Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Seattle, WA has a Safety Score of 2/100 — higher crime than 98% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 5,783.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,888 of 2,957 US cities and #82 of 87 in Washington.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Seattle, WA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Seattle, Washington Safe?
Seattle, a major port city in the Pacific Northwest, is known for its vibrant music scene, particularly grunge, which emerged here. Situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it’s home to a diverse population with a strong tech industry presence.
Seattle has a safety score of 2/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 5,783.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Seattle ranks #82 out of 87 cities in Washington and #2888 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 2nd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 98% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Seattle is burglary, at 1,152.0 per 100K — 3.9x the national average.
Year over year, Seattle's total crime rate decreased by 0.1%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Seattle Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 5,894 | 775.5 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 52 | 6.8 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 352 | 46.3 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 1,677 | 220.6 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 3,810 | 501.3 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 38,061 | 5,007.6 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 8,756 | 1,152.0 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 21,905 | 2,882.0 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 7,400 | 973.6 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Seattle vs Washington Average
How does Seattle's crime rate compare to the Washington state average?
| Metric | Seattle | Washington Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 775.5 | 439.5 | +76.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 5,007.6 | 3,428.6 | +46.1% |
| Murder Rate | 6.8 | 4.7 | +44.9% |
| Total Crime Rate | 5,783.1 | 3,868.1 | +49.5% |
Seattle Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Seattle, Washington.
Between 2019 and 2024, Seattle's total crime rate is up 14% (5,081 → 5,783 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 32% and property crime up 11% over the same period; the worst year in this window was 2022 at 6,575 per 100,000.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 760,058 | 5,783.1 | 775.5 | 5,007.6 |
| 2023 | 753,786 | 5,790.0 | 777.8 | 5,012.2 |
| 2022 | 729,691 | 6,574.7 | 840.9 | 5,733.8 |
| 2021 | 787,749 | 5,883.9 | 752.7 | 5,131.2 |
| 2020 | 771,517 | 5,532.6 | 634.5 | 4,898.1 |
| 2019 | 763,706 | 5,081.0 | 585.4 | 4,495.6 |
Seattle Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Seattle and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Washington crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Seattle, Washington safe?
Seattle has a safety score of 2/100, meaning it has less crime than about 2% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 5,783.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Seattle is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Seattle, Washington?
According to FBI data for 2024, Seattle has a violent crime rate of 775.5 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 5,007.6 per 100,000 residents.
How does Seattle compare to the national average?
Seattle's total crime rate of 5,783.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 760,058 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Seattle?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Seattle are larceny-theft (21,905 reported incidents) and burglary (8,756 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 6.5x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Seattle in 2024?
52 murders were reported to the FBI for Seattle in 2024 — a homicide rate of 6.8 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Seattle going up or down?
Seattle's total crime rate is rising: 14% higher in 2024 than in 2019 (5,783 vs 5,081 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Seattle safe to visit?
Like any city, Seattle has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 2/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.