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Pennsylvania Crime Rate & Safety

FBI-verified crime statistics | 197 reporting cities | Data covers 6,487,541 residents (50% of state pop.)

Quick answer

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Pennsylvania has a total crime rate of 2,463 per 100,000 residents — 11% below the national average — ranking #17 of 50 US states (safest first), in the safer half. Its safest reporting city is South Lebanon Township.

Violent Crime Rate

359.1
-24%
per 100K residents

Property Crime Rate

2,103.7
-8%
per 100K residents

Total Crime Rate

2,462.7
#17 of 50
Ranked #17 of 50 states
Source: FBI UCR 2024 Government-Verified Data

Pennsylvania Crime Overview

In 2024, Pennsylvania reported a total crime rate of 2,462.7 per 100,000 residents — 11% below the national average of 2,752.3. This ranks Pennsylvania #17 out of 50 states (safest first).

Compared to the previous year, Pennsylvania's crime rate decreased by 7.1%, with violent crime down 6.4%.

Within the state, South Lebanon Township is the safest city (crime rate: 160), while Plymouth Township has the highest rate (6,211) — a 38.7x difference that highlights how much safety can vary within a single state.

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

Crime Breakdown

Crime Type Incidents Rate per 100K National Avg
Violent Crime 23,294 359.1 473.3
Murder 460 7.1 6.2
Rape 1,717 26.5 43.4
Robbery 6,048 93.2 93.0
Aggravated Assault 15,021 231.5 330.0
Property Crime 136,476 2,103.7 2,279.1
Burglary 10,167 156.7 287.8
Larceny-Theft 104,837 1,616.0 1,638.9
Motor Vehicle Theft 21,472 331.0 352.4
Arson 0 0.0 0.0

Understanding Pennsylvania's Crime Profile

Of Pennsylvania's total crime rate, 14.6% is violent crime and 85.4% is property crime. Nationally, violent crime makes up 17.2% of all crime, meaning Pennsylvania has a lower-than-average share of violent offenses.

Pennsylvania's murder rate is 7.1 per 100K, which is 1.1x the national rate of 6.2. 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 197 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 Pennsylvania's total rate at 2,104 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 Pennsylvania by Crime Rate

