5-Year Trend Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

San Diego, CA Crime Rate & Safety

FBI-verified crime statistics for 2024 | Population: 1,389,024

Safety Score

62/100
Above Avg
Near National Average

Violent Crime Rate

412.4
-13% vs avg
per 100K residents (national: 473.3)

Property Crime Rate

1,670.0
-27% vs avg
per 100K residents (national: 2,279.1)
Government-Verified Data Source: FBI UCR 2024 Updated: Q4 2024 Share

Is San Diego, California Safe?

San Diego has a safety score of 62/100 (Near National Average). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,082.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.

San Diego ranks #128 out of 264 cities in California and #1843 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 38th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 62% of US cities.

Year over year, San Diego's total crime rate decreased by 6.6%, with violent crime declining 1.4%.

San Diego Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)

Crime Type Incidents Rate per 100K National Avg
Violent Crime 5,728 412.4 473.3
Murder 35 2.5 6.2
Rape 297 21.4 43.4
Robbery 1,075 77.4 93.0
Aggravated Assault 4,319 310.9 330.0
Property Crime 23,197 1,670.0 2,279.1
Burglary 2,603 187.4 287.8
Larceny-Theft 15,100 1,087.1 1,638.9
Motor Vehicle Theft 5,494 395.5 352.4
Arson 0 0.0 0.0

San Diego vs California Average

How does San Diego's crime rate compare to the California state average?

Metric San Diego California Avg Difference
Violent Crime Rate 412.4 518.0 -20.4%
Property Crime Rate 1,670.0 2,161.3 -22.7%
Murder Rate 2.5 4.4 -42.7%
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4 2,679.3 -22.3%

San Diego Crime Rate Trends

Year-over-year crime rate changes for San Diego, California.

Year Population Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate
2024 1,389,024 2,082.4 412.4 1,670.0
2023 1,378,349 2,229.8 418.1 1,811.7
2022 1,377,838 2,259.5 432.9 1,826.6
2021 1,434,673 2,337.3 403.2 1,934.1
2020 1,437,608 2,060.7 368.9 1,691.8
2019 1,441,737 2,244.2 361.7 1,882.5

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Diego, California safe?

San Diego has a safety score of 62/100. With a total crime rate of 2,082.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, San Diego is about average compared to the national average.

What is the crime rate in San Diego, California?

According to FBI data for 2024, San Diego has a violent crime rate of 412.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,670.0 per 100,000 residents.

How does San Diego compare to the national average?

San Diego's total crime rate of 2,082.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The city has a population of 1,389,024.

What types of crime are most common in San Diego?

Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in San Diego include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.

Is San Diego safe to visit?

Like any city, San Diego has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 62/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.

Other Cities in California

Los Angeles
Rate: 2,212.5 Safety: 59/100
San Jose
Rate: 3,194.8 Safety: 41/100
San Francisco
Rate: 4,525.6 Safety: 17/100
Fresno
Rate: 4,007.5 Safety: 27/100
Sacramento
Rate: 3,302.5 Safety: 40/100

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