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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Santa Barbara, CA has a Safety Score of 29/100 — higher crime than 71% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,459.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,093 of 2,957 US cities and #169 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Santa Barbara, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Santa Barbara, California Safe?
Nestled between the Pacific and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara boasts Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and a Mediterranean climate. This affluent coastal city, home to UCSB, attracts tourists and residents alike with its scenic beauty.
Santa Barbara has a safety score of 29/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,459.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Santa Barbara ranks #169 out of 264 cities in California and #2093 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 29th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 71% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Santa Barbara is rape, at 82.8 per 100K — 1.9x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Santa Barbara's total crime rate increased by 3.2%, with violent crime rising 8%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Santa Barbara Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 557 | 649.5 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 71 | 82.8 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 64 | 74.6 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 421 | 490.9 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,552 | 1,809.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 146 | 170.3 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,236 | 1,441.3 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 170 | 198.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Santa Barbara vs California Average
How does Santa Barbara's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Santa Barbara | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 649.5 | 518.0 | +25.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,809.7 | 2,161.3 | -16.3% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 4.4 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,459.3 | 2,679.3 | -8.2% |
Santa Barbara Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Santa Barbara, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 85,758 | 2,459.3 | 649.5 | 1,809.7 |
| 2023 | 86,967 | 2,383.7 | 601.4 | 1,782.3 |
| 2022 | 87,817 | 2,510.9 | 458.9 | 2,052.0 |
| 2020 | 91,692 | 2,810.5 | 424.3 | 2,386.3 |
| 2019 | 91,717 | 2,745.4 | 436.1 | 2,309.3 |
Santa Barbara Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara, California safe?
Santa Barbara has a safety score of 29/100, meaning it has less crime than about 29% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,459.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Santa Barbara is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Santa Barbara, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Santa Barbara has a violent crime rate of 649.5 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,809.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Santa Barbara compare to the national average?
Santa Barbara's total crime rate of 2,459.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 85,758 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Santa Barbara?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Santa Barbara are larceny-theft (1,236 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (421 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 2.8x in the city.
Is Santa Barbara safe to visit?
Like any city, Santa Barbara has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 29/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.