Santa Maria vs Waco Crime Comparison
Is Santa Maria or Waco Safer?
Santa Maria is the safer city, with a total crime rate 0% lower than Waco based on 2024 FBI data. Santa Maria has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in robbery, where Waco has a 67% lower rate.
Santa Maria, CA
Safety Score
53/100
Population
110,056
Total Crime Rate
2,543.3
Category Wins
3/7
Waco, TX
Safety Score
53/100
Population
146,270
Total Crime Rate
2,552.1
Category Wins
4/7
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Santa Maria | Waco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 2,543.3 | 2,552.1 | -8.9 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 660.6 | 425.9 | +234.7 |
| Murder Rate | 2.7 | 5.5 | -2.7 |
| Rape Rate | 68.2 | 90.9 | -22.8 |
| Robbery Rate | 173.6 | 57.4 | +116.1 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 416.2 | 272.1 | +144.1 |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,882.7 | 2,126.2 | -243.5 |
| Burglary Rate | 312.6 | 294.7 | +17.9 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 1,149.4 | 1,626.4 | -477.0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 420.7 | 205.1 | +215.6 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santa Maria or Waco safer?
Santa Maria is safer with a total crime rate of 2,543 per 100K vs 2,552 for Waco — a 0% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Santa Maria has a violent crime rate of 660.6 per 100K while Waco has 425.9. Waco has lower violent crime.