Is Dundee safe? On official recorded crime figures, Dundee City currently has the highest crime rate of any local authority in Scotland. That is worth saying plainly, because the data is public and the question deserves a straight answer.
It needs context, though. A headline crime rate counts recorded crimes against a resident population. It is not the same as the day-to-day experience of most people who live, study or work in the city, and it does not mean Dundee is unsafe to visit.
This guide sets out what the latest figures show, why Dundee’s rate looks the way it does, how different measures give different answers, and what it means for residents, landlords and businesses.
What the latest figures show for Dundee City
The Scottish Government’s Recorded Crime in Scotland 2025-26 bulletin, published on 23 June 2026, puts Dundee City’s recorded crime rate at 929 crimes per 10,000 population, the highest of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. The national rate was 569 per 10,000, up from 539 the year before.
Dundee also recorded the biggest rise of any local authority. Total recorded crime there was up 18% on 2024-25, against 5% for Scotland as a whole. Recorded crime rose in 28 local authorities, fell in three and was broadly unchanged in one, with North Ayrshire seeing the largest fall at 4%.
Recorded crime rate per 10,000 population, 2025-26
| Area | Recorded crimes per 10,000 population | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Dundee City | 929 | Highest of 32 local authorities |
| Scotland (national rate) | 569 | Up from 539 in 2024-25 |
| Shetland Islands | 203 | Lowest of 32 local authorities |
Nationally, the number of crimes recorded in 2025-26 was 315,357. That is 5% more than the year before and the highest level since 2014-15, but it is still 49% below the peak of 1991.
Dundee has been near the top before. Press coverage of the 2022-23 figures put its rate at 849 crimes per 10,000, comfortably ahead of Glasgow in second place, so the current position is a sustained pattern rather than one unusual year.
What kinds of crime are recorded
The Scottish Government groups recorded crime into five main crime groups. Across Scotland in 2025-26, crimes of dishonesty such as theft made up the largest share, followed by non-sexual crimes of violence.
Share of total recorded crime in Scotland by crime group, 2025-26
| Crime group | Share of recorded crime |
|---|---|
| Crimes of dishonesty | 37% |
| Non-sexual crimes of violence | 24% |
| Crimes against society | 21% |
| Damage and reckless behaviour | 12% |
| Sexual crimes | 5% |
These are Scotland-wide shares. The Scottish Government publishes road traffic and antisocial offences separately from these crime totals, and the bulletin’s local authority tables break Dundee down in more detail. Ward-level crime maps built from Police Scotland data show that recorded crime is not spread evenly across the city.
Why Dundee’s rate looks the way it does
Recorded crime rates divide crimes by the resident population of a local authority, which tends to penalise compact city council areas. Crimes against shoppers, students, commuters and visitors who do not live in the city are still counted against Dundee’s residents, which pushes the per-head rate up compared with a larger or more rural authority.
Recording practice matters too. The Scottish Government notes that legislative changes and changes to how crime is recorded affect the long-run figures, so a change in recorded crime is not always a change in underlying crime.
Press coverage of the 2022-23 figures pointed to rises in fraud, vehicle theft and fire-raising in the city. Those were the categories reported at the time rather than a current breakdown, so treat them as background rather than a description of today.
Different measures, different answers
Recorded crime rate is only one way to ask whether a city is safe. A 2025 composite ranking reported in local media, which weighted crime severity, reoffending, antisocial behaviour and CCTV coverage, placed Dundee first in Scotland for safety. The two results do not contradict each other. They measure different things, and anyone comparing cities should check what each figure actually counts.
Distance matters as well. Perth and Kinross, about twenty miles away, was described as one of Scotland’s safest areas in the same 2022-23 coverage, which shows how much the picture can change over a short distance. Our wider look at the most dangerous areas in Scotland compares areas across the country.
How to read a crime statistic before you rely on it
Check the year, the unit and the measure. A total, a rate per head, a survey result and a composite score all answer different questions, and they are easy to confuse in a headline.
Compare like with like, and treat a single year’s change with caution. A rise can reflect a real increase, a change in how crime is recorded, or more people reporting it, and the official bulletin is the place to check which.
What this means if you live, work or run a business in Dundee
For most residents, risk depends on where and when. Crime tends to cluster in busy commercial areas, around licensed premises at night and on empty or poorly secured property, and that is true of most UK cities.
The sharper implications are for businesses and property owners. Retail and hospitality premises, landlords with empty properties and construction sites linked to the city’s waterfront regeneration all carry more exposure than a comparable site in a lower-crime area. A written security risk assessment is the quickest way to find out which risks apply to your site.
Whatever the city-wide figure, a few measures lower risk at most commercial sites:
- Start with a written risk assessment covering the site’s hours, stock, access points and recent incidents.
- Light and monitor the places people approach unseen, such as rear doors, loading areas and car parks. Monitored CCTV is more useful than recording alone.
- Make sure keyholding and alarm response sit with a named, accredited provider, so an activation at 3am is dealt with in person.
- Report every incident to Police Scotland, including minor ones, because recorded incidents are what local policing and crime statistics are built on.
- Keep empty or part-used buildings visibly maintained and inspected, since neglected property attracts trespass and vandalism.
How Anubis supports businesses and property owners in Dundee
Anubis Group is headquartered in Carluke and provides security across Scotland, including our Dundee security company service for Dundee City and Tayside. Our manned guarding and mobile patrol and keyholding services cover retail premises, offices and empty buildings, the sites most exposed in a busy city centre.
CCTV installation and monitoring gives clients eyes on a site when nobody is there, and our construction site security experience includes a 13-month contract at an SSE switching station in Wick. For empty buildings, our vacant property protection guide explains the options.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dundee the most dangerous city in Scotland?
By recorded crime rate per head of population, Dundee City is the highest of Scotland’s 32 local authorities in the 2025-26 figures. Composite safety rankings built on other measures can give a different answer.
Has crime in Dundee gone up recently?
Yes. Recorded crime in Dundee City was up 18% in 2025-26, the largest rise of any Scottish local authority, against a 5% rise nationally.
Does a high crime rate mean Dundee is unsafe to visit or live in?
Not necessarily. A city-wide rate includes crime affecting people who do not live in Dundee, and recorded crime varies a good deal between areas of the city.
What is the safest city in Scotland?
It depends on the measure. By recorded crime rate, the lowest rates are in island and rural authorities such as the Shetland Islands, at 203 per 10,000, rather than in cities. City rankings change with what is counted.
What kind of crime is most common?
Across Scotland, crimes of dishonesty such as theft are the largest group at 37% of recorded crime, followed by non-sexual crimes of violence at 24%. The bulletin’s local authority tables give the detail for Dundee City.
Which areas of Dundee should I avoid?
Recorded crime is a poor guide to individual streets, and we would not draw conclusions about neighbourhoods from city-wide totals. Ward-level maps built from Police Scotland data show how recorded crime varies, and Police Scotland’s local policing teams are the best source of current local advice.
Where can I see the official statistics?
The Scottish Government publishes the full Recorded Crime in Scotland bulletin, including a local authority breakdown, on gov.scot.
How can a business reduce its security risk in Dundee?
A mix of manned guarding or mobile patrols, monitored CCTV and proper keyholding with alarm response reduces exposure for retail premises, empty properties and construction sites.
If your business or property in Dundee or Tayside needs a security review, call 0800 121 6576 or contact us for a free assessment.
