Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Kansas City, MO has a Safety Score of 2/100 — higher crime than 98% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 6,224.4 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,912 of 2,957 US cities and #66 of 69 in Missouri.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Kansas City, Missouri Safe?
Kansas City, Missouri, straddles the Missouri River and is known for its distinct barbecue style. It's the largest city in Missouri by population, with a diverse metropolitan area.
Kansas City has a safety score of 2/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 6,224.4 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Kansas City ranks #66 out of 69 cities in Missouri and #2912 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 2nd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 98% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Kansas City is motor vehicle theft, at 1,731.8 per 100K — 4.8x the national average.
Year over year, Kansas City's total crime rate decreased by 3.3%, with violent crime rising 4.7%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Kansas City Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 7,914 | 1,547.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 141 | 27.6 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 382 | 74.7 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 1,299 | 254.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 6,092 | 1,191.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 23,920 | 4,677.0 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 2,508 | 490.4 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 12,555 | 2,454.9 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 8,857 | 1,731.8 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Kansas City vs Missouri Average
How does Kansas City's crime rate compare to the Missouri state average?
| Metric | Kansas City | Missouri Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 1,547.4 | 683.3 | +126.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 4,677.0 | 2,957.1 | +58.2% |
| Murder Rate | 27.6 | 12.9 | +113.2% |
| Total Crime Rate | 6,224.4 | 3,640.4 | +71.0% |
Kansas City Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Kansas City, Missouri.
Between 2019 and 2024, Kansas City's total crime rate is up 18% (5,289 → 6,224 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 8% and property crime up 21% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2023 at 6,438 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 511,437 | 6,224.4 | 1,547.4 | 4,677.0 |
| 2023 | 509,758 | 6,437.6 | 1,478.2 | 4,959.4 |
| 2022 | 508,755 | 6,223.6 | 1,488.0 | 4,735.7 |
| 2021 | 500,765 | 5,807.3 | 1,482.3 | 4,325.0 |
| 2020 | 499,135 | 5,770.2 | 1,601.2 | 4,169.0 |
| 2019 | 495,762 | 5,289.4 | 1,431.9 | 3,857.5 |
Kansas City Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Kansas City and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Missouri crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kansas City, Missouri safe?
Kansas City has a safety score of 2/100, meaning it has less crime than about 2% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 6,224.4 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Kansas City is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Kansas City, Missouri?
According to FBI data for 2024, Kansas City has a violent crime rate of 1,547.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 4,677.0 per 100,000 residents.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average?
Kansas City's total crime rate of 6,224.4 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 511,437 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Kansas City?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Kansas City are larceny-theft (12,555 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (8,857 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.0x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Kansas City in 2024?
141 murders were reported to the FBI for Kansas City in 2024 — a homicide rate of 27.6 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Kansas City going up or down?
Kansas City's total crime rate is rising: 18% higher in 2024 than in 2019 (6,224 vs 5,289 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Kansas City safe to visit?
Like any city, Kansas City has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 2/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.