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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, San Francisco, CA has a Safety Score of 6/100 — higher crime than 94% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,525.6 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,794 of 2,957 US cities and #252 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than San Francisco, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is San Francisco, California Safe?
San Francisco, a vibrant Northern California port city renowned for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, spans a hilly peninsula. Home to a diverse population of nearly 850,000, it was a pivotal center of the counterculture movement in the 1960s.
San Francisco has a safety score of 6/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,525.6 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
San Francisco ranks #252 out of 264 cities in California and #2794 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 6th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 94% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in San Francisco is robbery, at 267.2 per 100K — 2.8x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.7x the national rate.
Year over year, San Francisco's total crime rate decreased by 29.5%, with violent crime declining 16%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 4,789 | 596.5 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 35 | 4.4 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 280 | 34.9 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 2,145 | 267.2 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 2,329 | 290.1 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 31,545 | 3,929.1 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 5,118 | 637.5 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 21,026 | 2,618.9 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5,401 | 672.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
San Francisco vs California Average
How does San Francisco's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | San Francisco | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 596.5 | 518.0 | +15.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,929.1 | 2,161.3 | +81.8% |
| Murder Rate | 4.4 | 4.4 | -0.9% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,525.6 | 2,679.3 | +68.9% |
San Francisco Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for San Francisco, California.
Between 2019 and 2024, San Francisco's total crime rate is down 27% (6,175 → 4,526 per 100,000). Violent crime is down 11% and property crime down 29% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2022 at 6,942 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 802,856 | 4,525.6 | 596.5 | 3,929.1 |
| 2023 | 782,846 | 6,422.7 | 710.2 | 5,712.5 |
| 2022 | 764,693 | 6,941.6 | 696.1 | 6,245.5 |
| 2020 | 881,514 | 4,938.4 | 544.1 | 4,394.4 |
| 2019 | 886,007 | 6,175.2 | 669.6 | 5,505.6 |
San Francisco Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for San Francisco 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 San Francisco, California safe?
San Francisco has a safety score of 6/100, meaning it has less crime than about 6% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,525.6 per 100,000 residents in 2024, San Francisco is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in San Francisco, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, San Francisco has a violent crime rate of 596.5 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,929.1 per 100,000 residents.
How does San Francisco compare to the national average?
San Francisco's total crime rate of 4,525.6 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 802,856 residents.
What types of crime are most common in San Francisco?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in San Francisco are larceny-theft (21,026 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (5,401 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 6.6x in the city.
How many murders were reported in San Francisco in 2024?
35 murders were reported to the FBI for San Francisco in 2024 — a homicide rate of 4.4 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in San Francisco going up or down?
San Francisco's total crime rate is falling: 27% lower in 2024 than in 2019 (4,526 vs 6,175 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is San Francisco safe to visit?
Like any city, San Francisco has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 6/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.