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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Ruston, LA has a Safety Score of 14/100 — higher crime than 86% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,387.4 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,536 of 2,957 US cities and #14 of 25 in Louisiana.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Ruston, LA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Ruston, Louisiana Safe?
Ruston, Louisiana, is home to Louisiana Tech University, a public research institution. Situated in Lincoln Parish, it's a small city in north-central Louisiana, known for its annual Peach Festival.
Ruston has a safety score of 14/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,387.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Ruston ranks #14 out of 25 cities in Louisiana and #2536 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 Ruston is murder, at 13.5 per 100K — 2.1x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.4x the national rate.
Year over year, Ruston's total crime rate decreased by 26.5%, with violent crime declining 33%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Ruston Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 96 | 431.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 3 | 13.5 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 5 | 22.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 9 | 40.4 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 78 | 350.4 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 658 | 2,956.1 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 80 | 359.4 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 537 | 2,412.5 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 41 | 184.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Ruston vs Louisiana Average
How does Ruston's crime rate compare to the Louisiana state average?
| Metric | Ruston | Louisiana Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 431.3 | 941.0 | -54.2% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,956.1 | 3,691.6 | -19.9% |
| Murder Rate | 13.5 | 16.8 | -19.8% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,387.4 | 4,632.6 | -26.9% |
Ruston Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Ruston, Louisiana.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22,259 | 3,387.4 | 431.3 | 2,956.1 |
| 2023 | 22,366 | 4,609.7 | 643.8 | 3,965.8 |
| 2022 | 22,435 | 4,604.4 | 802.3 | 3,802.1 |
| 2021 | 21,888 | 3,723.5 | 598.5 | 3,125.0 |
| 2020 | 21,846 | 4,023.6 | 567.6 | 3,456.0 |
| 2019 | 22,148 | 3,440.5 | 383.8 | 3,056.7 |
Ruston Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Ruston and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Louisiana crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ruston, Louisiana safe?
Ruston 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 3,387.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Ruston is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Ruston, Louisiana?
According to FBI data for 2024, Ruston has a violent crime rate of 431.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,956.1 per 100,000 residents.
How does Ruston compare to the national average?
Ruston's total crime rate of 3,387.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 22,259 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Ruston?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Ruston are larceny-theft (537 reported incidents) and burglary (80 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 6.9x in the city.
Is Ruston safe to visit?
Like any city, Ruston 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.