Alabama ranks #26 of 50 US states by overall crime rate (safest first), placing it in the higher-crime half nationally. Its total crime rate is 2,782 per 100,000 residents — 0% near the national average. Safety varies widely by city; the safest reporting city is Helena.

Alabama Crime Rate — Is Alabama Safe? 60 Cities Ranked

Quick answer

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Alabama has a total crime rate of 2,782 per 100,000 residents — 0% near the national average — ranking #26 of 50 US states (safest first), in the higher-crime half. Its safest reporting city is Helena.

Limited Data Coverage

Our dataset includes 60 reporting cities covering 2,393,460 of Alabama's 5,108,468 residents (47%). Crime rates shown are based on reporting cities only and may not represent the full state. This is common in states transitioning to the newer NIBRS reporting system.

Alabama Crime Overview

Alabama reported a total crime rate of 2,781.8 per 100,000 residents — 0% near the national average of 2,785.9. This ranks Alabama #26 out of 50 states (safest first).

The most elevated crime category in Alabama is murder at 2.1x the national rate.

Compared to the previous year, Alabama's crime rate decreased by 4.4%, with violent crime down 4.8%.

Within the state, Helena is the safest city (crime rate: 507), while Bessemer has the highest rate (8,867) — a 17.5x difference that highlights how much safety can vary within a single state.

For residents, travelers, and those considering a move to Alabama, these statistics provide a data-driven baseline. Browse the city-level table below to find specific communities, or see how Alabama compares to its neighboring states. For the full list of safe and high-crime areas, visit safest cities in Alabama or most dangerous cities in Alabama.

Crime Breakdown

Crime Type	Incidents	Rate per 100K	National Avg
Violent Crime	12,266	512.5	478.2
Murder	314	13.1	6.3
Rape	657	27.5	43.8
Robbery	1,465	61.2	94.0
Aggravated Assault	9,821	410.3	333.5
Property Crime	54,315	2,269.3	2,307.7
Burglary	7,777	324.9	292.0
Larceny-Theft	40,657	1,698.7	1,657.7
Motor Vehicle Theft	5,881	245.7	358.0
Arson	0	0.0	0.0

Understanding Alabama's Crime Profile

Of Alabama's total crime rate, 18.4% is violent crime and 81.6% is property crime. Nationally, violent crime makes up 17.2% of all crime, meaning Alabama has a higher-than-average share of violent offenses.

Alabama's murder rate is 13.1 per 100K, which is 2.1x the national rate of 6.3. Murder is the least common but most serious violent crime, and even small differences in rate can reflect meaningful differences in public safety.

These statistics are compiled from 60 cities across the state that report to the FBI's UCR program. Coverage varies by state — so these numbers represent the best available estimate, not a perfect census. For details, see our methodology page.

Property crime accounts for the bulk of Alabama's total rate at 2,269 per 100K. This includes burglary, larceny-theft (the most common crime nationwide), motor vehicle theft, and arson. While property crime is less immediately dangerous than violent crime, high rates can affect quality of life, insurance costs, and economic investment in affected areas.

Cities in Alabama by Crime Rate

Cities ranked from safest to most dangerous (10,000+ residents).

