California Crime Rate & Safety (2024)
FBI-verified crime statistics | Population: 26,068,738 | 0 reporting agencies
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Total Crime Rate
California Crime Overview
In 2024, California reported a total crime rate of 2,679.3 per 100,000 residents — 3% near the national average of 2,752.3. This ranks California #24 out of 50 states (safest first).
The most elevated crime category in California is robbery at 1.5x the national rate.
Compared to the previous year, California's crime rate decreased by 16.1%, with violent crime down 10.1%.
Within the state, Imperial is the safest city (crime rate: 259), while Reedley has the highest rate (1,427).
Crime Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 135,042 | 518.0 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 1,147 | 4.4 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 9,918 | 38.1 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 35,634 | 136.7 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 88,223 | 338.4 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 563,418 | 2,161.3 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 84,273 | 323.3 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 370,928 | 1,422.9 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 108,217 | 415.1 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Cities in California by Crime Rate
Cities ranked from safest to most dangerous (population 10,000+).
| # | City | Population | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Safety Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Imperial | 21,980 | 259.3 | 77.3 | 95/100 |
| 2 | Newman | 12,146 | 543.4 | 115.3 | 90/100 |
| 3 | Moraga | 16,438 | 577.9 | 91.3 | 89/100 |
| 4 | Clayton | 10,655 | 591.3 | 84.5 | 89/100 |
| 5 | Rio Vista | 10,191 | 628.0 | 245.3 | 88/100 |
| 6 | Danville | 42,814 | 647.0 | 63.1 | 88/100 |
| 7 | Lincoln | 56,152 | 657.1 | 96.2 | 88/100 |
| 8 | Calexico | 38,106 | 687.6 | 152.2 | 87/100 |
| 9 | City Of Poway | 47,808 | 717.5 | 133.9 | 86/100 |
| 10 | Foster City | 31,680 | 738.6 | 69.4 | 86/100 |
| 11 | Hillsborough | 10,728 | 773.7 | 93.2 | 85/100 |
| 12 | Soledad | 23,708 | 784.6 | 257.3 | 85/100 |
| 13 | Sierra Madre | 10,544 | 806.2 | 208.7 | 85/100 |
| 14 | Palos Verdes Estates | 12,432 | 812.4 | 24.1 | 85/100 |
| 15 | City Of Santee | 59,351 | 825.6 | 254.4 | 85/100 |
| 16 | Hercules | 26,739 | 841.5 | 168.3 | 84/100 |
| 17 | Coalinga | 17,290 | 902.3 | 491.6 | 83/100 |
| 18 | Orinda | 19,314 | 937.1 | 57.0 | 82/100 |
| 19 | Arroyo Grande | 18,179 | 951.7 | 198.0 | 82/100 |
| 20 | King City | 14,112 | 977.9 | 290.5 | 82/100 |
| 21 | Truckee | 17,132 | 1,027.3 | 379.4 | 81/100 |
| 22 | Ripon | 16,053 | 1,034.1 | 168.2 | 81/100 |
| 23 | Auburn | 13,618 | 1,042.7 | 381.9 | 81/100 |
| 24 | Pacific Grove | 14,649 | 1,051.3 | 143.4 | 80/100 |
| 25 | Simi Valley | 124,707 | 1,052.9 | 129.1 | 80/100 |
| 26 | Rocklin | 74,048 | 1,068.2 | 164.8 | 80/100 |
| 27 | Morro Bay | 10,532 | 1,091.9 | 303.8 | 80/100 |
| 28 | Mill Valley | 13,658 | 1,098.3 | 95.2 | 80/100 |
| 29 | Laguna Beach | 22,115 | 1,116.9 | 167.3 | 79/100 |
| 30 | Murrieta | 112,125 | 1,128.2 | 184.6 | 79/100 |
| 31 | Atascadero | 29,685 | 1,152.1 | 181.9 | 79/100 |
| 32 | City Of Encinitas | 60,461 | 1,156.1 | 215.0 | 78/100 |
| 33 | Hollister | 45,626 | 1,163.8 | 333.1 | 78/100 |
| 34 | Benicia | 26,207 | 1,163.8 | 133.6 | 78/100 |
| 35 | Brawley | 28,311 | 1,193.9 | 303.8 | 78/100 |
| 36 | Mcfarland | 14,008 | 1,199.3 | 421.2 | 78/100 |
| 37 | Santa Paula | 32,139 | 1,204.1 | 329.8 | 78/100 |
| 38 | San Marino | 11,816 | 1,210.2 | 33.9 | 78/100 |
| 39 | Beaumont | 60,294 | 1,224.0 | 205.7 | 77/100 |
| 40 | City Of Solana Beach | 12,592 | 1,270.7 | 103.2 | 76/100 |
| 41 | Los Altos | 29,551 | 1,289.3 | 77.8 | 76/100 |
| 42 | Sonoma | 10,583 | 1,332.3 | 179.5 | 75/100 |
| 43 | Seaside | 30,985 | 1,345.8 | 513.2 | 75/100 |
| 44 | Lafayette | 24,934 | 1,347.6 | 80.2 | 75/100 |
| 45 | Mendota | 12,511 | 1,358.8 | 687.4 | 75/100 |
| 46 | Banning | 32,325 | 1,392.1 | 467.1 | 74/100 |
| 47 | Indio | 94,337 | 1,393.9 | 269.3 | 74/100 |
| 48 | Fortuna | 12,216 | 1,399.8 | 302.9 | 74/100 |
| 49 | Elk Grove | 179,074 | 1,422.3 | 190.4 | 74/100 |
| 50 | Reedley | 26,201 | 1,427.4 | 564.9 | 74/100 |
California Crime Rate Trends
| Year | Population | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26,068,738 | 2,679.3 | 518.0 | 2,161.3 |
| 2023 | 24,981,929 | 3,191.7 | 576.5 | 2,615.2 |
| 2022 | 26,027,452 | 3,130.8 | 536.3 | 2,594.5 |
| 2021 | 9,620,872 | 1,637.0 | 310.3 | 1,326.7 |
| 2020 | 26,998,055 | 2,794.4 | 461.7 | 2,332.8 |
| 2019 | 26,432,466 | 2,996.5 | 460.4 | 2,536.2 |
California vs Neighboring States
How does California's crime rate compare to its neighbors?
| State | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate | vs California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,679.3 | 518.0 | 2,161.3 | — |
| Arizona | 2,420.6 | 468.3 | 1,952.3 | -9.7% |
| Oregon | 2,652.5 | 302.2 | 2,350.3 | -1.0% |
| Nevada | 2,801.4 | 410.9 | 2,390.5 | +4.6% |
Among neighboring states, Arizona has the lowest crime rate (2,421 per 100K). Nevada has the highest (2,801 per 100K).