New York City vs Houston Crime Comparison
Is New York City or Houston Safer?
New York City is the safer city, with a total crime rate 44% lower than Houston based on 2024 FBI data. New York City has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where New York City has a 72% lower rate.
Note: New York City is 3.6x larger by population, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.
New York City, NY
Houston, TX
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | New York City | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 3,039.7 | 5,441.7 | -2,402.0 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 671.4 | 1,148.3 | -476.8 |
| Murder Rate | 3.9 | 13.8 | -9.9 |
| Rape Rate | 23.4 | 73.0 | -49.6 |
| Robbery Rate | 187.5 | 274.0 | -86.6 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 456.2 | 787.4 | -331.1 |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,368.3 | 4,293.5 | -1,925.2 |
| Burglary Rate | 154.7 | 644.8 | -490.0 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,015.0 | 2,945.7 | -930.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 198.5 | 703.0 | -504.5 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New York City or Houston safer?
New York City is safer with a total crime rate of 3,040 per 100K vs 5,442 for Houston — a 44% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
New York City has a violent crime rate of 671.4 per 100K while Houston has 1,148.3. New York City has lower violent crime.