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San Diego, CA vs Watertown, NY Crime Comparison

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

Full report: San Diego crime rate · Watertown crime rate

Moving from San Diego, CA to Watertown, NY?

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Is San Diego, CA or Watertown, NY Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego, CA is safer than Watertown, NY (Safety Score 38/100 vs 5/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 4,528 for Watertown, NY — 54% lower. San Diego has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: San Diego is 57.8x 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 San Diego, CA?

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Watertown — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

San Diego, CA

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

Watertown, NY

Watertown, NY
Safety Score 5/100
Coverage 24,029
Total Crime Rate 4,527.9
Category Wins 3/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type San Diego Watertown Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4 4,527.9 -2,445.5
Violent Crime Rate 412.4 599.3 -186.9
Murder Rate 2.5 0.0 +2.5
Rape Rate 21.4 166.5 -145.1
Robbery Rate 77.4 37.5 +39.9
Aggravated Assault Rate 310.9 395.4 -84.4
Property Crime Rate 1,670.0 3,928.6 -2,258.6
Burglary Rate 187.4 387.0 -199.6
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,087.1 3,420.9 -2,333.8
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 395.5 120.7 +274.8

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

Moving from San Diego, CA to Watertown, NY?

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 Watertown safer?

San Diego, CA is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 4,528 for Watertown, NY — a 54% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

San Diego has a violent crime rate of 412.4 per 100K while Watertown has 599.3. 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 Watertown, NY

Watertown, NY, a city along the Black River, boasts the first department store in the nation, founded by F.W. Woolworth. Situated just south of Fort Drum, it serves as a regional hub for Jefferson County. With a safety score of 5/100 and a population coverage of 24,029, Watertown has a total crime rate of 4,527.9 per 100,000 residents.

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