Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Helena, MT has a Safety Score of 18/100 — higher crime than 82% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,096.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,427 of 2,957 US cities and #4 of 7 in Montana.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Helena, MT?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Helena, Montana Safe?
Helena, Montana's capital, sits in the Prickly Pear Valley surrounded by the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains. Founded during the 1864 gold rush, its population is around 32,000.
Helena has a safety score of 18/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,096.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Helena ranks #4 out of 7 cities in Montana and #2427 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 18th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 82% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Helena is rape, at 116.4 per 100K — 2.7x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.3x the national rate.
Year over year, Helena's total crime rate decreased by 15.4%, with violent crime declining 24.1%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Helena Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 181 | 513.7 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 2.8 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 41 | 116.4 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 10 | 28.4 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 129 | 366.1 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 910 | 2,582.4 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 82 | 232.7 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 779 | 2,210.7 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 49 | 139.1 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Helena vs Montana Average
How does Helena's crime rate compare to the Montana state average?
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 513.7 | 576.6 | -10.9% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,582.4 | 2,872.9 | -10.1% |
| Murder Rate | 2.8 | 3.3 | -12.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,096.1 | 3,449.5 | -10.2% |
Helena Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Helena, Montana.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 35,238 | 3,096.1 | 513.7 | 2,582.4 |
| 2023 | 34,744 | 3,658.2 | 676.4 | 2,981.8 |
| 2022 | 33,896 | 4,038.8 | 770.0 | 3,268.8 |
| 2021 | 34,262 | 3,931.5 | 688.8 | 3,242.7 |
| 2020 | 33,629 | 4,314.7 | 648.3 | 3,666.5 |
| 2019 | 32,806 | 4,846.7 | 579.2 | 4,267.5 |
Helena Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Helena and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Montana crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Helena, Montana safe?
Helena has a safety score of 18/100, meaning it has less crime than about 18% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,096.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Helena is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Helena, Montana?
According to FBI data for 2024, Helena has a violent crime rate of 513.7 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,582.4 per 100,000 residents.
How does Helena compare to the national average?
Helena's total crime rate of 3,096.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 35,238 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Helena?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Helena are larceny-theft (779 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (129 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.0x in the city.
Is Helena safe to visit?
Like any city, Helena has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 18/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.