Is Canterbury Safe? Safest & Least Safe Suburbs

Canterbury's safest suburb is Gleniti North (safety score 100/100, 1.9 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year). The least safe is Christchurch Central-South (0/100, 1,427.4 per 1,000). 94 of 288 ranked Canterbury suburbs score 70 or higher.

How the safety score works

Safest suburbs in Canterbury

  1. 1.Gleniti North 100/100 · 1.9 per 1k
  2. 2.Levels 100/100 · 8.1 per 1k
  3. 3.Tinwald North 100/100 · 2.7 per 1k
  4. 4.Hakataramea 100/100 · 11.7 per 1k
  5. 5.Governors Bay 100/100 · 6.9 per 1k
  6. 6.Gleniti South 99/100 · 3.6 per 1k
  7. 7.Hadlow 99/100 · 3.2 per 1k
  8. 8.Lincoln South 99/100 · 2.9 per 1k
  9. 9.Ashley Forest 99/100 · 6.2 per 1k
  10. 10.Rolleston North East 99/100 · 7.8 per 1k
Top 20 safest suburbs in Canterbury →

Least safe suburbs in Canterbury

  1. 1.Christchurch Central-South 0/100 · 1,427.4 per 1k
  2. 2.Christchurch Central-West 2/100 · 315 per 1k
  3. 3.Linwood East 2/100 · 378.9 per 1k
  4. 4.Paparua 2/100 · 167.6 per 1k
  5. 5.Upper Riccarton 3/100 · 272.8 per 1k
  6. 6.Richmond South (Christchurch City) 3/100 · 210.4 per 1k
  7. 7.Linwood Central 3/100 · 164.6 per 1k
  8. 8.Christchurch Central-East 3/100 · 135.4 per 1k
  9. 9.Southbrook 4/100 · 263.7 per 1k
  10. 10.Mona Vale 4/100 · 197 per 1k

Town centres and retail hubs rank low because theft is recorded where it happens, not where offenders live.

Canterbury safety FAQ

Is Canterbury safe?

Canterbury's safest suburb is Gleniti North (safety score 100/100, 1.9 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year). The least safe is Christchurch Central-South (0/100, 1,427.4 per 1,000). 94 of 288 ranked Canterbury suburbs score 70 or higher.

What is the safest suburb in Canterbury?

Gleniti North, with a safety score of 100/100. The next safest are Levels, Tinwald North, Hakataramea.

Which suburbs in Canterbury have the most crime?

Christchurch Central-South (1,427.4 per 1,000), Christchurch Central-West (315 per 1,000), Linwood East (378.9 per 1,000). Town centres and retail hubs rank low because shoplifting and other theft is recorded where it happens.

How are Canterbury suburbs ranked?

By SafeSuburbs Safety Score, which weights each NZ Police recorded victimisation by harm (NZ Crime Harm Index) per 1,000 residents (2023 Census). Areas with fewer than 500 residents, with no crime records matched to them yet, or whose Police records stop partway through the period (usually a redrawn boundary) are listed but not ranked.

All Canterbury suburbs

Showing 331 suburbs, safest first.