Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Houston, TX has a Safety Score of 3/100 — higher crime than 97% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 5,441.7 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,873 of 2,957 US cities and #235 of 240 in Texas.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Houston, TX?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Houston, Texas Safe?
Houston, the "Space City," is a sprawling metropolis in Southeast Texas, home to NASA's Johnson Space Center. Its diverse population makes it one of the most multicultural cities in the U.S., with significant Hispanic and Asian communities.
Houston has a safety score of 3/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 5,441.7 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Houston ranks #235 out of 240 cities in Texas and #2873 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 3rd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 97% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Houston is robbery, at 274.0 per 100K — 2.9x the national average.
Year over year, Houston's total crime rate decreased by 2.8%, with violent crime rising 5.2%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Houston Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 26,630 | 1,148.3 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 320 | 13.8 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 1,693 | 73.0 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 6,355 | 274.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 18,260 | 787.4 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 99,572 | 4,293.5 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 14,953 | 644.8 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 68,315 | 2,945.7 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 16,304 | 703.0 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Houston vs Texas Average
How does Houston's crime rate compare to the Texas state average?
| Metric | Houston | Texas Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 1,148.3 | 467.4 | +145.7% |
| Property Crime Rate | 4,293.5 | 2,498.3 | +71.9% |
| Murder Rate | 13.8 | 6.3 | +120.1% |
| Total Crime Rate | 5,441.7 | 2,965.7 | +83.5% |
Houston Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Houston, Texas.
Between 2019 and 2024, Houston's total crime rate is roughly flat (5,392 → 5,442 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 7% and property crime roughly flat over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2022 at 5,763 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,319,160 | 5,441.7 | 1,148.3 | 4,293.5 |
| 2023 | 2,304,406 | 5,599.4 | 1,091.8 | 4,507.6 |
| 2022 | 2,276,533 | 5,762.9 | 1,151.7 | 4,611.3 |
| 2021 | 2,339,252 | 5,348.5 | 1,221.6 | 4,126.9 |
| 2020 | 2,346,155 | 5,475.0 | 1,267.9 | 4,207.1 |
| 2019 | 2,355,606 | 5,392.1 | 1,072.6 | 4,319.5 |
Houston Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Houston and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Texas crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Houston, Texas safe?
Houston has a safety score of 3/100, meaning it has less crime than about 3% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 5,441.7 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Houston is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Houston, Texas?
According to FBI data for 2024, Houston has a violent crime rate of 1,148.3 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 4,293.5 per 100,000 residents.
How does Houston compare to the national average?
Houston's total crime rate of 5,441.7 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 2,319,160 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Houston?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Houston are larceny-theft (68,315 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (18,260 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.7x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Houston in 2024?
320 murders were reported to the FBI for Houston in 2024 — a homicide rate of 13.8 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Houston going up or down?
Houston's total crime rate is roughly flat: 1% higher in 2024 than in 2019 (5,442 vs 5,392 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Houston safe to visit?
Like any city, Houston has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 3/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.