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Forest Lake, MN vs Rochester, MN Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Forest Lake crime rate · Rochester crime rate

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Is Forest Lake, MN or Rochester, MN Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Rochester, MN is safer than Forest Lake, MN (Safety Score 56/100 vs 53/100), with a total crime rate of 1,522 per 100,000 versus 1,596 for Forest Lake, MN — 5% lower. Forest Lake has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: Rochester is 5.9x 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 SAFER than Forest Lake, MN?

Forest Lake — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Rochester — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Forest Lake, MN

Forest Lake, MN
Safety Score 53/100
Coverage 20,680
Total Crime Rate 1,595.7
Category Wins 4/7

Rochester, MN

Rochester, MN
Safety Score 56/100
Coverage 122,694
Total Crime Rate 1,522.5
Category Wins 3/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Forest Lake Rochester Difference
Total Crime Rate 1,595.7 1,522.5 +73.3
Violent Crime Rate 120.9 154.0 -33.2
Murder Rate 0.0 4.1 -4.1
Rape Rate 19.3 26.1 -6.7
Robbery Rate 4.8 26.1 -21.2
Aggravated Assault Rate 96.7 97.8 -1.1
Property Crime Rate 1,474.9 1,368.5 +106.4
Burglary Rate 154.7 173.6 -18.9
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,213.7 1,103.6 +110.2
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 106.4 91.3 +15.1

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

Moving from Forest Lake, MN to Rochester, MN?

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 Forest Lake or Rochester safer?

Rochester, MN is safer with a total crime rate of 1,522 per 100K vs 1,596 for Forest Lake, MN — a 5% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Forest Lake has a violent crime rate of 120.9 per 100K while Rochester has 154.0. Forest Lake has lower violent crime.

About Forest Lake, MN

Forest Lake, MN, a northern suburb of St. Paul, was once a popular resort town. Situated around the lake of the same name, its population was 20,612 as of 2020. With a safety score of 53/100 and a population coverage of 20,680, Forest Lake has a total crime rate of 1,595.7 per 100,000 residents.

About Rochester, MN

Rochester, Minnesota, home to the Mayo Clinic, is a city in southeastern Minnesota. Its population of over 120,000 makes it the state's third-largest city. With a safety score of 56/100 and a population coverage of 122,694, Rochester has a total crime rate of 1,522.5 per 100,000 residents.

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