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

# City Coverage Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Safety Score
1 South Lebanon Township 10,598 160.4 0.0 100/100
2 Plum Borough 26,145 214.2 61.2 99/100
3 Northwest Lancaster Co. Regional 19,987 230.2 35.0 99/100
4 Murrysville 20,674 256.4 24.2 99/100
5 Cecil Township 15,206 256.5 39.5 99/100
6 Hampoliceen Township 35,576 261.4 22.5 98/100
7 Upper Uwchlan Township 13,625 271.6 0.0 98/100
8 Franklin Park Borough 14,871 289.2 74.0 98/100
9 West Earl Township 12,547 302.9 31.9 98/100
10 Northampton Township 39,879 313.5 20.1 98/100
11 Lower Burrell 11,502 321.7 86.9 97/100
12 Susquehanna Regional 15,104 324.4 59.6 97/100
13 South Fayette Township 18,472 324.8 54.1 97/100
14 North Strabane Township 17,077 327.9 64.4 97/100
15 Willistown Township 11,380 333.9 87.9 97/100
16 Hampton Township 17,771 360.1 11.3 96/100
17 New Hanover Township 13,694 365.1 36.5 96/100
18 Westtown-East Goshen Regional 29,610 368.1 16.9 96/100
19 Upper Southampton Township 15,057 378.6 59.8 96/100
20 Lower Salford Township 16,255 381.4 18.5 96/100
21 Hellam Township 10,944 383.8 100.5 96/100
22 Northampton Borough 10,414 393.7 28.8 96/100
23 Carbondale City 11,849 405.1 101.3 95/100
24 Franconia Township 13,488 407.8 14.8 95/100
25 Upper Allen Township 24,279 416.0 78.3 95/100
26 Buckingham Township 20,736 419.6 19.3 95/100
27 South Heidelberg Township 14,489 427.9 34.5 94/100
28 West Deer Township 12,062 431.1 107.8 94/100
29 Amity Township 13,428 431.9 52.1 94/100
30 Peters Township 23,367 440.8 149.8 94/100
31 West Brandywine Township 11,756 450.8 68.1 94/100
32 South Park Township 13,630 454.9 36.7 93/100
33 Middletown Township 45,516 463.6 15.4 93/100
34 Baldwin Borough 20,459 469.2 141.8 93/100
35 West Manheim Township 10,755 483.5 0.0 92/100
36 Easttown Township 11,076 505.6 81.3 92/100
37 East Cocalico Township 14,775 507.6 20.3 92/100
38 Ferguson Township 18,949 517.2 68.6 92/100
39 North Middleton Township 12,750 517.7 86.3 92/100
40 Hopewell Township 13,248 520.8 60.4 92/100
41 Upper Saucon Township 17,864 526.2 22.4 91/100
42 Phoenixville Borough 20,316 526.7 83.7 91/100
43 New Britain Township 12,260 538.3 32.6 91/100
44 Tredyffrin Township 31,754 544.8 34.6 91/100
45 Plumstead Township 14,391 549.0 20.9 91/100
46 West Lampeter Township 17,320 560.1 52.0 90/100
47 South Abington Township 12,573 564.7 135.2 90/100
48 Radnor Township 33,908 566.2 70.8 90/100
49 Nether Providence Township 14,449 567.5 27.7 90/100
50 Lower Providence Township 25,975 573.6 27.0 90/100
51 Pennridge Regional 11,231 578.8 80.1 90/100
52 Forks Township 16,568 585.5 18.1 89/100
53 Upper Gwynedd Township 17,273 596.3 29.0 89/100
54 Lower Makefield Township 33,400 601.8 29.9 88/100
55 Shaler Township 26,801 604.5 48.5 88/100
56 Doylestown Township 18,000 605.6 27.8 88/100
57 Whitehall Borough 14,475 614.9 96.7 88/100
58 Towamencin Township 17,925 624.8 33.5 88/100
59 Elizabeth Township 17,011 640.8 129.3 87/100
60 Northern Berks Regional 14,165 642.4 56.5 87/100
61 Salisbury Township 13,547 657.0 96.0 87/100
62 East Pennsboro Township 21,266 672.4 56.4 86/100
63 West Hempfield Township 20,178 674.0 54.5 86/100
64 Moon Township 26,389 674.5 75.8 86/100
65 Whitpain Township 20,451 674.8 14.7 86/100
66 Mount Lebanon 32,585 678.2 61.4 86/100
67 Bethel Park Borough 32,034 689.9 59.3 86/100
68 Cranberry Township 34,970 712.0 11.4 85/100
69 Uwchlan Township 19,649 722.7 81.4 84/100
70 Hazleton 30,079 724.8 232.7 84/100
71 Elizabethtown Borough 12,112 726.6 82.6 84/100
72 Jefferson Hills Borough 12,096 727.5 165.3 84/100
73 St. Marys 12,293 740.3 122.0 84/100
74 Whitemarsh Township 19,963 746.4 35.1 83/100
75 Aston Township 16,565 748.6 42.3 83/100
76 Lower Saucon Township 11,003 754.3 109.1 83/100
77 Hilltown Township 17,863 761.4 39.2 83/100
78 Manheim Township 63,061 765.9 74.5 83/100
79 Warrington Township 26,355 766.5 22.8 83/100
80 New Holland 12,898 783.1 23.3 82/100
81 Mccandless Township 28,350 804.2 109.4 81/100
82 Mifflin Co. Regional 17,029 810.4 170.3 81/100
83 Upper Dublin Township 27,382 825.4 40.2 81/100
84 Warminster Township 33,195 837.5 60.3 80/100
85 East Whiteland Township 15,284 837.5 52.3 80/100
86 North Huntingdon Township 31,761 853.3 37.8 79/100
87 Indiana Borough 14,378 855.5 83.5 79/100
88 Horsham Township 27,268 861.8 25.7 79/100
89 Lower Moreland Township 14,124 863.8 85.0 79/100
90 East Hempfield Township 27,135 869.7 51.6 79/100
91 Sandy Township 11,554 874.2 86.6 79/100
92 Hatfield Township 19,225 884.3 67.6 79/100
93 Greensburg 14,504 910.1 268.9 78/100
94 Ridley Township 30,633 930.4 58.8 77/100
95 Ephrata 34,010 932.1 29.4 77/100
96 Emmaus Borough 12,146 946.8 74.1 76/100
97 Cumru Township 15,667 1,002.1 108.5 74/100
98 Pocono Mountain Regional 42,656 1,029.2 189.9 73/100
