The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Essex, MD: Crime Maps and Statistics

Overall Crime Grade™

Violent Crime Grade	D-
Property Crime Grade	F
Other Crime Grade	D-

Which crimes are included?

$31.6 million

Cost of Crime™ for Essex, MD

In 2025, crime will cost $1,826 per household.

More cost data

Crime Grade's crime map highlights the safest areas in Essex in green, the most dangerous in red, and moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted based on both the type and severity of the crime. For more information on how to interpret our crime maps, see the Interpreting the Crime Maps section below.

Is Essex, MD Safe?

The F grade indicates that the rate of crime is much higher than that of the average US city. Essex ranks in the 6th percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 6% of cities but less safe than 94%. This analysis applies only to Essex's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby cities.

The crime rate in Essex is 57.71 per 1,000 residents in the typical year. Essex Residents generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Essex varies by neighborhood - ranging from 1 in 10 in the northwest neighborhoods to 1 in 25 in the southeast.

When looking at total crime counts (rather than per capita rates), the northwest parts of Essex, MD see the most incidents - about 538 per year. In contrast, the southwest part of the city has the fewest, with approximately 19 crimes annually.

The Cost of Crime™ in Essex, MD

The total projected cost of crime in Essex for 2025 is $31,587,292. This translates to approximately $700 per resident and $1,826 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 1.9% of the median household income in Essex. These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:

Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 58.2%
Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 31.1%
Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 10.6%

How Much Does Crime Cost in Essex Compared to Other Cities?

Essex, MD:	$700
Seat Pleasant, MD:	$1315
Cape St. Claire, MD:	$184
Maryland:	$531
USA:	$464

The Cost of Crime per resident in Essex is $700 per year, which is $236 more than the national average and $168 more than Maryland's state average. Below we compare cities similar to Essex:

In Seat Pleasant, MD, crime costs $1,315 per person, which is $616 more than in Essex.
In Cape St. Claire, MD, crime costs $184 per person, which is $516 less than in Essex

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

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

Crime	Cost to Essex	Cost per Essex Resident
Murder	$5.15 million	$114
Rape/Sexual Assault	$1.93 million	$43
Robbery	$1.82 million	$40
Assault	$5.01 million	$111
Kidnapping	$36,671	$1
Vehicle Theft	$5.18 million	$115
Burglary	$987,645	$22
Theft	$5.88 million	$130
Arson	$62,769	$1
Vandalism	$2.95 million	$65
Animal Cruelty	$56,459	$1
Drug Crimes	$1.70 million	$38
Identity Theft	$823,745	$18
Total Cost of Crime	$31,587,292	$700

The Intangible Cost of Crime in Essex, MD

CrimeGrade primarily focuses on tangible costs, but the true impact of crime extends beyond economic. Pain and suffering for victims and their families are difficult to quantify, but research-based methodologies help estimate these effects. Using these methodologies, we calculate that the intangible cost of crime in Essex totals $45,715,280 ($1,013 per resident). When added to the tangible costs, this brings the total estimated cost of crime to $77,302,572 ($1,712 per resident). All Cost of Crime facts are based on scholarly research done on the cost of crime. Read more about our methodology here.

Interpreting the Crime Maps

When interpreting the Essex crime map, keep in mind that crime rates are measured per resident. Areas with high visitor traffic, such as shopping districts, may appear to have higher crime rates simply because more crimes occur where people gather - even if few residents live there. For example, the west part of the city has more retail establishments, which can artificially inflate crime rates in that area. Red areas on the map do not necessarily mean a neighborhood is unsafe for residents.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports 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 Essex has 3, have the same problem. Of Essex’s 45,142 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Crime occurs where people gather, whether they live there or not. Before assuming an area is unsafe, consider both per-capita crime rates and total crime counts, as well as the types of destinations nearby.

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 Essex, MD at ISP Reports.

Essex 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 Essex residents in a standard year.

Violent Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	3.868
Robbery	1.281
Rape	0.7064
Murder	0.0607
Total Violent Crime	5.916 (D-)

Property Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Theft	25.14
Vehicle Theft	7.405
Burglary	2.412
Arson	0.0576
Total Property Crime	35.02 (F)

Other Crime Rates

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Kidnapping	0.0134
Drug Crimes	5.101
Vandalism	9.133
Identity Theft	2.358
Animal Cruelty	0.1691
Total "Other" Rate	16.77 (D-)

Individual Essex Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Cities

Compared to surrounding cities, the rate of crime in Essex is higher. The table below shows Crime Grades for cities close to Essex.

Nearby City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Middle River, MD	D-	D	D-
Rossville, MD	F	D	F
Bowleys Quarters, MD	D	D+	D-
Rosedale, MD	F	D-	F
Dundalk, MD	F	D-	F
Overlea, MD	D-	D+	F
Nottingham, MD	D-	C	D-
Edgemere, MD	D+	D+	D+
Dundee Village, MD	C-	C	C-
White Marsh, MD	F	C+	F

Crime Maps and Rates for City with Similar Populations

Essex is higher versus other cities of the same size for crime. The table below compares crime in cities with comparable overall population in the city‘s boundaries.

Similar City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
Burlington, VT	F	C	C
Elmwood Park, IL	C+	C+	C+
Dunedin, FL	A-	A	A
Golden, CO	D-	D	D
Gonzales, LA	C+	C	C
Clifton Park, NY	B+	A-	A-
Chatsworth, CA	C-	C-	C-
Bullhead City, AZ	C+	D+	D+
Buda, TX	B+	B+	B+
Brooksville, FL	A-	A	A

Considering only the crime rate, Essex is less safe than the Maryland 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 Essex, MD average SchoolGrade of F, with 20% actual proficiency versus 22% projected; overall, schools don't meet expectations. See Essex 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 3 hours 21 minutes in Essex. Want to protect your home?

Home Security Companies in Essex, MD

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.