Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Brea, CA has a Safety Score of 19/100 — higher crime than 81% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,075.6 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,409 of 2,957 US cities and #210 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Brea, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Brea, California Safe?
Brea, California, once known for its oil fields, is a suburban city in northern Orange County. It features a vibrant downtown area and is home to a diverse population of around 47,000 residents.
Brea has a safety score of 19/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,075.6 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Brea ranks #210 out of 264 cities in California and #2409 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 19th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 81% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Brea is larceny-theft, at 2,439.6 per 100K — 1.5x the national average. Conversely, rape is relatively low at just 0.3x the national rate.
Year over year, Brea's total crime rate decreased by 10.4%, with violent crime declining 9.7%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Brea Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 103 | 210.6 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 2.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 6 | 12.3 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 45 | 92.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 51 | 104.3 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,401 | 2,865.0 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 132 | 269.9 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,193 | 2,439.6 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 76 | 155.4 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Brea vs California Average
How does Brea's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Brea | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 210.6 | 518.0 | -59.3% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,865.0 | 2,161.3 | +32.6% |
| Murder Rate | 2.0 | 4.4 | -53.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,075.6 | 2,679.3 | +14.8% |
Brea Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Brea, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 48,901 | 3,075.6 | 210.6 | 2,865.0 |
| 2023 | 46,754 | 3,432.9 | 233.1 | 3,199.7 |
| 2022 | 47,617 | 3,437.9 | 191.1 | 3,246.7 |
| 2021 | 45,023 | 2,829.7 | 184.4 | 2,645.3 |
| 2020 | 43,705 | 2,839.5 | 144.2 | 2,695.3 |
| 2019 | 44,155 | 3,447.0 | 163.1 | 3,283.9 |
Brea Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Brea and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: California crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brea, California safe?
Brea has a safety score of 19/100, meaning it has less crime than about 19% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,075.6 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Brea is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Brea, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Brea has a violent crime rate of 210.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,865.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Brea compare to the national average?
Brea's total crime rate of 3,075.6 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 48,901 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Brea?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Brea are larceny-theft (1,193 reported incidents) and burglary (132 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 13.6x in the city.
Is Brea safe to visit?
Like any city, Brea has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 19/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.