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Charleston, IL vs San Diego, CA Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Charleston crime rate · San Diego crime rate

Moving from Charleston, IL to San Diego, CA?

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Is Charleston, IL or San Diego, CA Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego, CA is safer than Charleston, IL (Safety Score 38/100 vs 37/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 2,153 for Charleston, IL — 3% lower. Charleston has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: San Diego is 81.9x 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 Charleston, IL?

Charleston — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Charleston, IL

Charleston, IL
Safety Score 37/100
Coverage 16,957
Total Crime Rate 2,152.5
Category Wins 4/7

San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA
Safety Score 38/100
Coverage 1,389,024
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4
Category Wins 3/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Charleston San Diego Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,152.5 2,082.4 +70.1
Violent Crime Rate 359.7 412.4 -52.7
Murder Rate 0.0 2.5 -2.5
Rape Rate 123.8 21.4 +102.5
Robbery Rate 5.9 77.4 -71.5
Aggravated Assault Rate 230.0 310.9 -81.0
Property Crime Rate 1,792.8 1,670.0 +122.8
Burglary Rate 607.4 187.4 +420.0
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,114.6 1,087.1 +27.5
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 70.8 395.5 -324.8

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

Moving from Charleston, IL to San Diego, CA?

An out-of-state move adds new driver's license, plates, voter registration and deadlines that differ by state. The Moving Checklist Planner dates every task from your move-in day — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Charleston or San Diego safer?

San Diego, CA is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 2,153 for Charleston, IL — a 3% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Charleston has a violent crime rate of 359.7 per 100K while San Diego has 412.4. Charleston has lower violent crime.

About Charleston, IL

Home to Eastern Illinois University, Charleston is a Central Illinois city with a population around 17,000. It's known for its historic town square and as the site of one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. With a safety score of 37/100 and a population coverage of 16,957, Charleston has a total crime rate of 2,152.5 per 100,000 residents.

About San Diego, CA

San Diego, California, a major port city with a significant Hispanic population, sits on the Pacific Ocean just north of the Mexican border. Known for its mild climate and Balboa Park, it's also home to a large naval presence. With a safety score of 38/100 and a population coverage of 1,389,024, San Diego has a total crime rate of 2,082.4 per 100,000 residents.

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