Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Santa Maria, CA has a Safety Score of 28/100 — higher crime than 72% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,543.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,139 of 2,957 US cities and #179 of 264 in California.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Santa Maria, CA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Santa Maria, California Safe?
Santa Maria, California, a city in northern Santa Barbara County, is known for its barbecue and wine industry. It is the most populous city in the county, with a diverse, predominantly Hispanic population.
Santa Maria has a safety score of 28/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,543.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Santa Maria ranks #179 out of 264 cities in California and #2139 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 28th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 72% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Santa Maria is robbery, at 173.6 per 100K — 1.8x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.4x the national rate.
Year over year, Santa Maria's total crime rate decreased by 14.3%, with violent crime rising 7.6%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Santa Maria Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 727 | 660.6 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 3 | 2.7 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 75 | 68.2 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 191 | 173.6 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 458 | 416.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 2,072 | 1,882.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 344 | 312.6 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,265 | 1,149.4 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 463 | 420.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Santa Maria vs California Average
How does Santa Maria's crime rate compare to the California state average?
| Metric | Santa Maria | California Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 660.6 | 518.0 | +27.5% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,882.7 | 2,161.3 | -12.9% |
| Murder Rate | 2.7 | 4.4 | -38.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,543.3 | 2,679.3 | -5.1% |
Santa Maria Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Santa Maria, California.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 110,056 | 2,543.3 | 660.6 | 1,882.7 |
| 2023 | 110,317 | 2,966.9 | 613.7 | 2,353.2 |
| 2022 | 109,518 | 3,439.6 | 654.7 | 2,784.9 |
| 2021 | 106,495 | 3,041.5 | 558.7 | 2,482.8 |
| 2020 | 108,140 | 3,057.2 | 771.2 | 2,285.9 |
| 2019 | 108,414 | 1,790.4 | 429.8 | 1,360.5 |
Santa Maria Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Santa Maria 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 Maria, California safe?
Santa Maria has a safety score of 28/100, meaning it has less crime than about 28% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,543.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Santa Maria is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Santa Maria, California?
According to FBI data for 2024, Santa Maria has a violent crime rate of 660.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,882.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Santa Maria compare to the national average?
Santa Maria's total crime rate of 2,543.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 110,056 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Santa Maria?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Santa Maria are larceny-theft (1,265 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (463 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 2.9x in the city.
Is Santa Maria safe to visit?
Like any city, Santa Maria has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 28/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.