Share

San Diego vs San Francisco Crime Comparison

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

Full report: San Diego crime rate · San Francisco crime rate

Moving from San Diego, 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.

Get the planner →

Is San Diego or San Francisco Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego is safer than San Francisco (Safety Score 38/100 vs 6/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 4,526 for San Francisco — 54% lower. San Diego has lower rates in 7 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in robbery, where San Diego has a 71% lower rate.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than San Diego, CA?

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

San Francisco — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

San Diego, CA

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

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, CA
Safety Score 6/100
Coverage 802,856
Total Crime Rate 4,525.6
Category Wins 0/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type San Diego San Francisco Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4 4,525.6 -2,443.2
Violent Crime Rate 412.4 596.5 -184.1
Murder Rate 2.5 4.4 -1.8
Rape Rate 21.4 34.9 -13.5
Robbery Rate 77.4 267.2 -189.8
Aggravated Assault Rate 310.9 290.1 +20.9
Property Crime Rate 1,670.0 3,929.1 -2,259.1
Burglary Rate 187.4 637.5 -450.1
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,087.1 2,618.9 -1,531.8
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 395.5 672.7 -277.2

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

Moving from San Diego, 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.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Diego or San Francisco safer?

San Diego is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 4,526 for San Francisco — a 54% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

San Diego has a violent crime rate of 412.4 per 100K while San Francisco has 596.5. San Diego has lower violent crime.

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.

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.

More Crime Rate Comparisons