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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Palo Alto, CA has a Safety Score of 16/100 — higher crime than 84% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,245.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,509 of 2,971 US cities and #223 of 264 in California.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Palo Alto, California Safe?
Palo Alto, at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay, is a wealthy Silicon Valley hub home to Stanford University. Its residents are highly educated, with a significant portion holding advanced degrees.
Palo Alto has a safety score of 16/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,245.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Palo Alto ranks #223 out of 264 cities in California and #2509 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 16th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 84% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Palo Alto is larceny-theft, at 2,623.0 per 100K — 1.6x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.2x the national rate.
Year over year, Palo Alto's total crime rate increased by 7.7%, with violent crime rising 1.9%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Palo Alto Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 138 | 212.1 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 1 | 1.5 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 25 | 38.4 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 35 | 53.8 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 77 | 118.3 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 1,974 | 3,033.2 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 147 | 225.9 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,707 | 2,623.0 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 120 | 184.4 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Palo Alto vs California Average
How does Palo Alto's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Palo Alto | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 212.1 | 518.0 | -59.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,033.2 | 2,161.3 | +40.3% |
| Murder Rate | 1.5 | 4.4 | -65.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,245.3 | 2,679.3 | +21.1% |
Palo Alto Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Palo Alto, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 65,079 | 3,245.3 | 212.1 | 3,033.2 |
| 2023 | 64,855 | 3,012.9 | 208.2 | 2,804.7 |
| 2022 | 64,922 | 3,253.1 | 212.6 | 3,040.6 |
| 2021 | 67,266 | 344.9 | 17.8 | 327.1 |
| 2020 | 65,459 | 3,073.7 | 123.7 | 2,949.9 |
| 2019 | 66,938 | 3,090.9 | 128.5 | 2,962.4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palo Alto, California safe?
Palo Alto has a safety score of 16/100, meaning it has less crime than about 16% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,245.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Palo Alto is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Palo Alto, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Palo Alto has a violent crime rate of 212.1 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,033.2 per 100,000 residents.
How does Palo Alto compare to the national average?
Palo Alto's total crime rate of 3,245.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 65,079 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Palo Alto?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Palo Alto include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Palo Alto safe to visit?
Like any city, Palo Alto has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 16/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.