Amherst Crime Statistics
Nova Scotia · Statistics Canada 2025 · updated 2026-10-13
CrimeMaps has no incident-level map for Amherst: its police service does not publish open incident data. These are the official annual police-reported statistics from Statistics Canada.
| 2025 incidents | 1,256 (down 27.1% vs 2024) |
|---|---|
| Rate per 100,000 | 12,470.2 (population 10,070) |
| Violent incidents | 262 (2,601.3 per 100K) |
| Property incidents | 675 (6,701.8 per 100K) |
| Crime Severity Index 2025 | 111.8 (violent 103.4) |
| Cleared by police | 42.9% |
| vs Nova Scotia | 86.1% higher rate (6,701.7 per 100K) |
Source: Statistics Canada, police-reported incidents (Uniform Crime Reporting Survey), Amherst police service. Annual figures; 2025 is the latest published year.
Year by year
| Year | Incidents | Per 100K | Violent | Property | CSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,256 | 12,470.2 | 262 | 675 | 111.8 |
| 2024 | 1,722 | 17,254.5 | 391 | 877 | 163.3 |
| 2023 | 1,775 | 18,086.4 | 395 | 993 | 173.8 |
| 2022 | 1,662 | 17,267.5 | 358 | 881 | 150.9 |
| 2021 | 1,438 | 14,883.0 | 375 | 703 | 147.9 |
| 2020 | 1,436 | 15,005.2 | 304 | 665 | 128.8 |
| 2019 | 1,619 | 17,079.9 | 373 | 823 | 157.9 |
| 2018 | 1,272 | 13,392.3 | 265 | 661 | 112.6 |
| 2017 | 1,212 | 12,717.7 | 252 | 676 | 133.7 |
| 2016 | 1,055 | 11,043.6 | 184 | 582 | 98.7 |
Offences in 2025
| Offence | Incidents | Per 100K | vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theft (non-vehicle) | 361 | 3,584.2 | down 16.4% |
| Mischief | 186 | 1,846.7 | down 25.0% |
| Shoplifting | 132 | 1,310.6 | down 6.4% |
| Assault | 104 | 1,032.6 | down 34.6% |
| Fraud and identity crime | 70 | 695.0 | up 6.1% |
| Theft from vehicle | 31 | 307.8 | down 35.4% |
| Break and enter | 29 | 287.9 | down 63.7% |
| Impaired driving | 27 | 268.1 | down 3.6% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 21 | 208.5 | down 22.2% |
| Sexual assault | 13 | 129.1 | down 13.3% |
| Drug violations | 13 | 129.1 | down 50.0% |
| Weapons violations | 4 | 39.7 | down 73.3% |
Amherst crime overview
Essay updated 2026-10-04 · figures above are Statistics Canada 2025
TL;DR. Amherst police service recorded 1,256 incidents in 2025, a rate of 12,470.2 per 100,000 population. The total fell 27.1% from 1,722 in 2024. The most common offence was theft (non-vehicle) with 361 incidents, 28.7% of the total.
About this data
Amherst is policed by the Amherst police service. These are official annual statistics from Statistics Canada's Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, covering police-reported incidents that came to police attention; not every crime is reported. In 2025, the latest year, police reported 1,256 incidents, for a rate per 100,000 population of 12,470.2. The rate is based on a population of 10,070.
Recent trend
Total incidents fell 27.1% from 1,722 in 2024 to 1,256 in 2025. Since 2016, when 1,055 incidents were reported, the total rose 19.1%, while the rate per 100,000 population rose 12.9%. The peak in 2016–2025 was 1,775 incidents in 2023, and the lowest was 1,055 incidents in 2016. Violent incidents fell 33% compared with 2024. Property incidents fell 23% compared with 2024.
Category breakdown
The most-reported offences in 2025 were theft (non-vehicle) with 361 incidents, 28.7% of the total, which fell 16.4% from 432 in 2024, and mischief with 186 incidents, 14.8% of the total, which fell 25% from 248 in 2024. Shoplifting accounted for 132 incidents, 10.5% of the total, which fell 6.4% from 141 in 2024, while assault accounted for 104 incidents, 8.3% of the total, which fell 34.6% from 159 in 2024. Fraud and identity crime totalled 70 incidents, 5.6% of the total, which rose 6.1% from 66 in 2024; uttering threats totalled 69 incidents, 5.5% of the total, which fell 27.4% from 95 in 2024; theft from a vehicle totalled 31 incidents, 2.5% of the total, which fell 35.4% from 48 in 2024; and break and enter totalled 29 incidents, 2.3% of the total, which fell 63.7% from 80 in 2024. Violent incidents totalled 262, 20.9% of the total, at a rate per 100,000 population of 2,601.3, while property incidents totalled 675, 53.7% of the total, at a rate per 100,000 population of 6,701.8. The crime severity index in 2025 was 111.76, with a violent crime severity index of 103.38, compared with 163.34 in 2024, which weights offences by seriousness.
What this means
Amherst's total rate per 100,000 population of 12,470.2 was 86.1% higher than Nova Scotia's 6,701.7, with the violent rate of 2,601.3 66.5% higher than the provincial 1,561.9 and the property rate of 6,701.8 88% higher than the provincial 3,564.7. The data do not show locations within the city, so neighbourhood or street differences cannot be seen from these totals. Comparisons reflect reporting and recording practices as well as underlying occurrence, with 42.9% of incidents cleared in 2025. Statistics Canada publishes each year's data the following July, so 2025 is the latest year available.
FAQ
What is the crime rate in Amherst?
In 2025, the latest year, the Amherst police service reported 1,256 incidents, a rate of 12,470.2 per 100,000 population. Of those, 262 were violent incidents, a rate of 2,601.3 per 100,000 population, and 675 were property incidents, a rate of 6,701.8 per 100,000 population.
Is crime going up or down in Amherst?
Total incidents fell 27.1% in 2025 compared with 1,722 in 2024. Violent incidents fell 33% and property incidents fell 23% over the same period. Since 2016, when 1,055 incidents were reported, total incidents rose 19.1% to 1,256 in 2025.
What is the most common crime in Amherst?
In 2025, theft (non-vehicle) was the most commonly reported offence with 361 incidents, accounting for 28.7% of total incidents, at a rate of 3,584.2 per 100,000 population. That count fell 16.4% from 432 in 2024. The next most reported offences were mischief with 186 incidents and shoplifting with 132 incidents.
How does Amherst compare with Nova Scotia?
In 2025, Amherst reported a total rate of 12,470.2 per 100,000 population, compared with 6,701.7 per 100,000 population for Nova Scotia. The violent rate was 2,601.3 per 100,000 population compared with 1,561.9 per 100,000 population provincially, and the property rate was 6,701.8 per 100,000 population compared with 3,564.7 per 100,000 population provincially. Statistics Canada figures place the Amherst total rate 86.1% above the provincial rate, the violent rate 66.5% above and the property rate 88% above.
Where do these numbers come from?
These are official annual statistics from Statistics Canada's Uniform Crime Reporting Survey for the Amherst police service covering 2016–2025, with 2025 the latest year published the following July. Police-reported means incidents that came to police attention, and not every crime is reported. The Crime Severity Index for 2025 was 111.76, with a violent Crime Severity Index of 103.38, compared with 163.34 in 2024.