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San Diego, CA vs Watertown, WI 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, WI?

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Is San Diego, CA or Watertown, WI Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Watertown, WI is safer than San Diego, CA (Safety Score 65/100 vs 38/100), with a total crime rate of 1,243 per 100,000 versus 2,082 for San Diego, CA — 40% lower. San Diego has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: San Diego is 61.4x 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 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 0/7

Watertown, WI

Watertown, WI
Safety Score 65/100
Coverage 22,612
Total Crime Rate 1,242.7
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type San Diego Watertown Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4 1,242.7 +839.7
Violent Crime Rate 412.4 194.6 +217.8
Murder Rate 2.5 0.0 +2.5
Rape Rate 21.4 61.9 -40.5
Robbery Rate 77.4 8.8 +68.6
Aggravated Assault Rate 310.9 119.4 +191.5
Property Crime Rate 1,670.0 1,048.1 +621.9
Burglary Rate 187.4 39.8 +147.6
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,087.1 946.4 +140.7
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 395.5 61.9 +333.6

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

Moving from San Diego, CA to Watertown, WI?

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?

Watertown, WI is safer with a total crime rate of 1,243 per 100K vs 2,082 for San Diego, CA — a 40% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

San Diego has a violent crime rate of 412.4 per 100K while Watertown has 194.6. Watertown 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, WI

Watertown, WI, straddles the Rock River, a city with a rich German heritage and home to the first kindergarten in the United States. This Dodge and Jefferson County community has a population of approximately 24,000. With a safety score of 65/100 and a population coverage of 22,612, Watertown has a total crime rate of 1,242.7 per 100,000 residents.

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