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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Riverside, CA has a Safety Score of 14/100 — higher crime than 86% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,422.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,544 of 2,957 US cities and #226 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Riverside, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Riverside, California Safe?
Riverside, California, the birthplace of the California citrus industry, is a sprawling city in the Inland Empire. It lies along the Santa Ana River, home to over 300,000 residents, a diverse population including a large Hispanic demographic.
Riverside has a safety score of 14/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,422.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Riverside ranks #226 out of 264 cities in California and #2544 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 14th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 86% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Riverside is burglary, at 396.1 per 100K — 1.4x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.5x the national rate.
Year over year, Riverside's total crime rate decreased by 12.6%, with violent crime rising 8.4%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Riverside Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,890 | 590.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 10 | 3.1 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 173 | 54.0 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 385 | 120.3 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,320 | 412.3 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 9,067 | 2,832.1 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 1,268 | 396.1 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 6,353 | 1,984.4 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,446 | 451.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Riverside vs California Average
How does Riverside's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Riverside | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 590.4 | 518.0 | +14.0% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,832.1 | 2,161.3 | +31.0% |
| Murder Rate | 3.1 | 4.4 | -29.1% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,422.5 | 2,679.3 | +27.7% |
Riverside Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Riverside, California.
Between 2019 and 2024, Riverside's total crime rate is roughly flat (3,444 → 3,422 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 17% and property crime down 4% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2023 at 3,917 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 320,148 | 3,422.5 | 590.4 | 2,832.1 |
| 2023 | 323,473 | 3,917.5 | 544.7 | 3,372.8 |
| 2022 | 319,889 | 3,756.9 | 516.4 | 3,240.5 |
| 2020 | 334,370 | 3,430.6 | 445.9 | 2,984.7 |
| 2019 | 333,260 | 3,443.6 | 505.9 | 2,937.7 |
Riverside Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Riverside 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 Riverside, California safe?
Riverside has a safety score of 14/100, meaning it has less crime than about 14% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,422.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Riverside is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Riverside, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Riverside has a violent crime rate of 590.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,832.1 per 100,000 residents.
How does Riverside compare to the national average?
Riverside's total crime rate of 3,422.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 320,148 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Riverside?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Riverside are larceny-theft (6,353 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (1,446 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 4.8x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Riverside in 2024?
10 murders were reported to the FBI for Riverside in 2024 — a homicide rate of 3.1 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Riverside going up or down?
Riverside's total crime rate is roughly flat: 1% lower in 2024 than in 2019 (3,422 vs 3,444 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Riverside safe to visit?
Like any city, Riverside has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 14/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.