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Mesa vs Tucson Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Mesa crime rate · Tucson crime rate

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Is Mesa or Tucson Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Mesa is safer than Tucson (Safety Score 42/100 vs 9/100), with a total crime rate of 1,948 per 100,000 versus 3,903 for Tucson — 50% lower. Mesa has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Mesa has a 59% lower rate.

Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Mesa, AZ?

Mesa — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Tucson — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Flat Property Flat Total

Mesa, AZ

Mesa, AZ
Safety Score 42/100
Coverage 513,585
Total Crime Rate 1,947.9
Category Wins 7/7

Tucson, AZ

Tucson, AZ
Safety Score 9/100
Coverage 548,789
Total Crime Rate 3,902.8
Category Wins 0/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Mesa Tucson Difference
Total Crime Rate 1,947.9 3,902.8 -1,954.9
Violent Crime Rate 483.3 589.7 -106.4
Murder Rate 2.7 6.7 -4.0
Rape Rate 44.2 47.7 -3.5
Robbery Rate 50.2 108.1 -57.8
Aggravated Assault Rate 385.5 426.2 -40.7
Property Crime Rate 1,464.6 3,313.1 -1,848.5
Burglary Rate 187.7 296.8 -109.1
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,078.5 2,500.6 -1,422.1
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 198.4 515.7 -317.3

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

Moving from Mesa, AZ to Tucson, AZ?

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 Mesa or Tucson safer?

Mesa is safer with a total crime rate of 1,948 per 100K vs 3,903 for Tucson — a 50% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Mesa has a violent crime rate of 483.3 per 100K while Tucson has 589.7. Mesa has lower violent crime.

About Mesa, AZ

Mesa, Arizona, a sprawling Sonoran Desert city, is home to a significant proportion of the state's Mormon population, reflecting its early agricultural settlements. It's the most populous city in the East Valley, bordering Tempe to the west. With a safety score of 42/100 and a population coverage of 513,585, Mesa has a total crime rate of 1,947.9 per 100,000 residents.

About Tucson, AZ

Tucson, a Sonoran Desert city in southern Arizona, is known for its vibrant Mexican-American heritage and the University of Arizona. Over half a million people reside here, nestled among five mountain ranges. With a safety score of 9/100 and a population coverage of 548,789, Tucson has a total crime rate of 3,902.8 per 100,000 residents.

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