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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Pasadena, CA has a Safety Score of 17/100 — higher crime than 83% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,178.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,465 of 2,957 US cities and #218 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Pasadena, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Pasadena, California Safe?
Pasadena, nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, is famous for the Rose Bowl Parade. This affluent city in Los Angeles County is home to a diverse population.
Pasadena has a safety score of 17/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,178.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Pasadena ranks #218 out of 264 cities in California and #2465 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 17th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 83% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Pasadena is burglary, at 557.0 per 100K — 1.9x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.1x the national rate.
Year over year, Pasadena's total crime rate increased by 1.7%, with violent crime declining 9.2%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Pasadena Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 635 | 481.2 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 0.8 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 44 | 33.3 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 158 | 119.7 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 431 | 326.6 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 3,559 | 2,696.9 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 735 | 557.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,461 | 1,864.9 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 363 | 275.1 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Pasadena vs California Average
How does Pasadena's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Pasadena | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 481.2 | 518.0 | -7.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,696.9 | 2,161.3 | +24.8% |
| Murder Rate | 0.8 | 4.4 | -82.7% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,178.1 | 2,679.3 | +18.6% |
Pasadena Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Pasadena, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 131,966 | 3,178.1 | 481.2 | 2,696.9 |
| 2023 | 132,210 | 3,124.6 | 530.2 | 2,594.4 |
| 2022 | 133,312 | 2,673.4 | 383.3 | 2,290.1 |
| 2020 | 141,473 | 2,428.0 | 292.6 | 2,135.4 |
| 2019 | 141,913 | 2,451.5 | 432.0 | 2,019.6 |
Pasadena Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Pasadena 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 Pasadena, California safe?
Pasadena has a safety score of 17/100, meaning it has less crime than about 17% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,178.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Pasadena is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Pasadena, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Pasadena has a violent crime rate of 481.2 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,696.9 per 100,000 residents.
How does Pasadena compare to the national average?
Pasadena's total crime rate of 3,178.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 131,966 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Pasadena?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Pasadena are larceny-theft (2,461 reported incidents) and burglary (735 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.6x in the city.
Is Pasadena safe to visit?
Like any city, Pasadena has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 17/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.