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Charlottesville vs Virginia Beach Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Charlottesville crime rate · Virginia Beach crime rate

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Is Charlottesville or Virginia Beach Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Virginia Beach is safer than Charlottesville (Safety Score 49/100 vs 12/100), with a total crime rate of 1,733 per 100,000 versus 3,550 for Charlottesville — 51% lower. Charlottesville has higher rates in 1 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in violent crime, where Virginia Beach has a 74% lower rate.

Note: Virginia Beach is 10.1x 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 SAFER than Charlottesville, VA?

Charlottesville — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Virginia Beach — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Charlottesville, VA

Charlottesville, VA
Safety Score 12/100
Coverage 44,844
Total Crime Rate 3,550.1
Category Wins 1/7

Virginia Beach, VA

Virginia Beach, VA
Safety Score 49/100
Coverage 455,155
Total Crime Rate 1,733.3
Category Wins 6/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Charlottesville Virginia Beach Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,550.1 1,733.3 +1,816.8
Violent Crime Rate 359.0 93.4 +265.7
Murder Rate 2.2 2.9 -0.6
Rape Rate 42.4 18.5 +23.9
Robbery Rate 60.2 31.6 +28.6
Aggravated Assault Rate 254.2 39.3 +214.9
Property Crime Rate 3,191.1 1,639.9 +1,551.2
Burglary Rate 240.8 83.9 +156.9
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,660.3 1,446.8 +1,213.6
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 289.9 109.2 +180.7

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

Moving from Charlottesville, VA to Virginia Beach, VA?

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 Charlottesville or Virginia Beach safer?

Virginia Beach is safer with a total crime rate of 1,733 per 100K vs 3,550 for Charlottesville — a 51% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Charlottesville has a violent crime rate of 359.0 per 100K while Virginia Beach has 93.4. Virginia Beach has lower violent crime.

About Charlottesville, VA

Charlottesville, home to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, is a university town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The city is predominantly white, with a significant student population from the University of Virginia. With a safety score of 12/100 and a population coverage of 44,844, Charlottesville has a total crime rate of 3,550.1 per 100,000 residents.

About Virginia Beach, VA

Virginia Beach, a coastal city where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic, is home to the Naval Air Station Oceana, a major employer. Its population of nearly half a million is diverse, with significant military and retiree communities. With a safety score of 49/100 and a population coverage of 455,155, Virginia Beach has a total crime rate of 1,733.3 per 100,000 residents.

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