Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Buffalo, NY has a Safety Score of 6/100 — higher crime than 94% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,516.5 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,793 of 2,957 US cities and #127 of 130 in New York.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Buffalo, NY?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Buffalo, New York Safe?
Buffalo, a city on Lake Erie, boasts a rich industrial past and stunning architecture by masters like Frank Lloyd Wright. As the second-largest city in New York, it experiences distinct seasons, including significant snowfall.
Buffalo has a safety score of 6/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,516.5 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Buffalo ranks #127 out of 130 cities in New York and #2793 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 6th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 94% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Buffalo is motor vehicle theft, at 798.2 per 100K — 2.2x the national average.
Year over year, Buffalo's total crime rate decreased by 8.6%, with violent crime declining 6.4%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Buffalo Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,935 | 706.9 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 34 | 12.4 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 119 | 43.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 432 | 157.8 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,348 | 492.5 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 10,428 | 3,809.6 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 1,199 | 438.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 7,044 | 2,573.4 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 2,185 | 798.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Buffalo vs New York Average
How does Buffalo's crime rate compare to the New York state average?
| Metric | Buffalo | New York Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 706.9 | 529.5 | +33.5% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,809.6 | 2,210.1 | +72.4% |
| Murder Rate | 12.4 | 3.8 | +227.7% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,516.5 | 2,739.6 | +64.9% |
Buffalo Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Buffalo, New York.
Between 2019 and 2024, Buffalo's total crime rate is up 7% (4,236 → 4,517 per 100,000). Violent crime is down 29% and property crime up 17% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2023 at 4,939 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 273,728 | 4,516.5 | 706.9 | 3,809.6 |
| 2023 | 275,922 | 4,939.1 | 754.9 | 4,184.2 |
| 2022 | 275,710 | 4,011.8 | 775.8 | 3,236.0 |
| 2021 | 253,809 | 4,055.8 | 958.6 | 3,097.2 |
| 2020 | 254,627 | 4,361.3 | 1,054.5 | 3,306.8 |
| 2019 | 255,686 | 4,236.1 | 990.7 | 3,245.4 |
Buffalo Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Buffalo and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: New York crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Buffalo, New York safe?
Buffalo has a safety score of 6/100, meaning it has less crime than about 6% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,516.5 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Buffalo is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Buffalo, New York?
According to FBI data for 2024, Buffalo has a violent crime rate of 706.9 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,809.6 per 100,000 residents.
How does Buffalo compare to the national average?
Buffalo's total crime rate of 4,516.5 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 273,728 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Buffalo?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Buffalo are larceny-theft (7,044 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (2,185 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.4x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Buffalo in 2024?
34 murders were reported to the FBI for Buffalo in 2024 — a homicide rate of 12.4 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Buffalo going up or down?
Buffalo's total crime rate is rising: 7% higher in 2024 than in 2019 (4,517 vs 4,236 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Buffalo safe to visit?
Like any city, Buffalo has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 6/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.