Moving from La Mesa, 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.
Is La Mesa or San Diego Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, La Mesa is safer than San Diego (Safety Score 47/100 vs 38/100), with a total crime rate of 1,794 per 100,000 versus 2,082 for San Diego — 14% lower. La Mesa has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where San Diego has a 62% lower rate.
Note: San Diego is 23.0x 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 La Mesa, CA?
La Mesa — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
San Diego — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
La Mesa, CA
San Diego, CA
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | La Mesa | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 1,794.5 | 2,082.4 | -287.9 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 415.9 | 412.4 | +3.5 |
| Murder Rate | 6.6 | 2.5 | +4.1 |
| Rape Rate | 13.3 | 21.4 | -8.1 |
| Robbery Rate | 82.9 | 77.4 | +5.5 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 313.2 | 310.9 | +2.2 |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,378.6 | 1,670.0 | -291.4 |
| Burglary Rate | 220.4 | 187.4 | +33.0 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 896.4 | 1,087.1 | -190.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 261.8 | 395.5 | -133.7 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Moving from La Mesa, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is La Mesa or San Diego safer?
La Mesa is safer with a total crime rate of 1,794 per 100K vs 2,082 for San Diego — a 14% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
La Mesa has a violent crime rate of 415.9 per 100K while San Diego has 412.4. San Diego 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 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.