Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Fullerton, CA has a Safety Score of 29/100 — higher crime than 71% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,481.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,103 of 2,957 US cities and #172 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Fullerton, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Fullerton, California Safe?
Fullerton, a city in northern Orange County, is home to California State University, Fullerton. It developed around citrus groves and now boasts a diverse population with a notable student presence. Fullerton is a college town, anchored by California State University-Fullerton.
Fullerton has a safety score of 29/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,481.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Fullerton ranks #172 out of 264 cities in California and #2103 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 29th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 71% of US cities.
Year over year, Fullerton's total crime rate decreased by 2.9%, with violent crime rising 20.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Fullerton Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 631 | 457.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 0.7 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 45 | 32.6 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 125 | 90.6 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 457 | 331.3 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 2,792 | 2,024.0 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 451 | 327.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,051 | 1,486.9 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 290 | 210.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Fullerton vs California Average
How does Fullerton's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Fullerton | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 457.4 | 518.0 | -11.7% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,024.0 | 2,161.3 | -6.3% |
| Murder Rate | 0.7 | 4.4 | -83.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,481.5 | 2,679.3 | -7.4% |
Fullerton Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Fullerton, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 137,942 | 2,481.5 | 457.4 | 2,024.0 |
| 2023 | 139,131 | 2,554.4 | 379.5 | 2,174.9 |
| 2022 | 140,587 | 3,045.1 | 391.9 | 2,653.2 |
| 2020 | 139,011 | 2,704.8 | 304.3 | 2,400.5 |
| 2019 | 140,194 | 2,517.9 | 266.1 | 2,251.9 |
Fullerton Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Fullerton 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 Fullerton, California safe?
Fullerton has a safety score of 29/100, meaning it has less crime than about 29% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,481.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Fullerton is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Fullerton, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Fullerton has a violent crime rate of 457.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,024.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Fullerton compare to the national average?
Fullerton's total crime rate of 2,481.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 137,942 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Fullerton?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Fullerton are larceny-theft (2,051 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (457 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 4.4x in the city.
Is Fullerton safe to visit?
Like any city, Fullerton has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 29/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.