Is San Diego Safe?
How safe is San Diego? That’s one question that is frequently asked by many of San Diego’s 35 million annual tourists. While San Diego is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country, many guests express concern about their safety while visiting the seaside metropolitan area.
Generally speaking, San Diego is a fairly safe area. In fact, San Diego boasts a crime rate that is 15 percent lower than the national average. Statistics show that San Diego is safer than 34 percent of all cities in the country. A survey of crime data found that San Diego’s crime rate is “one of the lowest in the nation for its size.” In other words, San Diego is one of the safest large cities in the country.
Crime Rates in San Diego
Crime rate refers to the ratio of crimes committed in an area to its population. The higher the crime rate, the more frequently a specific crime occurs. For statistical purposes, there are two primary categories of crimes: property and violent.
Property Crime in San Diego
In 2016, there were 35,143 reported crimes in San Diego. 84.6% of these crimes were classified as property crimes. If you visit San Diego, there is a 1 in 47 chance that you’ll become the victim of a property crime. The city’s property crime rate, which is measured per 1,000 residents, is 21.14. This is significantly less than both the state and national average (25.53 and 25, respectively).
The most frequently reported property crimes in San Diego include:
Violent Crime in San Diego
Violent crimes accounting for 15.4% of all criminal offenses in San Diego. If you visit San Diego, there is 1 in 260 chance that you’ll be the victim of a violent crime. The city’s crime rate, which is measured per 1,000 residents, is 3.85. This is significantly less than California’s state crime rate (4.45) and slightly lower than the national average (4).
The following violent crimes are reported most frequently in San Diego:
Most Dangerous San Diego Neighborhoods
San Diego is a vastly diverse area, comprised of many different communities. Statistics show that crime tends to be concentrated in certain San Diego neighborhoods. The city’s overall crime rate is adversely affected by the criminal offenses that are frequently committed in the most dangerous neighborhoods.
The most dangerous neighborhoods in San Diego include:
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 1,285
- Property crimes: 1,092
- Violent crimes: 193
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 1,112
- Property crimes: 1,034
- Violent crimes: 78
North Park
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 998
- Property crimes: 861
- Violent crimes: 137
East Village
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 945
- Property crimes: 945
- Violent crimes: 198
San Ysidro
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 830
- Property crimes: 723
- Violent crimes: 107
Midway District
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 726
- Property crimes: 619
- Violent crimes: 107
Mira Mesa
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 723
- Property crimes: 622
- Violent crimes: 101
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 686
- Property crimes: 554
- Violent crimes: 132
Corre-Columbia
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 569
- Property crimes: 404
- Violent crimes: 165
Bay Terraces
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 426
- Property crimes: 319
- Violent crimes: 107
Gaslamp
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 382
- Property crimes: 264
- Violent crimes: 118
Logan Heights
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 374
- Property crimes: 232
- Violent crimes: 142
Mountain Valley
- Total reported crimes in 2017: 358
- Property crimes: 253
- Violent crimes: 105
Generally speaking, San Diego is a fairly safe city, particularly when compared to other large cities across the country. The chances of being the victim of a property crime are much greater than the chances of being the victim of a violent crime. However, it is always important to be vigilant and cautious when visiting an area with which you’re unfamiliar.
For more information about crime in San Diego, do not hesitate to contact the experienced San Diego criminal defense attorneys at the Law Office of Vikas Bajaj, APC.
