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National City vs San Diego Crime Comparison

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

Full report: National City crime rate · San Diego crime rate

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Is National City or San Diego Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego is safer than National City (Safety Score 38/100 vs 26/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 2,635 for National City — 21% lower. National City has higher rates in 1 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where San Diego has a 65% lower rate.

Note: San Diego is 25.3x 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 National City, CA?

National City — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

National City, CA

National City, CA
Safety Score 26/100
Coverage 54,915
Total Crime Rate 2,635.0
Category Wins 1/7

San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA
Safety Score 38/100
Coverage 1,389,024
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4
Category Wins 6/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type National City San Diego Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,635.0 2,082.4 +552.6
Violent Crime Rate 695.6 412.4 +283.2
Murder Rate 7.3 2.5 +4.8
Rape Rate 29.1 21.4 +7.8
Robbery Rate 222.2 77.4 +144.8
Aggravated Assault Rate 437.0 310.9 +126.1
Property Crime Rate 1,939.4 1,670.0 +269.3
Burglary Rate 242.2 187.4 +54.8
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,039.8 1,087.1 -47.3
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 657.4 395.5 +261.9

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

Moving from National City, 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is National City or San Diego safer?

San Diego is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 2,635 for National City — a 21% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

National City has a violent crime rate of 695.6 per 100K while San Diego has 412.4. San Diego has lower violent crime.

About National City, CA

National City, San Diego County's second-oldest city, boasts a historic mile-long pier. This diverse South Bay community, bordering San Diego, is home to a significant Filipino population. With a safety score of 26/100 and a population coverage of 54,915, National City has a total crime rate of 2,635.0 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.

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