Las Cruces vs Santa Monica Crime Comparison
Is Las Cruces or Santa Monica Safer?
Santa Monica is the safer city, with a total crime rate 0% lower than Las Cruces based on 2024 FBI data. Las Cruces has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in robbery, where Las Cruces has a 71% lower rate.
Las Cruces, NM
Safety Score
1/100
Population
115,977
Total Crime Rate
5,594.2
Category Wins
3/7
Santa Monica, CA
Safety Score
1/100
Population
88,948
Total Crime Rate
5,572.9
Category Wins
4/7
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Las Cruces | Santa Monica | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 5,594.2 | 5,572.9 | +21.3 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 720.8 | 782.5 | -61.7 |
| Murder Rate | 12.1 | 4.5 | +7.6 |
| Rape Rate | 57.8 | 72.0 | -14.2 |
| Robbery Rate | 57.8 | 202.4 | -144.6 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 592.4 | 499.2 | +93.2 |
| Property Crime Rate | 4,873.4 | 4,790.4 | +82.9 |
| Burglary Rate | 737.2 | 848.8 | -111.6 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 3,442.9 | 3,382.9 | +60.0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 693.2 | 558.8 | +134.5 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Las Cruces or Santa Monica safer?
Santa Monica is safer with a total crime rate of 5,573 per 100K vs 5,594 for Las Cruces — a 0% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Las Cruces has a violent crime rate of 720.8 per 100K while Santa Monica has 782.5. Las Cruces has lower violent crime.