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San Diego vs Waterville Crime Comparison

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

Full report: San Diego crime rate · Waterville crime rate

Moving from San Diego, CA to Waterville, ME?

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Is San Diego or Waterville Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, San Diego is safer than Waterville (Safety Score 38/100 vs 17/100), with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100,000 versus 3,166 for Waterville — 34% lower. San Diego has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where San Diego has a 86% lower rate.

Note: San Diego is 82.4x 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 SAFER than San Diego, CA?

San Diego — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Waterville — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing 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 3/7

Waterville, ME

Waterville, ME
Safety Score 17/100
Coverage 16,867
Total Crime Rate 3,166.0
Category Wins 4/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type San Diego Waterville Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,082.4 3,166.0 -1,083.6
Violent Crime Rate 412.4 142.3 +270.1
Murder Rate 2.5 17.8 -15.3
Rape Rate 21.4 77.1 -55.7
Robbery Rate 77.4 23.7 +53.7
Aggravated Assault Rate 310.9 23.7 +287.2
Property Crime Rate 1,670.0 3,023.7 -1,353.6
Burglary Rate 187.4 59.3 +128.1
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,087.1 2,810.2 -1,723.1
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 395.5 154.2 +241.4

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

Moving from San Diego, CA to Waterville, 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 Waterville safer?

San Diego is safer with a total crime rate of 2,082 per 100K vs 3,166 for Waterville — a 34% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

San Diego has a violent crime rate of 412.4 per 100K while Waterville has 142.3. Waterville 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 Waterville, ME

Waterville, a Kennebec River city, was a major mill town. Colby College, a liberal arts institution, is located here. Its population is around 16,000. With a safety score of 17/100 and a population coverage of 16,867, Waterville has a total crime rate of 3,166.0 per 100,000 residents.

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