Is Lexington or Richmond Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Richmond is safer than Lexington (Safety Score 36/100 vs 28/100), with a total crime rate of 2,188 per 100,000 versus 2,536 for Lexington — 14% lower. Lexington has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in robbery, where Richmond has a 41% lower rate.
Note: Lexington is 8.5x 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 Lexington, KY?
Lexington — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Richmond — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Lexington, KY
Richmond, KY
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Lexington | Richmond | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 2,536.4 | 2,188.0 | +348.4 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 262.0 | 215.4 | +46.6 |
| Murder Rate | 5.0 | 5.3 | -0.3 |
| Rape Rate | 51.7 | 57.8 | -6.1 |
| Robbery Rate | 79.5 | 47.3 | +32.2 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 125.9 | 105.1 | +20.9 |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,274.4 | 1,972.6 | +301.8 |
| Burglary Rate | 264.8 | 328.3 | -63.5 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 1,728.4 | 1,457.8 | +270.6 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 281.2 | 186.5 | +94.7 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lexington or Richmond safer?
Richmond is safer with a total crime rate of 2,188 per 100K vs 2,536 for Lexington — a 14% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Lexington has a violent crime rate of 262.0 per 100K while Richmond has 215.4. Richmond has lower violent crime.
About Lexington, KY
About Richmond, KY
Richmond, Kentucky, home to Eastern Kentucky University, is a city in Madison County, located in the Bluegrass region. Its population was over 36,000 in 2020. With a safety score of 36/100 and a population coverage of 38,072, Richmond has a total crime rate of 2,188.0 per 100,000 residents.