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Birmingham, AL vs Muscle Shoals, AL Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Birmingham crime rate · Muscle Shoals crime rate

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Is Birmingham, AL or Muscle Shoals, AL Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Muscle Shoals, AL is safer than Birmingham, AL (Safety Score 17/100 vs 3/100), with a total crime rate of 3,171 per 100,000 versus 5,279 for Birmingham, AL — 40% lower. Birmingham has higher rates in 1 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Muscle Shoals has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Birmingham is 11.2x 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

Muscle Shoals — 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 1/7

Muscle Shoals, AL

Muscle Shoals, AL
Safety Score 17/100
Coverage 17,501
Total Crime Rate 3,171.3
Category Wins 6/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Birmingham Muscle Shoals Difference
Total Crime Rate 5,278.9 3,171.3 +2,107.7
Violent Crime Rate 1,247.6 188.6 +1,059.0
Murder Rate 58.9 0.0 +58.9
Rape Rate 14.8 40.0 -25.2
Robbery Rate 201.1 17.1 +184.0
Aggravated Assault Rate 971.8 125.7 +846.1
Property Crime Rate 4,031.4 2,982.7 +1,048.7
Burglary Rate 729.7 114.3 +615.4
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,493.6 2,685.6 -191.9
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 808.0 182.9 +625.2

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

Moving from Birmingham, AL to Muscle Shoals, 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.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Birmingham or Muscle Shoals safer?

Muscle Shoals, AL is safer with a total crime rate of 3,171 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 Muscle Shoals has 188.6. Muscle Shoals 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 Muscle Shoals, AL

Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a small city nestled by the Tennessee River, is renowned for its legendary recording studios, where countless music icons created hits. This Lauderdale County city has a population of around 16,000. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 17,501, Muscle Shoals has a total crime rate of 3,171.3 per 100,000 residents.

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