Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, St. Joseph, MO has a Safety Score of 5/100 — higher crime than 95% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,579.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,819 of 2,971 US cities and #62 of 70 in Missouri.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is St. Joseph, Missouri Safe?
St. Joseph, Missouri, a city on the Missouri River, was the starting point of the Pony Express. This Buchanan County seat is located across from Kansas.
St. Joseph has a safety score of 5/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,579.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
St. Joseph ranks #62 out of 70 cities in Missouri and #2819 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 5th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 95% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in St. Joseph is rape, at 178.2 per 100K — 4.1x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.6x the national rate.
Year over year, St. Joseph's total crime rate increased by 1.3%, with violent crime declining 3.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
St. Joseph Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 511 | 728.6 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 3 | 4.3 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 125 | 178.2 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 38 | 54.2 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 345 | 491.9 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 2,701 | 3,850.9 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 376 | 536.1 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,946 | 2,774.5 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 379 | 540.4 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
St. Joseph vs Missouri Average
How does St. Joseph's crime rate compare to the Missouri state average?
| Metric | St. Joseph | Missouri Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 728.6 | 679.8 | +7.2% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,850.9 | 2,941.8 | +30.9% |
| Murder Rate | 4.3 | 12.9 | -66.9% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,579.5 | 3,621.5 | +26.5% |
St. Joseph Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for St. Joseph, Missouri.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 70,139 | 4,579.5 | 728.6 | 3,850.9 |
| 2023 | 69,925 | 4,519.1 | 755.1 | 3,764.0 |
| 2022 | 70,918 | 5,125.6 | 760.0 | 4,365.6 |
| 2021 | 73,821 | 4,892.9 | 654.3 | 4,238.6 |
| 2020 | 74,680 | 5,761.9 | 570.4 | 5,191.5 |
| 2019 | 75,872 | 6,308.0 | 568.1 | 5,739.9 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Joseph, Missouri safe?
St. Joseph has a safety score of 5/100, meaning it has less crime than about 5% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,579.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, St. Joseph is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in St. Joseph, Missouri?
According to FBI data for 2024, St. Joseph has a violent crime rate of 728.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,850.9 per 100,000 residents.
How does St. Joseph compare to the national average?
St. Joseph's total crime rate of 4,579.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 70,139 residents.
What types of crime are most common in St. Joseph?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in St. Joseph include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is St. Joseph safe to visit?
Like any city, St. Joseph has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 5/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.