Share

Carthage, MO vs Columbia, MO Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Carthage crime rate · Columbia crime rate

Moving from Carthage, MO to Columbia, MO?

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 →

Is Carthage, MO or Columbia, MO Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Carthage, MO is safer than Columbia, MO (Safety Score 58/100 vs 25/100), with a total crime rate of 1,460 per 100,000 versus 2,667 for Columbia, MO — 45% lower. Carthage has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: Columbia is 8.4x 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 Carthage, MO?

Carthage — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Columbia — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Carthage, MO

Safety Score 58/100
Coverage 15,549
Total Crime Rate 1,459.9
Category Wins 7/7

Columbia, MO

Columbia, MO
Safety Score 25/100
Coverage 130,354
Total Crime Rate 2,666.6
Category Wins 0/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Carthage Columbia Difference
Total Crime Rate 1,459.9 2,666.6 -1,206.7
Violent Crime Rate 173.6 349.1 -175.4
Murder Rate 0.0 10.0 -10.0
Rape Rate 25.7 38.4 -12.6
Robbery Rate 0.0 39.9 -39.9
Aggravated Assault Rate 147.9 259.3 -111.4
Property Crime Rate 1,286.3 2,317.5 -1,031.3
Burglary Rate 154.4 332.9 -178.6
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,029.0 1,605.6 -576.6
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 102.9 379.0 -276.1

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

Moving from Carthage, MO to Columbia, MO?

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 Carthage or Columbia safer?

Carthage, MO is safer with a total crime rate of 1,460 per 100K vs 2,667 for Columbia, MO — a 45% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Carthage has a violent crime rate of 173.6 per 100K while Columbia has 349.1. Carthage has lower violent crime.

About Carthage, MO

Carthage, Missouri, known as "America's Maple Leaf City," sits in Jasper County. This city of over 15,000 residents is home to the historic Jasper County Courthouse, built with local Carthage stone. With a safety score of 58/100 and a population coverage of 15,549, Carthage has a total crime rate of 1,459.9 per 100,000 residents.

About Columbia, MO

Columbia, home to the University of Missouri, is a vibrant college town in central Missouri's Boone County. Its "District" area features historic buildings and local businesses, reflecting its growth as a regional hub. With a safety score of 25/100 and a population coverage of 130,354, Columbia has a total crime rate of 2,666.6 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons