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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Sparks, NV has a Safety Score of 20/100 — higher crime than 80% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,979.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,369 of 2,957 US cities and #7 of 8 in Nevada.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Sparks, NV?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Sparks, Nevada Safe?
Sparks, Nevada, a city east of Reno, was once known as "The Crossroads of the West" due to its railroad heritage. With a population exceeding 100,000, it's a significant part of the Truckee Meadows region.
Sparks has a safety score of 20/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,979.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Sparks ranks #7 out of 8 cities in Nevada and #2369 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 20th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 80% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Sparks is rape, at 83.9 per 100K — 1.9x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.6x the national rate.
Year over year, Sparks's total crime rate increased by 12.2%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Sparks Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 438 | 395.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 5 | 4.5 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 93 | 83.9 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 62 | 56.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 277 | 250.0 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 2,863 | 2,583.8 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 334 | 301.4 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,177 | 1,964.7 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 352 | 317.7 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Sparks vs Nevada Average
How does Sparks's crime rate compare to the Nevada state average?
| Metric | Sparks | Nevada Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 395.3 | 410.9 | -3.8% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,583.8 | 2,390.5 | +8.1% |
| Murder Rate | 4.5 | 6.4 | -29.4% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,979.1 | 2,801.4 | +6.3% |
Sparks Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Sparks, Nevada.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 110,807 | 2,979.1 | 395.3 | 2,583.8 |
| 2023 | 109,403 | 2,656.2 | 392.1 | 2,264.1 |
| 2022 | 110,475 | 2,434.0 | 419.1 | 2,014.9 |
| 2021 | 108,612 | 2,775.0 | 438.3 | 2,336.8 |
| 2020 | 106,664 | 2,389.8 | 420.0 | 1,969.7 |
| 2019 | 106,010 | 2,713.0 | 424.5 | 2,288.5 |
Sparks Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Sparks and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Nevada crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sparks, Nevada safe?
Sparks has a safety score of 20/100, meaning it has less crime than about 20% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,979.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Sparks is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Sparks, Nevada?
According to FBI data for 2024, Sparks has a violent crime rate of 395.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,583.8 per 100,000 residents.
How does Sparks compare to the national average?
Sparks's total crime rate of 2,979.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 110,807 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Sparks?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Sparks are larceny-theft (2,177 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (352 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 6.5x in the city.
Is Sparks safe to visit?
Like any city, Sparks has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 20/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.