Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Birmingham, AL has a Safety Score of 3/100 — higher crime than 97% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 5,278.9 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,866 of 2,957 US cities and #59 of 60 in Alabama.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Birmingham, AL?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Birmingham, Alabama Safe?
Birmingham, Alabama, a city forged in the steel industry, sits at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains. It's the most populous city in Alabama's Jefferson County.
Birmingham has a safety score of 3/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 5,278.9 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Birmingham ranks #59 out of 60 cities in Alabama and #2866 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 3rd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 97% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Birmingham is murder, at 58.9 per 100K — 9.3x the national average. Conversely, rape is relatively low at just 0.3x the national rate.
Year over year, Birmingham's total crime rate decreased by 13.7%, with violent crime declining 19.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Birmingham Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 2,438 | 1,247.6 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 115 | 58.9 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 29 | 14.8 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 393 | 201.1 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,899 | 971.8 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 7,878 | 4,031.4 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 1,426 | 729.7 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 4,873 | 2,493.6 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,579 | 808.0 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Birmingham vs Alabama Average
How does Birmingham's crime rate compare to the Alabama state average?
| Metric | Birmingham | Alabama Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 1,247.6 | 512.5 | +143.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 4,031.4 | 2,269.3 | +77.6% |
| Murder Rate | 58.9 | 13.1 | +348.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 5,278.9 | 2,781.8 | +89.8% |
Birmingham Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Birmingham, Alabama.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 195,418 | 5,278.9 | 1,247.6 | 4,031.4 |
| 2023 | 195,224 | 6,113.5 | 1,549.0 | 4,564.5 |
| 2022 | 195,050 | 5,938.0 | 1,693.4 | 4,244.6 |
| 2021 | 206,476 | 5,104.2 | 1,518.3 | 3,585.9 |
| 2020 | 209,081 | 1,842.4 | 414.7 | 1,427.7 |
Birmingham Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Birmingham and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Alabama crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birmingham, Alabama safe?
Birmingham has a safety score of 3/100, meaning it has less crime than about 3% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 5,278.9 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Birmingham is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Birmingham, Alabama?
According to FBI data for 2024, Birmingham has a violent crime rate of 1,247.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 4,031.4 per 100,000 residents.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average?
Birmingham's total crime rate of 5,278.9 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 195,418 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Birmingham?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Birmingham are larceny-theft (4,873 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (1,899 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.2x in the city.
Is Birmingham safe to visit?
Like any city, Birmingham has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 3/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.