Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Mesa, AZ has a Safety Score of 42/100 — higher crime than 58% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,947.9 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,712 of 2,957 US cities and #30 of 41 in Arizona.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Mesa, AZ?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Mesa, Arizona Safe?
Mesa, Arizona, a sprawling Sonoran Desert city, is home to a significant proportion of the state's Mormon population, reflecting its early agricultural settlements. It's the most populous city in the East Valley, bordering Tempe to the west.
Mesa has a safety score of 42/100 (Higher Crime Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,947.9 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Mesa ranks #30 out of 41 cities in Arizona and #1712 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 42nd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 58% of US cities.
Year over year, Mesa's total crime rate decreased by 5.5%, with violent crime rising 10.7%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Mesa Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 2,482 | 483.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 14 | 2.7 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 227 | 44.2 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 258 | 50.2 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,980 | 385.5 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 7,522 | 1,464.6 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 964 | 187.7 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 5,539 | 1,078.5 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,019 | 198.4 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Mesa vs Arizona Average
How does Mesa's crime rate compare to the Arizona state average?
| Metric | Mesa | Arizona Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 483.3 | 468.3 | +3.2% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,464.6 | 1,952.3 | -25.0% |
| Murder Rate | 2.7 | 4.9 | -43.7% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,947.9 | 2,420.6 | -19.5% |
Mesa Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Mesa, Arizona.
Between 2019 and 2024, Mesa's total crime rate is down 13% (2,246 → 1,948 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 28% and property crime down 22% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2021 at 2,386 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 513,585 | 1,947.9 | 483.3 | 1,464.6 |
| 2023 | 515,848 | 2,061.9 | 436.4 | 1,625.5 |
| 2022 | 513,116 | 2,215.9 | 434.4 | 1,781.5 |
| 2021 | 513,713 | 2,386.2 | 416.0 | 1,970.2 |
| 2020 | 527,361 | 2,233.0 | 379.6 | 1,853.4 |
| 2019 | 518,160 | 2,245.6 | 376.9 | 1,868.7 |
Mesa Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Mesa and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Arizona crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mesa, Arizona safe?
Mesa has a safety score of 42/100, meaning it has less crime than about 42% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,947.9 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Mesa is higher-crime than most US cities.
What is the crime rate in Mesa, Arizona?
According to FBI data for 2024, Mesa has a violent crime rate of 483.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,464.6 per 100,000 residents.
How does Mesa compare to the national average?
Mesa's total crime rate of 1,947.9 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 513,585 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Mesa?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Mesa are larceny-theft (5,539 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (1,980 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.0x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Mesa in 2024?
14 murders were reported to the FBI for Mesa in 2024 — a homicide rate of 2.7 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Mesa going up or down?
Mesa's total crime rate is falling: 13% lower in 2024 than in 2019 (1,948 vs 2,246 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Mesa safe to visit?
Like any city, Mesa has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 42/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.