Howard County, MD Murder Rates and Murder Maps

Crime Grade's murder map shows the safest places in Howard County in green. The most dangerous areas in Howard County are in red, with moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted by the type and severity of the crime.

Is Howard County, MD Safe?

The B grade means the rate of murder is slightly lower than the average US county. Howard County is in the 63rd percentile for safety, meaning 37% of counties are safer and 63% of counties are more dangerous. This analysis applies to Howard County's proper boundaries only. See the table on nearby places below for nearby counties.

The rate of murder in Howard County is 0.0564 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. People who live in Howard County generally consider the east part of the county to be the safest.

Your chance of being a victim of murder in Howard County may be as high as 1 in 12,941 in the south neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 23,836 in the east part of the county. See the section on interpreting the murder map, however, because comparing rates for murder or any other crime is not as intuitive as it may seem.

By a simple count ignoring population, more crimes occur in the south parts of Howard County, MD: about 4 per year. The southwest part of Howard County has fewer cases of murder with only 1 in a typical year.

Interpreting the Murder Maps

When looking at the murder map for Howard County, remember that the rate of murder per resident may appear inflated when people visit the area during the day, but do not live there. For example, there are more retail establishments in the central part of the county. Many crimes are committed in retail areas in blocks where few people live. Red areas on the murder rate map do not always indicate danger for Howard County residents who live there.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports, of which Howard County has 0, always look like high-crime locations due to the large number of people and the low population nearby. Parks and designated recreational areas, of which Howard County has 44, have the same problem. Of Howard County’s 345,260 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Ultimately crime happens where people are, whether they live there or not. Before writing off an area as unsafe, look at both the crime rate and total crime maps, then consider nearby destinations that people may be visiting.

To better understand and navigate these intricate crime maps, a high-speed internet connection can be crucial. Fast and seamless online connectivity ensures that map details load efficiently, providing users with clearer, uninterrupted insights. If you're considering enhancing your online experience, check out high speed internet in Howard County, MD at ISP Reports.

Howard County Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All murder rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 Howard County residents in a standard year.

Individual Howard County Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Counties

Compared to surrounding counties, the rate of murder in Howard County is lower. The table below shows Crime Grades for counties close to Howard County.

Nearby County	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade	Murder Crime Grade
Baltimore City, MD	D-	F	D	D+
Baltimore County, MD	D	C	D	B-
Anne Arundel County, MD	B-	B	C	A+
Montgomery County, MD	B+	B+	B-	F
Prince George's County, MD	C+	C-	B-	F
Carroll County, MD	B	B+	B	B-
District of Columbia, DC	F	F	F	F
Arlington County, VA	B-	A-	C	C
Falls Church City, VA	C-	A	D	C+
Alexandria City, VA	C-	A	D	C-

Crime Maps and Rates for County with Similar Populations

Howard County is similar versus other counties of the same size for murder. The table below compares crime in counties with comparable overall population in the county‘s boundaries.

Similar County	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade	Murder Crime Grade
Bucks County, PA	A+	A+	A+	A-
Alachua County, FL	A+	B	B	B+
Linn County, IA	B	B+	B+	A+
Elkhart County, IN	A	B-	B-	D
Charleston County, SC	D-	D	D	D+
Cobb County, GA	C+	D+	D+	B-
Dane County, WI	C+	B+	B+	D
Johnston County, NC	B+	B	B	C+
Erie County, NY	B	D+	D+	A
Burlington County, NJ	A+	A+	A+	A+

Considering only the murder rate, Howard County is safer than the Maryland state average and safer than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in Howard County, MD average SchoolGrade of B-, with 43% actual proficiency versus 47% projected; overall, schools don't meet expectations. See Howard County schools on SchoolGrade

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.