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Phoenix vs Tucson Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Phoenix crime rate · Tucson crime rate

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Is Phoenix or Tucson Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Phoenix is safer than Tucson (Safety Score 17/100 vs 9/100), with a total crime rate of 3,125 per 100,000 versus 3,903 for Tucson — 20% lower. Phoenix has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where Tucson has a 41% lower rate.

Note: Phoenix is 3.0x 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 Phoenix, AZ?

Phoenix — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Tucson — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Flat Property Flat Total

Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix, AZ
Safety Score 17/100
Coverage 1,662,809
Total Crime Rate 3,125.4
Category Wins 3/7

Tucson, AZ

Tucson, AZ
Safety Score 9/100
Coverage 548,789
Total Crime Rate 3,902.8
Category Wins 4/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Phoenix Tucson Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,125.4 3,902.8 -777.4
Violent Crime Rate 800.0 589.7 +210.4
Murder Rate 8.4 6.7 +1.6
Rape Rate 64.3 47.7 +16.6
Robbery Rate 181.6 108.1 +73.6
Aggravated Assault Rate 545.3 426.2 +119.1
Property Crime Rate 2,325.3 3,313.1 -987.8
Burglary Rate 317.2 296.8 +20.3
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,582.1 2,500.6 -918.5
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 426.0 515.7 -89.7

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

Moving from Phoenix, 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 Phoenix or Tucson safer?

Phoenix is safer with a total crime rate of 3,125 per 100K vs 3,903 for Tucson — a 20% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Phoenix has a violent crime rate of 800.0 per 100K while Tucson has 589.7. Tucson has lower violent crime.

About Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix, Arizona, the "Valley of the Sun," is a sprawling desert metropolis with a rich Native American heritage, including the Hohokam people. It's the fifth-largest city in the United States by population, experiencing rapid growth in recent decades. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 1,662,809, Phoenix has a total crime rate of 3,125.4 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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