Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Modesto, CA has a Safety Score of 19/100 — higher crime than 81% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,070.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,406 of 2,957 US cities and #209 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Modesto, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Modesto, California Safe?
Modesto, seat of Stanislaus County, is known for its agricultural roots and as the birthplace of filmmaker George Lucas. Situated in California's Central Valley, it's a diverse city with a significant Hispanic population.
Modesto has a safety score of 19/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,070.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Modesto ranks #209 out of 264 cities in California and #2406 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 19th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 81% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Modesto is aggravated assault, at 483.1 per 100K — 1.4x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.5x the national rate.
Year over year, Modesto's total crime rate increased by 6.7%, with violent crime rising 1.4%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Modesto Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,436 | 655.7 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 7 | 3.2 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 123 | 56.2 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 248 | 113.3 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,058 | 483.1 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 5,288 | 2,414.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 585 | 267.1 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 3,983 | 1,818.8 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 720 | 328.8 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Modesto vs California Average
How does Modesto's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Modesto | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 655.7 | 518.0 | +26.6% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,414.7 | 2,161.3 | +11.7% |
| Murder Rate | 3.2 | 4.4 | -27.3% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,070.5 | 2,679.3 | +14.6% |
Modesto Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Modesto, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 218,990 | 3,070.5 | 655.7 | 2,414.7 |
| 2023 | 217,778 | 2,876.3 | 647.0 | 2,229.3 |
| 2022 | 219,083 | 3,180.5 | 764.1 | 2,416.4 |
| 2020 | 216,560 | 3,206.0 | 740.2 | 2,465.8 |
| 2019 | 216,542 | 4,129.0 | 811.9 | 3,317.1 |
Modesto Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Modesto 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 Modesto, California safe?
Modesto has a safety score of 19/100, meaning it has less crime than about 19% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,070.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Modesto is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Modesto, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Modesto has a violent crime rate of 655.7 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,414.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Modesto compare to the national average?
Modesto's total crime rate of 3,070.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 218,990 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Modesto?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Modesto are larceny-theft (3,983 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (1,058 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.7x in the city.
Is Modesto safe to visit?
Like any city, Modesto has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 19/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.