Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, California City, CA has a Safety Score of 36/100 — higher crime than 64% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,176.2 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,893 of 2,957 US cities and #143 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than California City, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is California City, California Safe?
California City, an ambitious 1950s planned community in the Mojave Desert, boasts the third-largest land area of any California city. Its vast, grid-like street network often lies empty, a testament to its unfulfilled growth.
California City has a safety score of 36/100 (Higher Crime Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,176.2 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
California City ranks #143 out of 264 cities in California and #1893 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 36th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 64% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in California City is aggravated assault, at 514.2 per 100K — 1.5x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.5x the national rate.
Year over year, California City's total crime rate decreased by 5.4%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
California City Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 79 | 588.8 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 7.5 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 3 | 22.4 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 6 | 44.7 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 69 | 514.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 213 | 1,587.4 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 51 | 380.1 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 113 | 842.2 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 49 | 365.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
California City vs California Average
How does California City's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | California City | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 588.8 | 518.0 | +13.7% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,587.4 | 2,161.3 | -26.6% |
| Murder Rate | 7.5 | 4.4 | +69.3% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,176.2 | 2,679.3 | -18.8% |
California City Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for California City, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13,418 | 2,176.2 | 588.8 | 1,587.4 |
| 2023 | 15,165 | 2,301.4 | 586.9 | 1,714.5 |
| 2022 | 15,138 | 1,823.2 | 502.1 | 1,321.2 |
| 2020 | 14,286 | 2,254.0 | 637.0 | 1,617.0 |
| 2019 | 14,319 | 2,542.1 | 579.7 | 1,962.4 |
California City Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for California City 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 California City, California safe?
California City has a safety score of 36/100, meaning it has less crime than about 36% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,176.2 per 100,000 residents in 2024, California City is higher-crime than most US cities.
What is the crime rate in California City, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, California City has a violent crime rate of 588.8 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,587.4 per 100,000 residents.
How does California City compare to the national average?
California City's total crime rate of 2,176.2 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 13,418 residents.
What types of crime are most common in California City?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in California City are larceny-theft (113 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (69 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 2.7x in the city.
Is California City safe to visit?
Like any city, California City has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 36/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.