Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Costa Mesa, CA has a Safety Score of 12/100 — higher crime than 88% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,575.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,619 of 2,971 US cities and #233 of 264 in California.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Costa Mesa, California Safe?
Costa Mesa, a city of over 110,000 in Orange County, is known for its Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Bordered by the Santa Ana River to the west, it features diverse residential and commercial areas.
Costa Mesa has a safety score of 12/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,575.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Costa Mesa ranks #233 out of 264 cities in California and #2619 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 12th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 88% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Costa Mesa is aggravated assault, at 598.7 per 100K — 1.8x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.5x the national rate.
Year over year, Costa Mesa's total crime rate increased by 36.2%, with violent crime rising 93.4%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Costa Mesa Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 792 | 738.6 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 3 | 2.8 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 66 | 61.6 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 80 | 74.6 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 642 | 598.7 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 3,042 | 2,836.8 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 398 | 371.2 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,341 | 2,183.1 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 303 | 282.6 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Costa Mesa vs California Average
How does Costa Mesa's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Costa Mesa | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 738.6 | 518.0 | +42.6% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,836.8 | 2,161.3 | +31.3% |
| Murder Rate | 2.8 | 4.4 | -36.4% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,575.3 | 2,679.3 | +33.4% |
Costa Mesa Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Costa Mesa, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 107,235 | 3,575.3 | 738.6 | 2,836.8 |
| 2023 | 108,401 | 2,625.4 | 381.9 | 2,243.5 |
| 2022 | 109,785 | 4,146.3 | 589.3 | 3,557.0 |
| 2020 | 113,317 | 3,590.8 | 430.7 | 3,160.2 |
| 2019 | 114,047 | 3,552.0 | 273.6 | 3,278.5 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Costa Mesa, California safe?
Costa Mesa has a safety score of 12/100, meaning it has less crime than about 12% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,575.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Costa Mesa is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Costa Mesa, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Costa Mesa has a violent crime rate of 738.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,836.8 per 100,000 residents.
How does Costa Mesa compare to the national average?
Costa Mesa's total crime rate of 3,575.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 107,235 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Costa Mesa?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Costa Mesa include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Costa Mesa safe to visit?
Like any city, Costa Mesa has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 12/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.