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Hattiesburg vs Petal Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Hattiesburg crime rate · Petal crime rate

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Is Hattiesburg or Petal Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Petal is safer than Hattiesburg (Safety Score 92/100 vs 11/100), with a total crime rate of 522 per 100,000 versus 3,687 for Hattiesburg — 86% lower. Hattiesburg has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where Petal has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Hattiesburg is 4.2x 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 SAFER than Hattiesburg, MS?

Hattiesburg — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Petal — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Hattiesburg, MS

Hattiesburg, MS
Safety Score 11/100
Coverage 48,307
Total Crime Rate 3,686.8
Category Wins 0/7

Petal, MS

Petal, MS
Safety Score 92/100
Coverage 11,505
Total Crime Rate 521.5
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Hattiesburg Petal Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,686.8 521.5 +3,165.3
Violent Crime Rate 221.5 130.4 +91.1
Murder Rate 12.4 8.7 +3.7
Rape Rate 39.3 52.2 -12.8
Robbery Rate 33.1 0.0 +33.1
Aggravated Assault Rate 136.6 69.5 +67.1
Property Crime Rate 3,465.3 391.1 +3,074.2
Burglary Rate 370.6 147.8 +222.8
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,873.3 208.6 +2,664.7
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 221.5 34.8 +186.7

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

Moving from Hattiesburg, MS to Petal, MS?

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 Hattiesburg or Petal safer?

Petal is safer with a total crime rate of 522 per 100K vs 3,687 for Hattiesburg — a 86% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Hattiesburg has a violent crime rate of 221.5 per 100K while Petal has 130.4. Petal has lower violent crime.

About Hattiesburg, MS

Hattiesburg, "The Hub City," is a South Mississippi city founded in 1882 by William H. Hardy. It is home to the University of Southern Mississippi and lies at the intersection of several major highways, serving as a regional center. With a safety score of 11/100 and a population coverage of 48,307, Hattiesburg has a total crime rate of 3,686.8 per 100,000 residents.

About Petal, MS

Petal, Mississippi, a city in Forrest County, was incorporated in 1960. Situated along the Leaf River, it is known for its family-friendly atmosphere and a population of over 11,000 residents. With a safety score of 92/100 and a population coverage of 11,505, Petal has a total crime rate of 521.5 per 100,000 residents.

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