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New York City, NY vs Ottawa, IL Crime Comparison

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

Full report: New York City crime rate · Ottawa crime rate

Moving from New York City, NY to Ottawa, IL?

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Is New York City, NY or Ottawa, IL Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Ottawa, IL is safer than New York City, NY (Safety Score 51/100 vs 19/100), with a total crime rate of 1,683 per 100,000 versus 3,040 for New York City, NY — 45% lower. New York City has higher rates in 1 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Ottawa has a 100% lower rate.

Note: New York City is 443.3x 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 New York City, NY?

New York City — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Ottawa — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Flat Property Flat Total

New York City, NY

New York City, NY
Safety Score 19/100
Coverage 8,299,271
Total Crime Rate 3,039.7
Category Wins 1/7

Ottawa, IL

Ottawa, IL
Safety Score 51/100
Coverage 18,722
Total Crime Rate 1,682.5
Category Wins 6/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type New York City Ottawa Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,039.7 1,682.5 +1,357.2
Violent Crime Rate 671.4 187.0 +484.5
Murder Rate 3.9 0.0 +3.9
Rape Rate 23.4 64.1 -40.7
Robbery Rate 187.5 5.3 +182.1
Aggravated Assault Rate 456.2 117.5 +338.7
Property Crime Rate 2,368.3 1,495.6 +872.7
Burglary Rate 154.7 288.4 -133.7
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,015.0 1,116.3 +898.7
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 198.5 90.8 +107.7

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

Moving from New York City, NY to Ottawa, IL?

An out-of-state move adds new driver's license, plates, voter registration and deadlines that differ by state. The Moving Checklist Planner dates every task from your move-in day — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New York City or Ottawa safer?

Ottawa, IL is safer with a total crime rate of 1,683 per 100K vs 3,040 for New York City, NY — a 45% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

New York City has a violent crime rate of 671.4 per 100K while Ottawa has 187.0. Ottawa has lower violent crime.

About New York City, NY

New York City, a global financial hub, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River. Home to the iconic Statue of Liberty, its five boroughs house over 8 million people, making it the most populous city in the United States. With a safety score of 19/100 and a population coverage of 8,299,271, New York City has a total crime rate of 3,039.7 per 100,000 residents.

About Ottawa, IL

Ottawa, Illinois, nestled at the confluence of the Fox and Illinois Rivers, was the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate. This LaSalle County seat has a population of around 18,000. With a safety score of 51/100 and a population coverage of 18,722, Ottawa has a total crime rate of 1,682.5 per 100,000 residents.

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