Detroit vs Seattle Crime Comparison
Is Detroit or Seattle Safer?
Seattle is the safer city, with a total crime rate 5% lower than Detroit based on 2024 FBI data. Detroit has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where Seattle has a 78% lower rate.
Detroit, MI
Safety Score
1/100
Population
651,171
Total Crime Rate
6,086.9
Category Wins
4/7
Seattle, WA
Safety Score
1/100
Population
760,058
Total Crime Rate
5,783.1
Category Wins
3/7
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Detroit | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 6,086.9 | 5,783.1 | +303.8 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 1,781.6 | 775.5 | +1,006.1 |
| Murder Rate | 31.2 | 6.8 | +24.3 |
| Rape Rate | 92.9 | 46.3 | +46.6 |
| Robbery Rate | 183.5 | 220.6 | -37.1 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 1,473.7 | 501.3 | +972.4 |
| Property Crime Rate | 4,305.3 | 5,007.6 | -702.3 |
| Burglary Rate | 703.0 | 1,152.0 | -449.0 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,343.9 | 2,882.0 | -538.1 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 1,258.4 | 973.6 | +284.7 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Detroit or Seattle safer?
Seattle is safer with a total crime rate of 5,783 per 100K vs 6,087 for Detroit — a 5% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Detroit has a violent crime rate of 1,781.6 per 100K while Seattle has 775.5. Seattle has lower violent crime.