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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Rochester, NY has a Safety Score of 9/100 — higher crime than 90% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,871.6 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,677 of 2,957 US cities and #121 of 130 in New York.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Rochester, NY?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Rochester, New York Safe?
Rochester, NY, a city along Lake Ontario's southern shore, was once the "Flour City" due to its milling industry on the Genesee River. It's home to a diverse population of just over 200,000 residents.
Rochester has a safety score of 9/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,871.6 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Rochester ranks #121 out of 130 cities in New York and #2677 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 10th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 90% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Rochester is motor vehicle theft, at 1,088.8 per 100K — 3.0x the national average. Conversely, rape is relatively low at just 0.4x the national rate.
Year over year, Rochester's total crime rate decreased by 33%, with violent crime declining 20.1%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Rochester Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,200 | 582.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 27 | 13.1 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 38 | 18.4 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 316 | 153.3 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 819 | 397.4 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 6,779 | 3,289.3 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 834 | 404.7 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 3,701 | 1,795.8 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 2,244 | 1,088.8 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Rochester vs New York Average
How does Rochester's crime rate compare to the New York state average?
| Metric | Rochester | New York Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 582.3 | 529.5 | +10.0% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,289.3 | 2,210.1 | +48.8% |
| Murder Rate | 13.1 | 3.8 | +245.6% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,871.6 | 2,739.6 | +41.3% |
Rochester Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Rochester, New York.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 206,093 | 3,871.6 | 582.3 | 3,289.3 |
| 2023 | 208,452 | 5,777.4 | 729.2 | 5,048.2 |
| 2022 | 210,270 | 4,374.9 | 761.4 | 3,613.5 |
| 2021 | 204,735 | 3,541.7 | 778.6 | 2,763.1 |
| 2020 | 205,199 | 4,175.0 | 818.7 | 3,356.3 |
| 2019 | 205,769 | 4,219.3 | 748.4 | 3,470.9 |
Rochester Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Rochester 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 Rochester, New York safe?
Rochester has a safety score of 9/100, meaning it has less crime than about 9% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,871.6 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Rochester is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Rochester, New York?
According to FBI data for 2024, Rochester has a violent crime rate of 582.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,289.3 per 100,000 residents.
How does Rochester compare to the national average?
Rochester's total crime rate of 3,871.6 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 206,093 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Rochester?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Rochester are larceny-theft (3,701 reported incidents) and motor vehicle theft (2,244 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 5.6x in the city.
Is Rochester safe to visit?
Like any city, Rochester has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 9/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.