Share

San Diego, CA vs Sanford, ME Crime Comparison

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

Full report: San Diego crime rate · Sanford crime rate

Moving from San Diego, CA to Sanford, ME?

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

Get the planner →

Is San Diego, CA or Sanford, ME Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego, CA is safer than Sanford, ME (Safety Score 38/100 vs 23/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 2,784 for Sanford, ME — 25% lower. San Diego has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: San Diego is 62.2x 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 San Diego, CA?

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Sanford — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Flat Property Flat Total

San Diego, CA

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

Sanford, ME

Sanford, ME
Safety Score 23/100
Coverage 22,345
Total Crime Rate 2,783.6
Category Wins 5/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type San Diego Sanford Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4 2,783.6 -701.2
Violent Crime Rate 412.4 156.6 +255.8
Murder Rate 2.5 0.0 +2.5
Rape Rate 21.4 80.6 -59.2
Robbery Rate 77.4 4.5 +72.9
Aggravated Assault Rate 310.9 71.6 +239.3
Property Crime Rate 1,670.0 2,627.0 -957.0
Burglary Rate 187.4 152.2 +35.2
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,087.1 2,349.5 -1,262.4
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 395.5 125.3 +270.2

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

Moving from San Diego, CA to Sanford, ME?

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 San Diego or Sanford safer?

San Diego, CA is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 2,784 for Sanford, ME — a 25% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

San Diego has a violent crime rate of 412.4 per 100K while Sanford has 156.6. Sanford 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 Sanford, ME

Sanford, Maine, a former mill town known for its textile industry, is located in York County. Its population is around 22,000, with a significant number of residents working in local manufacturing and service industries. With a safety score of 23/100 and a population coverage of 22,345, Sanford has a total crime rate of 2,783.6 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons