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Portales vs San Diego Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Portales crime rate · San Diego crime rate

Moving from Portales, NM to San Diego, CA?

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Is Portales or San Diego Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego is safer than Portales (Safety Score 38/100 vs 11/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 3,653 for Portales — 43% lower. Portales has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where San Diego has a 70% lower rate.

Note: San Diego is 118.0x 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 SAFER than Portales, NM?

Portales — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Portales, NM

Portales, NM
Safety Score 11/100
Coverage 11,772
Total Crime Rate 3,652.7
Category Wins 3/7

San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA
Safety Score 38/100
Coverage 1,389,024
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4
Category Wins 4/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Portales San Diego Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,652.7 2,082.4 +1,570.3
Violent Crime Rate 781.5 412.4 +369.1
Murder Rate 8.5 2.5 +6.0
Rape Rate 51.0 21.4 +29.6
Robbery Rate 42.5 77.4 -34.9
Aggravated Assault Rate 679.6 310.9 +368.6
Property Crime Rate 2,871.2 1,670.0 +1,201.2
Burglary Rate 1,495.1 187.4 +1,307.7
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,070.3 1,087.1 -16.8
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 305.8 395.5 -89.7

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

Moving from Portales, NM to San Diego, CA?

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 Portales or San Diego safer?

San Diego is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 3,653 for Portales — a 43% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Portales has a violent crime rate of 781.5 per 100K while San Diego has 412.4. San Diego has lower violent crime.

About Portales, NM

Portales, New Mexico, a Roosevelt County seat, is known for its peanut industry and as home to Eastern New Mexico University. This small city, with a population around 12,000, sits on the High Plains near the Texas border. With a safety score of 11/100 and a population coverage of 11,772, Portales has a total crime rate of 3,652.7 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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