Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Downey, CA has a Safety Score of 18/100 — higher crime than 82% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,326.0 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,396 of 2,928 US cities and #210 of 260 in California.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Downey, California Safe?
Downey has a safety score of 18/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,326.0 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 3,038.0 per 100,000.
Downey ranks #210 out of 260 cities in California and #2396 out of 2928 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 18th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 82% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Downey is motor vehicle theft, at 1,101.2 per 100K — 2.4x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.1x the national rate.
Year over year, Downey's total crime rate increased by 6.9%, with violent crime declining 4.5%.
Downey Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 475 | 439.9 | 501.9 |
| Murder | 1 | 0.9 | 7.6 |
| Rape | 31 | 28.7 | 44.5 |
| Robbery | 167 | 154.7 | 103.6 |
| Aggravated Assault | 276 | 255.6 | 345.7 |
| Property Crime | 3,116 | 2,886.0 | 2,536.2 |
| Burglary | 318 | 294.5 | 315.9 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,609 | 1,490.2 | 1,758.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,189 | 1,101.2 | 461.3 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Downey vs California Average
How does Downey's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Downey | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 439.9 | 576.5 | -23.7% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,886.0 | 2,615.2 | +10.4% |
| Murder Rate | 0.9 | 5.1 | -81.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,326.0 | 3,191.7 | +4.2% |
Downey Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Downey, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 107,969 | 3,326.0 | 439.9 | 2,886.0 |
| 2022 | 109,226 | 3,111.0 | 460.5 | 2,650.5 |
| 2020 | 111,054 | 2,209.7 | 271.0 | 1,938.7 |
| 2019 | 112,330 | 2,514.9 | 313.4 | 2,201.6 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Downey, California safe?
Downey has a safety score of 18/100, meaning it has less crime than about 18% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,326.0 per 100,000 residents in 2023, Downey is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Downey, California?
According to FBI data for 2023, Downey has a violent crime rate of 439.9 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,886.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Downey compare to the national average?
Downey's total crime rate of 3,326.0 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 107,969 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Downey?
Based on FBI 2023 data, the most reported crimes in Downey are larceny-theft (1,609 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (1,189 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 6.6x in the city.
Is Downey safe to visit?
Like any city, Downey has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 18/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.