Moving from Palo Alto, CA to San Francisco, 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.
Is Palo Alto or San Francisco Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Palo Alto is safer than San Francisco (Safety Score 16/100 vs 6/100), with a total crime rate of 3,245 per 100,000 versus 4,526 for San Francisco — 28% lower. Palo Alto has lower rates in 6 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in robbery, where Palo Alto has a 80% lower rate.
Note: San Francisco is 12.3x 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 MORE DANGEROUS than Palo Alto, CA?
Palo Alto — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
San Francisco — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Palo Alto, CA
San Francisco, CA
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Palo Alto | San Francisco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 3,245.3 | 4,525.6 | -1,280.3 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 212.1 | 596.5 | -384.5 |
| Murder Rate | 1.5 | 4.4 | -2.8 |
| Rape Rate | 38.4 | 34.9 | +3.5 |
| Robbery Rate | 53.8 | 267.2 | -213.4 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 118.3 | 290.1 | -171.8 |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,033.2 | 3,929.1 | -895.9 |
| Burglary Rate | 225.9 | 637.5 | -411.6 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,623.0 | 2,618.9 | +4.1 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 184.4 | 672.7 | -488.3 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Moving from Palo Alto, CA to San Francisco, 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palo Alto or San Francisco safer?
Palo Alto is safer with a total crime rate of 3,245 per 100K vs 4,526 for San Francisco — a 28% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Palo Alto has a violent crime rate of 212.1 per 100K while San Francisco has 596.5. Palo Alto has lower violent crime.
About Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto, at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay, is a wealthy Silicon Valley hub home to Stanford University. Its residents are highly educated, with a significant portion holding advanced degrees. With a safety score of 16/100 and a population coverage of 65,079, Palo Alto has a total crime rate of 3,245.3 per 100,000 residents.
About San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, a vibrant Northern California port city renowned for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, spans a hilly peninsula. Home to a diverse population of nearly 850,000, it was a pivotal center of the counterculture movement in the 1960s. With a safety score of 6/100 and a population coverage of 802,856, San Francisco has a total crime rate of 4,525.6 per 100,000 residents.