Katherine crime rate and Crime Score · Northern Territory council area
Katherine is a council area in Northern Territory with about 11,282 residents. It has a Crime Score 94 out of 100 (very high), 3rd of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (96th percentile), homicide (99th percentile), break-ins (97th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 89.
In 2025-26: violent 9,635 per 100,000 (+61% vs five years earlier); property 11,673 per 100,000 (+31% vs five years earlier); break-ins 2,845 per 100,000 (+31% vs five years earlier); theft 3,333 per 100,000 (+28% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 1st of 6 Northern Territory councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Katherine council area is 3.9% (Northern Territory 5.6%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 13.4% of occupied homes (284 public and 98 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; Northern Territory 13.5%). An estimated 492 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 447.9 per 10,000 residents (Northern Territory 563.6), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 17.7% of residents were born overseas (Northern Territory 23.9%), most often in Philippines, Nepal, New Zealand. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 3.6% (confidence 75 of 100); social housing about 12.3% of homes; about 440.4 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 18% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 9,635 | 1,087 | +61% |
| Property | 11,673 | 1,317 | +31% |
| Break-ins | 2,845 | 321 | +31% |
| Theft | 3,333 | 376 | +28% |
Questions
Is Katherine safe?
Katherine recorded 9,630 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, 2.4 times the Northern Territory rate (4,050) and 7.5 times the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 93.8 out of 100 (very high), 3rd of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Katherine?
321 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 2,850 per 100,000 residents, 2.4 times the Northern Territory rate (1,170).
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Police news near Katherine
- Second arrest following Katherine service station robbery · Katherine, 22 Sept 2026 · 3 km away
- Youth arrested following Katherine service station robbery · Katherine, 22 Sept 2026 · 3 km away
- Two arrested amid busy weekend for Katherine police · Katherine, 21 Sept 2026 · 3 km away
- Youth arrested following Katherine attempted aggravated burglary · Katherine, 17 Sept 2026 · 3 km away
Suburbs in the Katherine council area
Cossack · Emungalan · Katherine · Katherine East · Katherine South · Lansdowne · Tindal
Postcodes in the Katherine council area
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/nt-katherine/ · Australian Crime Map