Photo: Brett Snyder ( 1brettsnyder at en.wikipedia ) · CC BY 1.0Newell County records less crime per resident than four in five Canadian towns
Against usual levels of 85.7 and 62.8, violent and non-violent offences here reach 25.8 and 46.7. Per 1,000 residents a year, 5.8 violent incidents and 19.4 incidents of property crime were recorded, against 12.9 and 31.2 in the typical town its size. Scored on crime the police covering Newell County reported across 2023 to 2025, the town lands on A− for safety: #10 of 474 in Alberta. Still, its Crime Severity Index climbed from 43.3 in 2023 to 46.4 by 2025.
Statistics Canada, police-reported crime, 2023–2025 means. The index weighs each crime by its seriousness; rates are incidents per 1,000 residents a year. Crime severity, crime rate and incident counts: one figure for all of the Brooks detachment area.
What stands out about safety in Newell County
Non-violent crime leads the index
Newell County scores 25.8 for violence and 46.7 for other crime; the typical Canadian town its size scores 85.7 and 62.8. By type ↓
Lighter than Alberta’s middle
Set among Alberta’s towns, whose median is 110, Newell County scores 40.4. Towns its size ↓
Lower than many towns its size
Counting up from the lowest index, Newell County is 12th of the 40 Canadian towns closest in population. Towns its size ↓
Written from Statistics Canada’s police-reported crime by police service and detachment, 2023–2025. Figures are what police recorded, not convictions.
Newell County: A− for safety, and why
How sure: A less certain grade than most, because the figures belong to the nearest detachment, 5 km from Newell County, not to the town.
The grade weighs the Crime Severity Index and its violent half, averaged over 2023–2025, against every Canadian town and city neighbourhood of 1,000 people or more.
Its place: #10 of 474 in Alberta and #306 of 2,572 Canadian towns.
The Crime Severity Index and its two halves, beside the typical figure for Canadian towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people.
Crime in Newell County, type by type
Assault and theft under $5,000 sit below it.
Every Statistics Canada violation line
| Violation | Incidents a year | Per 1,000 | Cleared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 0 | 0 | — |
| Sexual violations against children | 0.3 | 0.04 | — |
| Assaults against a peace officer | 0 | 0 | — |
| Firearms: use, discharge, pointing | 1 | 0.1 | — |
| Robbery | 0.3 | 0.04 | — |
| Forcible confinement or kidnapping | 1 | 0.1 | — |
| Other violent violations | 1.3 | 0.2 | — |
| Breaking and entering | 24.3 | 3.1 | 16% |
| Possession of stolen property | 10 | 1.3 | 30% |
| Theft of a motor vehicle | 14.7 | 1.8 | 12% |
| Theft over $5,000 | 8.3 | 1 | 16% |
| Theft under $5,000 | 35.3 | 4.4 | 15% |
| Mischief | 41.3 | 5.2 | 10% |
| Weapons violations | 1.3 | 0.2 | — |
| Administration of justice violations | 12.7 | 1.6 | 57% |
| Other Criminal Code violations | 5 | 0.6 | 40% |
| Drug violations | 2.3 | 0.3 | — |
| Impaired driving | 15 | 1.9 | 62% |
| Failing to stop or remain | 0.3 | 0.04 | — |
Statistics Canada’s violation groups for the whole police service or detachment, incidents a year its own. Cleared: incidents solved by a charge or otherwise, as a share of those reported.
Incidents per 1,000 residents a year, 2023–2025 means, against the typical figure for Canadian towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people.
The detachment closest to Newell County, 7,970 residents, recorded about 46 violent incidents a year, 2023–2025
Violent incidents per 1,000 a year, 2023–2025
Property crimes per 1,000 a year, 2023–2025
Statistics Canada counts actual incidents; those police record as unfounded are listed apart and kept out of its crime rates and severity index. Each incident is filed under its most serious violation, which the survey sets partly by the maximum penalty.
Add about 150 property crimes and 53 other violations a year (2023–2025 average). The grid is 1,000 residents, a coloured dot for each incident a year at these rates.
Newell County is 12th of 40 towns its size, lowest index first
| # | Town | People | Severity index | Violent index | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Otonabee-South Monaghan Ontario | 8,084 | 26 | 27.2 | A+ |
| … | |||||
| 3 | Taber Alberta | 8,009 | 29.4 | 30.1 | A+ |
| … | |||||
| 9 | North Stormont Ontario | 7,946 | 36.9 | 47.2 | A |
| 10 | Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon Quebec | 7,551 | 37.7 | 68.7 | A |
| 11 | Coteau-du-Lac Quebec | 7,839 | 39.2 | 61.7 | A |
| 12 | Newell County Alberta | 7,846 | 40.4 | 25.8 | A− |
| 13 | Louiseville Quebec | 7,570 | 44.3 | 60.8 | A− |
| 14 | Donnacona Quebec | 7,785 | 44.5 | 72 | A− |
| 15 | Haliburton Village Ontario | 8,100 | 44.7 | 49.5 | A− |
| … | |||||
| 27 | Cypress County Alberta | 7,855 | 66.6 | 46.6 | B− |
| … | |||||
| 34 | Westlock County Alberta | 7,556 | 129.8 | 116.4 | D |
| 35 | Brazeau County Alberta | 7,685 | 130 | 92.3 | D |
| … | |||||
| 40 | Kirkland Lake Ontario | 8,158 | 170.1 | 271.7 | D |
The 40 Canadian towns of 2,500+ people closest in population; city neighbourhoods, city totals and reserves are left out. Towns on one police service or detachment share its index.
The Canadian towns closest to Newell County in population, the lowest Crime Severity Index first (2023–2025 means).
Newell County, year by year
Crime Severity Index
The latest year was its heaviest: 2025, at 46.4, with 2024 the lightest at 31.6. In the same years the typical Canadian town its size read 74.3 (2023), then 64.2 (2025).
Every year as a table
| Year | Newell County | Typical town its size |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 46.4 | 64.2 |
| 2024 | 31.6 | 68.8 |
| 2023 | 43.3 | 74.3 |
Statistics Canada, Crime Severity Index by police service, each year as published. Typical: the median of Canadian towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people.
The Crime Severity Index of the police covering Newell County, each year, against the typical Canadian town its size.
Crime in the places around Newell County
One neighbour is on the same police service or detachment, so it shares the figure and isn’t compared here.
Each place’s police figures, 2023–2025 means.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- What the index measures. Statistics Canada, which publishes the index, attaches a caution: “The CSI is not an indicator of overall safety and should be interpreted in the broader community context.” The number weighs each reported crime by its seriousness before dividing by residents.
- 100 is Canada in 2006. Figures are relative to one fixed point, Canada in 2006 at 100, rather than to this year’s national number.
- Cleared, not convicted. A cleared case is one police consider solved. Whether anyone is convicted is a separate matter the rate doesn’t follow.
Questions about safety in Newell County
Is Newell County safe?
Newell County measures 40.4 on the Crime Severity Index for 2023–2025, next to 68.5 for Canadian towns of 2,500 to 10,000 people. Per 1,000 residents a year, its police record 5.8 violent incidents and 19.4 property crimes.
What is the most common crime in Newell County?
Mischief is the most common, at 5.2 per 1,000 residents a year, then theft under $5,000 (4.4) and other Criminal Code offences (3.6).
Is crime going up in Newell County?
Yes: the index rose 7%, from 43.3 in 2023 to 46.4 in 2025.
How much of Newell County’s crime do police solve?
Police cleared 30% of crime once each incident is weighted by seriousness: 64% of violent crime and 22% of the rest, against 34% for the typical Canadian town its size.
Whose figures are these?
A police service or detachment that covers Newell County and other places, so the figures are shared.
Source: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime by police service and detachment, 2023–2025 (Statistics Canada Open Licence); TownRatings calculation.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Crime severity index and weighted clearance rates, police services (tables 35-10-0186 to 0190, 0061, 0063, 0064), 2023–2025 · Statistics Canada, Incident-based crime statistics by detailed violations, police services (35-10-0178 to 0185) · Safety Grade: TownRatings calculation. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).