99 Haverford Township 50,544 1,048.6 21.8 72/100
100 Marple Township 24,044 1,068.9 29.1 72/100
101 Central Berks Regional 13,846 1,090.6 72.2 71/100
102 Newberry Township 16,123 1,097.8 117.8 70/100
103 Lansdale Borough 19,027 1,103.7 94.6 70/100
104 Berwick Borough 10,243 1,113.0 58.6 70/100
105 New Castle City 21,252 1,119.9 84.7 69/100
106 Waynesboro Borough 11,078 1,146.4 135.4 68/100
107 Silver Spring Township 21,585 1,153.6 60.2 68/100
108 Lower Southampton Township 20,374 1,173.1 58.9 67/100
109 Derry Township 25,016 1,183.2 87.9 67/100
110 Lower Paxton Township 55,174 1,192.6 146.8 67/100
111 Bethlehem Township 26,492 1,223.0 71.7 66/100
112 Upper St. Clair Township 20,399 1,225.6 24.5 66/100
113 Patton Township 15,645 1,227.2 57.5 65/100
114 Richland Township 14,295 1,245.2 70.0 65/100
115 Susquehanna Township 27,762 1,253.5 212.5 65/100
116 Lebanon 26,241 1,280.4 156.2 64/100
117 Spring Garden Township 13,649 1,304.1 131.9 63/100
118 Beaver Falls 11,696 1,316.7 196.7 62/100
119 Carlisle Borough 23,144 1,317.8 172.8 62/100
120 West Whiteland Township 20,960 1,326.3 95.4 62/100
121 Mechanicsburg 10,111 1,335.2 59.3 62/100
122 West Goshen Township 23,889 1,339.5 288.8 62/100
123 Palmer Township 22,423 1,364.7 40.1 61/100
124 Hermitage 16,941 1,375.4 94.5 61/100
125 Easton 30,064 1,387.0 196.3 60/100
126 Logan Township 12,101 1,388.3 0.0 60/100
127 Bloomsburg 13,256 1,395.6 324.4 60/100
128 Lower Pottsgrove Township 12,891 1,396.3 108.6 60/100
129 Lower Gwynedd Township 12,255 1,411.7 73.4 59/100
130 Penn Hills Township 39,203 1,425.9 372.4 59/100
131 South Whitehall Township 21,516 1,454.7 74.4 58/100
132 West Chester Borough 20,004 1,464.7 215.0 58/100
133 Munhall Borough 10,255 1,492.0 117.0 56/100
134 Caln Township 15,170 1,549.1 276.9 55/100
135 Bethlehem 79,194 1,575.9 207.1 54/100
136 Lower Allen Township 20,469 1,582.9 78.2 53/100
137 Upper Chichester Township 16,747 1,594.3 167.2 53/100
138 Kingston 14,233 1,594.9 140.5 53/100
139 Scranton 75,683 1,626.5 281.4 52/100
140 Montgomery Township 26,069 1,634.1 69.1 52/100
141 Muhlenberg Township 22,172 1,664.3 63.1 51/100
142 Pottsville 13,361 1,676.5 329.3 50/100
143 Nanticoke 10,616 1,733.2 263.8 48/100
144 Lansdowne Borough 11,071 1,743.3 135.5 48/100
145 Bristol Township 53,784 1,745.9 150.6 48/100
146 Reading 97,868 1,772.8 338.2 47/100
147 West Norriton Township 16,257 1,820.8 116.9 46/100
148 East Lampeter Township 26,615 1,829.8 90.2 46/100
149 Allentown 124,599 1,841.1 272.1 45/100
150 North Fayette Township 15,956 1,861.4 87.7 45/100
151 Wyomissing Borough 11,141 1,867.0 71.8 44/100
152 Lower Merion Township 64,290 1,869.7 71.6 44/100
153 Lancaster 56,890 1,914.2 462.3 43/100
154 Meadville 17,363 1,935.2 403.2 42/100
155 Wilkes Barre City 44,254 1,988.5 431.6 41/100
156 Center Township 12,275 2,004.1 114.1 40/100
157 Robinson Township 15,508 2,005.4 70.9 40/100
158 Springettsbury Township 27,604 2,086.7 130.4 38/100
159 Yeadon Borough 12,319 2,102.4 219.2 38/100
160 Butler City 12,973 2,112.1 501.0 37/100
161 Sharon 12,709 2,116.6 653.1 37/100
162 Altoona 42,424 2,185.1 334.7 35/100
163 Colonial Regional 18,785 2,187.9 53.2 35/100
164 Upper Moreland Township 26,020 2,221.4 107.6 35/100
165 Chambersburg Borough 22,366 2,222.1 469.5 34/100
166 East Norriton Township 14,019 2,254.1 114.1 34/100
167 Erie 92,379 2,304.6 375.6 33/100
168 Columbia Borough 10,445 2,326.5 296.8 32/100
169 Washington 13,521 2,337.1 695.2 32/100
170 Stroud Area Regional 34,162 2,347.6 155.1 32/100
171 York 44,893 2,392.4 530.2 31/100
172 Pocono Township 10,739 2,393.2 149.0 31/100
173 Norristown Borough 35,764 2,413.0 453.0 30/100
174 Coatesville 13,256 2,444.2 618.6 29/100
175 Monroeville 27,753 2,540.3 122.5 28/100
176 Whitehall Township 29,090 2,561.0 216.6 27/100
177 Hanover Borough 16,616 2,618.0 108.3 26/100
178 Rostraver Township 11,433 2,632.7 43.7 26/100
179 Ross Township 32,076 2,662.4 53.0 25/100
180 Pittsburgh 317,177 2,708.6 428.5 24/100
181 Harrisburg 49,985 2,758.8 766.2 23/100
182 Chester City 33,944 2,819.4 830.8 22/100
183 New Kensington 11,832 2,856.7 456.4 22/100
184 Swatara Township 29,394 2,915.6 153.1 21/100
185 Bensalem Township 62,843 2,970.9 93.9 20/100
186 West Mifflin Borough 18,705 3,020.6 379.6 19/100
187 Wilkinsburg Borough 13,646 3,026.5 586.3 19/100
188 Upper Darby Township 84,668 3,046.0 213.8 19/100
189 West Manchester Township 19,209 3,050.7 83.3 19/100
190 Johnstown 20,120 3,220.7 586.5 16/100
191 Darby Borough 10,586 3,457.4 831.3 13/100
192 Pottstown Borough 23,324 3,841.5 737.4 10/100
193 Upper Merion Township 36,408 3,878.3 123.6 9/100
194 Mckeesport 18,480 4,258.7 1,693.7 7/100
195 Cheltenham Township 38,819 5,123.8 200.9 3/100
196 Philadelphia 1,549,259 5,458.5 910.3 3/100
197 Plymouth Township 18,484 6,210.8 102.8 2/100

