Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Morganton, NC has a Safety Score of 16/100 — higher crime than 84% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 3,739.8 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,395 of 2,860 US cities and #52 of 83 in North Carolina.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Morganton, North Carolina Safe?
Morganton has a safety score of 16/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 3,739.8 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 3,120.6 per 100,000.
Morganton ranks #52 out of 83 cities in North Carolina and #2395 out of 2860 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 16th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 84% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Morganton is burglary, at 933.5 per 100K — 2.7x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Morganton's total crime rate increased by 11.3%, with violent crime rising 4.5%.
Morganton Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 73 | 415.5 | 525.7 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 8.6 |
| Rape | 8 | 45.5 | 49.2 |
| Robbery | 5 | 28.5 | 106.7 |
| Aggravated Assault | 58 | 330.2 | 360.5 |
| Property Crime | 584 | 3,324.2 | 2,595.0 |
| Burglary | 164 | 933.5 | 342.2 |
| Larceny-Theft | 385 | 2,191.5 | 1,849.6 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 35 | 199.2 | 403.1 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Morganton vs North Carolina Average
How does Morganton's crime rate compare to the North Carolina state average?
| Metric | Morganton | North Carolina Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 415.5 | 588.8 | -29.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,324.2 | 2,901.2 | +14.6% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 10.2 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 3,739.8 | 3,490.0 | +7.2% |
Morganton Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Morganton, North Carolina.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 17,568 | 3,739.8 | 415.5 | 3,324.2 |
| 2021 | 16,605 | 3,360.4 | 397.5 | 2,963.0 |
| 2020 | 16,550 | 5,202.4 | 713.0 | 4,489.4 |
| 2019 | 16,524 | 4,206.0 | 496.3 | 3,709.8 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Morganton, North Carolina safe?
Morganton has a safety score of 16/100, meaning it has less crime than about 16% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 3,739.8 per 100,000 residents in 2022, Morganton is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Morganton, North Carolina?
According to FBI data for 2022, Morganton has a violent crime rate of 415.5 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,324.2 per 100,000 residents.
How does Morganton compare to the national average?
Morganton's total crime rate of 3,739.8 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 17,568 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Morganton?
Based on FBI 2022 data, the most reported crimes in Morganton are larceny-theft (385 reported incidents) and burglary (164 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 8.0x in the city.
Is Morganton safe to visit?
Like any city, Morganton has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 16/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.