Violent
Property
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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Portales, NM has a Safety Score of 11/100 — higher crime than 89% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,652.7 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,637 of 2,971 US cities and #9 of 14 in New Mexico.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Portales, New Mexico Safe?
Portales, New Mexico, a Roosevelt County seat, is known for its peanut industry and as home to Eastern New Mexico University. This small city, with a population around 12,000, sits on the High Plains near the Texas border.
Portales has a safety score of 11/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,652.7 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Portales ranks #9 out of 14 cities in New Mexico and #2637 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 11th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 89% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Portales is burglary, at 1,495.1 per 100K — 5.2x the national average. Conversely, robbery is relatively low at just 0.5x the national rate.
Year over year, Portales's total crime rate increased by 15.7%, with violent crime rising 17%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Portales Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 92 | 781.5 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 1 | 8.5 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 6 | 51.0 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 5 | 42.5 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 80 | 679.6 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 338 | 2,871.2 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 176 | 1,495.1 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 126 | 1,070.3 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 36 | 305.8 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Portales vs New Mexico Average
How does Portales's crime rate compare to the New Mexico state average?
| Metric | Portales | New Mexico Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 781.5 | 968.4 | -19.3% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,871.2 | 4,110.2 | -30.1% |
| Murder Rate | 8.5 | 14.0 | -39.1% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,652.7 | 5,078.6 | -28.1% |
Portales Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Portales, New Mexico.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11,772 | 3,652.7 | 781.5 | 2,871.2 |
| 2022 | 11,975 | 3,156.6 | 668.1 | 2,488.5 |
| 2019 | 11,675 | 3,083.5 | 471.1 | 2,612.4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Portales, New Mexico safe?
Portales has a safety score of 11/100, meaning it has less crime than about 11% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,652.7 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Portales is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Portales, New Mexico?
According to FBI data for 2024, Portales has a violent crime rate of 781.5 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,871.2 per 100,000 residents.
How does Portales compare to the national average?
Portales's total crime rate of 3,652.7 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 11,772 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Portales?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Portales include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Portales safe to visit?
Like any city, Portales has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 11/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.