Pennsylvania Crime Rate Trends

Year Coverage Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate
2024 6,487,541 2,462.7 359.1 2,103.7
2023 6,073,473 2,650.7 383.6 2,267.1
2022 4,374,570 2,923.8 517.4 2,406.4
2021 2,309,086 3,132.2 722.3 2,410.0
2020 6,365,999 2,073.3 420.1 1,653.2
2019 3,306,121 1,670.4 259.3 1,411.1

Pennsylvania Crime Trends: 6-Year Analysis

Over the 6-year period from 2019 to 2024, Pennsylvania's total crime rate increased by 47.4%, moving from 1,670 to 2,463 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, Pennsylvania's crime rate decreased by 7.1%, with violent crime specifically declining 6.4%. 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.

Pennsylvania vs Neighboring States

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

State Total Crime Rate Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate vs Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania 2,462.7 359.1 2,103.7 —
New Jersey 1,457.5 248.0 1,209.5 -40.8%
Ohio 2,571.1 437.5 2,133.6 +4.4%
New York 2,734.4 528.5 2,205.9 +11.0%
West Virginia 3,489.6 498.5 2,991.1 +41.7%
Delaware 4,097.7 778.1 3,319.6 +66.4%
Maryland 4,163.0 985.4 3,177.6 +69.0%

Among neighboring states, New Jersey has the lowest crime rate (1,457 per 100K). Maryland has the highest (4,163 per 100K).

Pennsylvania in Regional Context

Pennsylvania is safer than 5 of its 6 neighboring states based on total crime rate. Nationally, it ranks #17 out of 50 states (ranked safest first), placing it in the safer half of all US states.

Regional comparisons are valuable because neighboring states often share economic conditions, climate, and demographic patterns. If Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania's crime rate?

Pennsylvania's total crime rate in 2024 is 2,462.7 per 100,000 residents, which is 11% below the national average of 2,752. This includes both violent crime (359.1 per 100K) and property crime (2,103.7 per 100K).

How safe is Pennsylvania compared to other states?

Pennsylvania ranks #17 out of 50 states (safest first), placing it in the safer half nationally. Visit our all states page for the complete ranking.

What is the safest city in Pennsylvania?

The safest city in Pennsylvania is South Lebanon Township with a crime rate of 160 per 100,000 residents. View the full list at safest cities in Pennsylvania.

More Pennsylvania Crime Data

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

Safest cities in Pennsylvania Most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania Safest cities in America Most dangerous cities in America US cities with the highest crime rates Compare two cities side by side All state crime statistics