#	City	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Safety Score
1	Helena	22,470	507.3	71.2	92/100
2	Vestavia Hills	37,658	727.6	82.3	85/100
3	Mountain Brook	21,486	837.8	65.2	80/100
4	Pelham	25,419	893.0	165.2	79/100
5	Daphne	31,256	902.2	57.6	79/100
6	Moody	13,720	1,013.1	174.9	74/100
7	Rainbow City	10,362	1,013.3	86.9	74/100
8	Auburn	83,756	1,086.5	107.5	71/100
9	Fairhope	25,782	1,260.6	108.6	65/100
10	Hoover	92,352	1,335.1	78.0	62/100
11	Spanish Fort	11,199	1,455.5	89.3	58/100
12	Madison	62,087	1,538.2	211.0	55/100
13	Calera	18,747	1,562.9	234.7	55/100
14	Irondale	13,538	1,580.7	177.3	54/100
15	Alabaster	34,349	1,609.9	99.0	53/100
16	Foley	26,424	1,721.9	193.0	49/100
17	Fort Payne	14,984	1,775.2	160.2	47/100
18	Gardendale	16,131	1,785.4	192.2	47/100
19	Saraland	16,505	1,787.3	84.8	47/100
20	Scottsboro	15,960	1,973.7	200.5	41/100
21	Albertville	23,242	1,996.4	236.6	41/100
22	Gulf Shores	17,413	2,078.9	287.1	38/100
23	Homewood	27,884	2,105.2	150.6	38/100
24	Russellville	10,679	2,106.9	112.4	38/100
25	Trussville	26,964	2,110.2	137.2	37/100
26	Prattville	39,818	2,117.1	226.0	37/100
27	Jacksonville	14,812	2,268.4	607.6	34/100
28	Athens	32,862	2,312.7	243.4	33/100
29	Mobile	237,092	2,426.5	752.0	30/100
30	Pell City	14,250	2,498.3	294.7	29/100
31	Florence	43,076	2,646.5	629.1	26/100
32	Cullman	20,433	2,681.9	215.3	25/100
33	Prichard	18,672	2,774.2	632.0	23/100
34	Oxford	22,074	2,804.2	145.0	23/100
35	Montgomery	193,728	2,829.7	594.7	23/100
36	Huntsville	228,697	2,871.9	483.6	22/100
37	Leeds	12,445	2,908.8	297.3	21/100
38	Hartselle	16,011	2,910.5	224.9	21/100
39	Decatur	58,514	2,915.5	606.7	21/100
40	Enterprise	30,766	3,003.3	624.1	20/100
41	Hueytown	16,013	3,091.2	512.1	18/100
42	Selma	16,299	3,092.2	619.7	18/100
43	Gadsden	33,015	3,159.2	581.6	17/100
44	Muscle Shoals	17,501	3,171.3	188.6	17/100
45	Opelika	34,448	3,184.5	560.3	16/100
46	Tuscaloosa	113,834	3,284.6	553.4	15/100
47	Eufaula	12,314	3,297.1	722.8	15/100
48	Ozark	14,350	3,449.5	439.0	14/100
49	Dothan	71,318	3,677.9	912.8	11/100
50	Millbrook	17,633	3,680.6	243.9	11/100
51	Talladega	14,590	3,982.2	541.5	9/100
52	Troy	17,894	3,995.8	486.2	9/100
53	Sylacauga	12,109	4,038.3	561.6	8/100
54	Valley	10,241	4,247.6	410.1	7/100
55	Phenix City	38,323	4,248.1	777.6	7/100
56	Alexander City	14,353	4,612.3	1,024.2	5/100
57	Jasper	14,418	4,757.9	402.3	4/100
58	Anniston	21,052	5,210.9	845.5	3/100
59	Birmingham	195,418	5,278.9	1,247.6	3/100
60	Bessemer	24,720	8,867.3	1,743.5	1/100

Alabama Crime Rate Trends

Year	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate
2024	2,393,460	2,781.8	512.5	2,269.3
2023	2,195,049	2,910.1	538.4	2,371.7
2022	2,104,216	3,153.4	597.0	2,556.4
2021	1,691,442	2,761.3	544.0	2,217.3
2020	2,157,289	1,786.7	293.4	1,493.3
2019	85,670	2,376.6	133.1	2,243.5

Alabama Crime Trends: 6-Year Analysis

Over the 6-year period from 2019 to 2024, Alabama's total crime rate increased by 17.1%, moving from 2,377 to 2,782 per 100,000 residents. This long-term trajectory provides important context beyond any single year's snapshot.

In the most recent year-over-year comparison, Alabama's crime rate decreased by 4.4%, with violent crime specifically declining 4.8%. Short-term changes don't always indicate a lasting trend, but consecutive years of movement in the same direction are worth noting.

Many factors can influence year-over-year changes, including shifts in policing strategies, economic conditions, population growth, and changes in how agencies report data to the FBI. For the most reliable picture, focus on the multi-year trend rather than any single year's change.

Alabama vs Neighboring States

How does Alabama's crime rate compare to its neighbors?

State	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate	vs Alabama
Alabama	2,781.8	512.5	2,269.3	—
Florida	2,247.2	376.7	1,870.5	-19.2%
Mississippi	2,336.5	242.6	2,093.9	-16.0%
Georgia	2,564.1	385.0	2,179.1	-7.8%
Tennessee	4,198.5	916.8	3,281.7	+50.9%

Among neighboring states, Florida has the lowest crime rate (2,247 per 100K). Tennessee has the highest (4,198 per 100K).

Alabama in Regional Context

Alabama is safer than 1 of its 4 neighboring states based on total crime rate. Nationally, it ranks #26 out of 50 states (ranked safest first), placing it in the higher-crime half of all US states.

Regional comparisons are valuable because neighboring states often share economic conditions, climate, and demographic patterns. If Alabama differs significantly from its neighbors, it may point to state-specific factors such as policing policy, drug legislation, or economic programs. Visit individual state pages above for detailed comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Alabama's crime rate?

Alabama's total crime rate is 2,781.8 per 100,000 residents, which is 0% near the national average of 2,786. This includes both violent crime (512.5 per 100K) and property crime (2,269.3 per 100K).

How safe is Alabama compared to other states?

Alabama ranks #26 out of 50 states (safest first), placing it in the higher-crime half nationally. Visit our all states page for the complete ranking.

What is the safest city in Alabama?

The safest city in Alabama is Helena with a crime rate of 507 per 100,000 residents. View the full list at safest cities in Alabama.

More Alabama Crime Data

Dive deeper into Alabama's crime statistics with our specialized ranking pages, or compare Alabama cities against cities in other states using our comparison tool.

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Alabama Crime Rate & Safety