Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Meridian, MS has a Safety Score of 12/100 — higher crime than 88% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,493.2 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,454 of 2,775 US cities and #17 of 26 in Mississippi.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Meridian, Mississippi Safe?
Meridian has a safety score of 12/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,493.2 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 3,091.8 per 100,000.
Meridian ranks #17 out of 26 cities in Mississippi and #2454 out of 2775 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 12th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 88% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Meridian is murder, at 38.0 per 100K — 6.1x the national average. Conversely, aggravated assault is relatively low at just 0.7x the national rate.
Meridian Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 182 | 493.5 | 483.2 |
| Murder | 14 | 38.0 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 16 | 43.4 | 49.8 |
| Robbery | 72 | 195.2 | 119.5 |
| Aggravated Assault | 79 | 214.2 | 307.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,475 | 3,999.7 | 2,608.6 |
| Burglary | 441 | 1,195.8 | 387.9 |
| Larceny-Theft | 904 | 2,451.3 | 1,936.1 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 130 | 352.5 | 284.6 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Meridian vs Mississippi Average
How does Meridian's crime rate compare to the Mississippi state average?
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 493.5 | 376.2 | +31.2% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,999.7 | 3,654.7 | +9.4% |
| Murder Rate | 38.0 | 18.5 | +105.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,493.2 | 4,030.8 | +11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meridian, Mississippi safe?
Meridian has a safety score of 12/100, meaning it has less crime than about 12% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,493.2 per 100,000 residents in 2019, Meridian is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Meridian, Mississippi?
According to FBI data for 2019, Meridian has a violent crime rate of 493.5 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,999.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Meridian compare to the national average?
Meridian's total crime rate of 4,493.2 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 36,878 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Meridian?
Based on FBI 2019 data, the most reported crimes in Meridian are larceny-theft (904 reported incidents) and burglary (441 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 8.1x in the city.
Is Meridian safe to visit?
Like any city, Meridian has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 12/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.