Violent
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Des Moines, IA has a Safety Score of 10/100 — higher crime than 90% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,831.4 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,668 of 2,957 US cities and #35 of 38 in Iowa.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Des Moines, IA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Des Moines, Iowa Safe?
Des Moines, Iowa's capital, sits on the Des Moines River. It's known for its thriving insurance industry and has a growing population, with a median age in the mid-30s.
Des Moines has a safety score of 10/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,831.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Des Moines ranks #35 out of 38 cities in Iowa and #2668 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 10th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 90% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Des Moines is aggravated assault, at 572.5 per 100K — 1.7x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.7x the national rate.
Year over year, Des Moines's total crime rate decreased by 5.6%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Des Moines Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,475 | 704.9 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 9 | 4.3 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 107 | 51.1 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 157 | 75.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,198 | 572.5 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 6,542 | 3,126.5 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 968 | 462.6 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 4,482 | 2,142.0 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,092 | 521.9 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Des Moines vs Iowa Average
How does Des Moines's crime rate compare to the Iowa state average?
| Metric | Des Moines | Iowa Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 704.9 | 350.8 | +101.0% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,126.5 | 2,046.4 | +52.8% |
| Murder Rate | 4.3 | 2.5 | +71.3% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,831.4 | 2,397.2 | +59.8% |
Des Moines Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Des Moines, Iowa.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 209,245 | 3,831.4 | 704.9 | 3,126.5 |
| 2023 | 209,658 | 4,056.6 | 707.3 | 3,349.3 |
| 2022 | 210,376 | 2,666.7 | 482.5 | 2,184.2 |
| 2021 | 213,060 | 3,809.7 | 632.7 | 3,177.0 |
| 2020 | 215,290 | 4,623.1 | 707.9 | 3,915.2 |
| 2019 | 218,384 | 4,803.0 | 712.5 | 4,090.5 |
Des Moines Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Des Moines and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Iowa crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Des Moines, Iowa safe?
Des Moines has a safety score of 10/100, meaning it has less crime than about 10% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,831.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Des Moines is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Des Moines, Iowa?
According to FBI data for 2024, Des Moines has a violent crime rate of 704.9 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,126.5 per 100,000 residents.
How does Des Moines compare to the national average?
Des Moines's total crime rate of 3,831.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 209,245 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Des Moines?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Des Moines are larceny-theft (4,482 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (1,198 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 4.4x in the city.
Is Des Moines safe to visit?
Like any city, Des Moines has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 10/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.