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La Mesa vs Los Angeles Crime Comparison

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

Full report: La Mesa crime rate · Los Angeles crime rate

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Is La Mesa or Los Angeles Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, La Mesa is safer than Los Angeles (Safety Score 47/100 vs 35/100), with a total crime rate of 1,794 per 100,000 versus 2,212 for Los Angeles — 19% lower. La Mesa has lower rates in 5 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where La Mesa has a 61% lower rate.

Note: Los Angeles is 62.9x 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 La Mesa, CA?

La Mesa — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Los Angeles — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

La Mesa, CA

La Mesa, CA
Safety Score 47/100
Coverage 60,352
Total Crime Rate 1,794.5
Category Wins 5/7

Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, CA
Safety Score 35/100
Coverage 3,796,352
Total Crime Rate 2,212.5
Category Wins 2/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type La Mesa Los Angeles Difference
Total Crime Rate 1,794.5 2,212.5 -418.0
Violent Crime Rate 415.9 728.5 -312.7
Murder Rate 6.6 7.0 -0.3
Rape Rate 13.3 40.3 -27.0
Robbery Rate 82.9 209.9 -127.0
Aggravated Assault Rate 313.2 471.4 -158.2
Property Crime Rate 1,378.6 1,483.9 -105.3
Burglary Rate 220.4 372.8 -152.4
Larceny-Theft Rate 896.4 851.5 +44.9
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 261.8 259.6 +2.2

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

Moving from La Mesa, CA to Los Angeles, 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 La Mesa or Los Angeles safer?

La Mesa is safer with a total crime rate of 1,794 per 100K vs 2,212 for Los Angeles — a 19% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

La Mesa has a violent crime rate of 415.9 per 100K while Los Angeles has 728.5. La Mesa has lower violent crime.

About La Mesa, CA

La Mesa, "The Jewel of the Hills," is a city in San Diego County. Once home to a major stagecoach stop, it sits east of downtown San Diego, with a population exceeding 60,000. With a safety score of 47/100 and a population coverage of 60,352, La Mesa has a total crime rate of 1,794.5 per 100,000 residents.

About Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles, a sprawling Southern California metropolis, is a major Pacific Rim gateway, home to Hollywood's film industry. Its diverse population of nearly 4 million people resides across a vast urban landscape bordered by mountains and the Pacific Ocean. With a safety score of 35/100 and a population coverage of 3,796,352, Los Angeles has a total crime rate of 2,212.5 per 100,000 residents.

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