents.
Cherrybrook, 29km northwest of Sydney, was NSW's safest suburb after recording the lowest serious crime rate of 72 serious crimes in a population of 19,082
Safest suburbs in Sydney
The statistics also showed that the state's safest suburbs in terms of having the lowest recorded crime rate in the twelve-month period.
Kersenbeek
Cherrybrook, 29km northwest of Sydney, recorded the lowest number of serious crime with 72 serious crimes in a population of 19,082.
Beecroft
The North Sydney suburb of Beecroft came in second with 50 serious offenses among 12,458 residents.
Notable suburbs
Other notable safe havens included Lindfield with 67 crimes among a population of 14,648, Avalon Beach with 79 crimes among a population of 15,422, and West Pennant Hills with 89 serious crimes among a population of 16,620.
The list of Sydney's 20 safest suburbs was completed with Bayview, Belrose, Berowra Heights, Epping, Fairlight, Forrestville, Killara, Newport, Oyster Bay, Pymble, St Ives, The Ponds, Turramurra, Voyager Point and Wahroonga.
Safest suburbs in regional NSW
Pambula
Taking first place as the safest suburb in regional NSW with the lowest crime rate was Pambula on the south coast, with 25 serious offenses among 4,101 residents.
Other suburbs
Other regional suburbs with the lowest crime rates are included Baldry, Wallendbeen, Gerringong, Millthorpe, Bungendore, Tumbulgum and Bangalow.