Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Owensboro, KY has a Safety Score of 16/100 — higher crime than 84% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,266.4 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,498 of 2,957 US cities and #37 of 42 in Kentucky.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Owensboro, KY?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Owensboro, Kentucky Safe?
Owensboro, Kentucky, known for its International Bluegrass Music Museum, sits on the Ohio River. This Daviess County seat is the fourth-largest city by population in the state.
Owensboro has a safety score of 16/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,266.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Owensboro ranks #37 out of 42 cities in Kentucky and #2498 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 16th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 84% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Owensboro is rape, at 78.2 per 100K — 1.8x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.3x the national rate.
Year over year, Owensboro's total crime rate decreased by 8.1%, with violent crime rising 12%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Owensboro Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 210 | 349.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 1.7 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 47 | 78.2 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 27 | 44.9 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 135 | 224.6 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,753 | 2,917.0 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 203 | 337.8 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,357 | 2,258.1 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 193 | 321.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Owensboro vs Kentucky Average
How does Owensboro's crime rate compare to the Kentucky state average?
| Metric | Owensboro | Kentucky Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 349.4 | 380.4 | -8.1% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,917.0 | 2,436.4 | +19.7% |
| Murder Rate | 1.7 | 10.3 | -83.9% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,266.4 | 2,816.8 | +16.0% |
Owensboro Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Owensboro, Kentucky.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 60,096 | 3,266.4 | 349.4 | 2,917.0 |
| 2023 | 59,937 | 3,553.7 | 312.0 | 3,241.7 |
| 2022 | 59,839 | 3,920.5 | 384.4 | 3,536.2 |
| 2021 | 60,636 | 3,996.0 | 244.1 | 3,751.9 |
| 2020 | 60,430 | 4,044.4 | 273.0 | 3,771.3 |
| 2019 | 60,107 | 4,270.7 | 224.6 | 4,046.1 |
Owensboro Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Owensboro and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Kentucky crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Owensboro, Kentucky safe?
Owensboro has a safety score of 16/100, meaning it has less crime than about 16% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,266.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Owensboro is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Owensboro, Kentucky?
According to FBI data for 2024, Owensboro has a violent crime rate of 349.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,917.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Owensboro compare to the national average?
Owensboro's total crime rate of 3,266.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 60,096 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Owensboro?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Owensboro are larceny-theft (1,357 reported incidents) and burglary (203 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 8.3x in the city.
Is Owensboro safe to visit?
Like any city, Owensboro has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 16/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.