Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Gainesville, FL has a Safety Score of 14/100 — higher crime than 86% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,447.8 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,553 of 2,957 US cities and #59 of 68 in Florida.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Gainesville, Florida Safe?
Gainesville, home to the University of Florida, is a central North Florida city. Its humid subtropical climate supports a diverse population of over 140,000 residents. Gainesville is widely recognized for University of Florida.
Gainesville has a safety score of 14/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,447.8 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Gainesville ranks #59 out of 68 cities in Florida and #2553 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 Gainesville is rape, at 85.7 per 100K — 2.0x the national average. Conversely, motor vehicle theft is relatively low at just 0.3x the national rate.
Year over year, Gainesville's total crime rate decreased by 4.4%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Gainesville Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,094 | 744.1 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 7 | 4.8 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 126 | 85.7 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 196 | 133.3 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 756 | 514.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 3,975 | 2,703.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 452 | 307.4 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 3,371 | 2,292.9 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 152 | 103.4 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Gainesville vs Florida Average
How does Gainesville's crime rate compare to the Florida state average?
| Metric | Gainesville | Florida Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 744.1 | 376.7 | +97.6% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,703.7 | 1,870.5 | +44.5% |
| Murder Rate | 4.8 | 5.3 | -9.5% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,447.8 | 2,247.2 | +53.4% |
Gainesville Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Gainesville, Florida.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 147,022 | 3,447.8 | 744.1 | 2,703.7 |
| 2023 | 146,744 | 3,608.3 | 738.7 | 2,869.6 |
| 2022 | 140,869 | 3,531.7 | 797.2 | 2,734.5 |
| 2020 | 135,076 | 3,952.6 | 771.4 | 3,181.2 |
| 2019 | 135,085 | 4,175.2 | 687.0 | 3,488.2 |
Gainesville Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Gainesville and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Florida crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gainesville, Florida safe?
Gainesville 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 3,447.8 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Gainesville is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Gainesville, Florida?
According to FBI data for 2024, Gainesville has a violent crime rate of 744.1 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,703.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Gainesville compare to the national average?
Gainesville's total crime rate of 3,447.8 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 147,022 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Gainesville?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Gainesville are larceny-theft (3,371 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (756 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.6x in the city.
Is Gainesville safe to visit?
Like any city, Gainesville 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.