The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in 51638, IA: Crime Maps and Statistics

D+

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	C-
Property Crime Grade	D+
Other Crime Grade	D

Which crimes are included?

$634,459

Cost of Crime™ for 51638, IA

In 2025, crime will cost $1,176 per household.

More cost data

On the map, green marks the parts of 51638 with the least crime overall and red marks the most. Each area is weighted by the type and severity of every offense, so a place with rare but serious violent crime can grade differently from one with frequent petty theft. The Interpreting the Crime Maps section below explains how to read the colors.

Is 51638, IA Safe?

The D+ overall grade blends the violent, property, and other grades shown above into one measure, set against the average US zip, where 51638's combined rate is higher than the norm. 51638 sits in the 27th percentile, ahead of 27% of zip codes and behind 73%. The grade covers only 51638's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby zip codes.

The overall crime rate in 51638 is 35.80 per 1,000 residents in a typical year. Residents generally consider the northwest part of the zip the safest. Your chance of being a victim ranges from 1 in 22 in the east areas to 1 in 34 in the northwest.

Counting total incidents instead of per-capita rates, the central parts of 51638, IA report the most crime, about 20 cases per year. The north part reports the fewest, around 1 per year.

The Cost of Crime™ in 51638, IA

Across all crime types, the projected cost of crime in 51638 for 2025 is $634,459, about $488 per resident and $1,176 per household. That equals 1.2% of the median household income. These figures cover tangible costs, which include:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 57.8%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 30.3%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 11.8%

How Much Does Crime Cost in 51638 Compared to Other Zip Codes?

51638, IA:	$488
52803, IA:	$499
50009, IA:	$209
Iowa:	$326
USA:	$464

The overall cost of crime per resident in 51638 is $488 per year, which is $23 more than the national average and $162 more than Iowa's state average. The comparison below uses zip codes similar to 51638:

In 52803, IA, crime costs $499 per person, which is $12 more than in 51638.
In 50009, IA, crime costs $209 per person, which is $279 less than in 51638

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

The table below shows the total cost of crime to the residents of 51638 for the year 2025 along with the projected cost per resident.

Crime	Cost to 51638	Cost per 51638 Resident
Murder	$179,742	$138
Rape/Sexual Assault	$51,623	$40
Robbery	$15,236	$12
Assault	$103,637	$80
Kidnapping	$8,129	$6
Vehicle Theft	$12,742	$10
Burglary	$36,020	$28
Theft	$100,855	$78
Arson	$3,717	$3
Vandalism	$81,414	$63
Animal Cruelty	$360	$0
Drug Crimes	$39,092	$30
Identity Theft	$1,892	$1
Total Cost of Crime	$634,459	$488

The Intangible Cost of Crime in 51638, IA

The totals above count tangible costs only. Violent crime also carries a human cost, the pain and trauma borne by victims and their families, which research-based methods estimate so it can be compared across places. That intangible cost in 51638 totals $1,470,953 ($1,131 per resident), and all of it comes from violent crime rather than property loss. Added to the tangible costs, the full estimate reaches $2,105,412 ($1,618 per resident). All Cost of Crime figures come from scholarly research on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

Crime rates on the map are measured per resident, so areas with heavy visitor traffic can read high because crime follows crowds, even where few people live. The west part of the zip holds more retail establishments, which lifts recorded crime around those blocks. A red area does not always mean the neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

Airports, parks, and transit hubs create the same effect. Major airports draw large crowds with few residents nearby, so they read as high-crime spots. Parks and recreational areas, of which 51638 has 1, do the same, and of 51638's 1,301 residents few live beside them. Before assuming an area is unsafe, weigh both the per-capita rate and the total number of incidents, and note what sits nearby.

The interactive maps load faster on a strong connection. Compare high speed internet in 51638, IA at ISP Reports.

51638 Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 51638 residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	2.774
Robbery	0.3723
Rape	0.6544
Murder	0.0735
Total Violent Crime	3.874 (C-)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	14.97
Vehicle Theft	0.6325
Burglary	3.053
Arson	0.1183
Total Property Crime	18.77 (D+)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.1030
Drug Crimes	4.062
Vandalism	8.760
Identity Theft	0.1879
Animal Cruelty	0.0374
Total "Other" Rate	13.15 (D)

Individual 51638 Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Zip Codes

Compared to surrounding zip codes, the rate of crime in 51638 is similar. The table below shows Crime Grades for zip codes close to 51638.

Nearby Zip	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
51601, IA	D-	D	D-
51645, IA	D+	F	C-
51656, IA	D	C+	D
51639, IA	C	C-	B
51649, IA	D	F	D+
51573, IA	C	D+	C
51632, IA	D	C	D
50864, IA	C-	B+	D+
51652, IA	D	B	D
51653, IA	A	B+	A

Crime Maps and Rates for Zip with Similar Populations

51638 is higher versus other zip codes of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in zip codes with comparable overall population in the zip‘s boundaries.

Similar Zip	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
74333, OK	C-	B	B
15542, PA	A-	B+	B+
15927, PA	A-	B+	B+
16639, PA	A+	A+	A+
16695, PA	A+	A+	A+
17037, PA	A+	A+	A+
22488, VA	F	D	D
46570, IN	A	B-	B-
72773, AR	C-	D+	D+
47611, IN	B+	B+	B+

Considering only the crime rate, 51638 is less safe than the Iowa state average and less safe than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in 51638, IA average SchoolGrade of A, with 60% actual proficiency versus 48% projected; overall, schools greatly exceed expectations. See 51638 schools on SchoolGrade

About the Data

CrimeGrade.org provides highly detailed and accurate crime data, used by insurance companies, home security firms, and other industries. Our data is available for licensing—learn more about our USA crime data and licensing.

Crime By Zip Code Download

Our proprietary data is available for download by zip code or by state in a CSV Flat File. Please visit our download page for pricing and terms.

Download CSV

Home Security

A crime occurs on average every 7 days 20 hours in 51638. Want to protect your home?

Home Security Companies in 51638, IA

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.