Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Colton, CA has a Safety Score of 28/100 — higher crime than 72% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,498.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,116 of 2,957 US cities and #173 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Colton, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Colton, California Safe?
Colton, California, a historic railroad town, lies in the Inland Empire. It's home to the oldest operating McDonald's restaurant, a landmark reflecting its mid-20th century growth. The city is primarily a working-class community with a diverse population.
Colton has a safety score of 28/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,498.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Colton ranks #173 out of 264 cities in California and #2116 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 28th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 72% of US cities.
Year over year, Colton's total crime rate decreased by 32.4%, with violent crime declining 1.9%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Colton Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 209 | 393.2 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 3 | 5.6 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 12 | 22.6 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 56 | 105.4 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 138 | 259.6 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,119 | 2,105.2 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 160 | 301.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 754 | 1,418.6 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 205 | 385.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Colton vs California Average
How does Colton's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Colton | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 393.2 | 518.0 | -24.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,105.2 | 2,161.3 | -2.6% |
| Murder Rate | 5.6 | 4.4 | +28.2% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,498.5 | 2,679.3 | -6.7% |
Colton Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Colton, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 53,153 | 2,498.5 | 393.2 | 2,105.2 |
| 2023 | 53,893 | 3,694.4 | 400.8 | 3,293.6 |
| 2022 | 54,597 | 2,989.2 | 406.6 | 2,582.6 |
| 2021 | 54,911 | 2,529.6 | 411.6 | 2,118.0 |
| 2020 | 55,117 | 2,939.2 | 346.5 | 2,592.7 |
| 2019 | 55,059 | 3,145.7 | 390.5 | 2,755.2 |
Colton Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Colton 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 Colton, California safe?
Colton has a safety score of 28/100, meaning it has less crime than about 28% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,498.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Colton is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Colton, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Colton has a violent crime rate of 393.2 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,105.2 per 100,000 residents.
How does Colton compare to the national average?
Colton's total crime rate of 2,498.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 53,153 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Colton?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Colton are larceny-theft (754 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (205 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.4x in the city.
Is Colton safe to visit?
Like any city, Colton has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 28/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.