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Desert Hot Springs vs San Diego Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Desert Hot Springs crime rate · San Diego crime rate

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Is Desert Hot Springs or San Diego Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Desert Hot Springs is safer than San Diego (Safety Score 50/100 vs 38/100), with a total crime rate of 1,692 per 100,000 versus 2,082 for San Diego — 19% lower. Desert Hot Springs has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where San Diego has a 72% lower rate.

Note: San Diego is 41.2x 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 Desert Hot Springs, CA?

Desert Hot Springs — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Desert Hot Springs, CA

Desert Hot Springs, CA
Safety Score 50/100
Coverage 33,749
Total Crime Rate 1,691.9
Category Wins 3/7

San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA
Safety Score 38/100
Coverage 1,389,024
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4
Category Wins 4/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Desert Hot Springs San Diego Difference
Total Crime Rate 1,691.9 2,082.4 -390.5
Violent Crime Rate 491.9 412.4 +79.5
Murder Rate 8.9 2.5 +6.4
Rape Rate 29.6 21.4 +8.3
Robbery Rate 118.5 77.4 +41.1
Aggravated Assault Rate 334.8 310.9 +23.9
Property Crime Rate 1,200.0 1,670.0 -470.0
Burglary Rate 272.6 187.4 +85.2
Larceny-Theft Rate 551.1 1,087.1 -536.0
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 376.3 395.5 -19.2

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

Moving from Desert Hot Springs, CA to San Diego, CA?

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 Desert Hot Springs or San Diego safer?

Desert Hot Springs is safer with a total crime rate of 1,692 per 100K vs 2,082 for San Diego — a 19% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Desert Hot Springs has a violent crime rate of 491.9 per 100K while San Diego has 412.4. San Diego has lower violent crime.

About Desert Hot Springs, CA

Desert Hot Springs, California, a city known for its natural hot springs, lies in the Coachella Valley. Founded by Cabot Yerxa, it is a small city with a population of around 32,000, primarily composed of working-class families. With a safety score of 50/100 and a population coverage of 33,749, Desert Hot Springs has a total crime rate of 1,691.9 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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