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Birmingham, AL vs Gadsden, AL Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Birmingham crime rate · Gadsden crime rate

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Is Birmingham, AL or Gadsden, AL Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Gadsden, AL is safer than Birmingham, AL (Safety Score 17/100 vs 3/100), with a total crime rate of 3,159 per 100,000 versus 5,279 for Birmingham, AL — 40% lower. Birmingham has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Gadsden has a 79% lower rate.

Note: Birmingham is 5.9x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Birmingham, AL?

Birmingham — 4-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Gadsden — 4-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Birmingham, AL

Birmingham, AL
Safety Score 3/100
Coverage 195,418
Total Crime Rate 5,278.9
Category Wins 0/7

Gadsden, AL

Gadsden, AL
Safety Score 17/100
Coverage 33,015
Total Crime Rate 3,159.2
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Birmingham Gadsden Difference
Total Crime Rate 5,278.9 3,159.2 +2,119.8
Violent Crime Rate 1,247.6 581.6 +666.0
Murder Rate 58.9 12.1 +46.7
Rape Rate 14.8 12.1 +2.7
Robbery Rate 201.1 48.5 +152.7
Aggravated Assault Rate 971.8 508.9 +462.9
Property Crime Rate 4,031.4 2,577.6 +1,453.7
Burglary Rate 729.7 293.8 +435.9
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,493.6 2,065.7 +427.9
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 808.0 218.1 +589.9

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Birmingham, AL to Gadsden, AL?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Birmingham or Gadsden safer?

Gadsden, AL is safer with a total crime rate of 3,159 per 100K vs 5,279 for Birmingham, AL — a 40% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Birmingham has a violent crime rate of 1,247.6 per 100K while Gadsden has 581.6. Gadsden has lower violent crime.

About Birmingham, AL

Birmingham, Alabama, a city forged in the steel industry, sits at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains. It's the most populous city in Alabama's Jefferson County. With a safety score of 3/100 and a population coverage of 195,418, Birmingham has a total crime rate of 5,278.9 per 100,000 residents.

About Gadsden, AL

Gadsden, a city in northeast Alabama's Appalachian foothills, sits on the Coosa River. It was a major industrial hub, home to Republic Steel, and is the county seat of Etowah County. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 33,015, Gadsden has a total crime rate of 3,159.2 per 100,000 residents.

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