San Diego, CA Violent Crime Rates and Maps

Crime Grade's violent crime map highlights the safest areas in the San Diego area 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.

The D+ grade indicates that the rate of violent crime is higher than that of the average US city. San Diego ranks in the 26th percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 26% of cities but less safe than 74%. This analysis applies only to the San Diego area's official city boundaries. See the table below for nearby cities.

The violent crime rate in the San Diego area is 4.360 per 1,000 residents in the typical year. the San Diego area residents generally consider the north part of the city to be the safest.Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in the San Diego area varies by neighborhood - ranging from 1 in 150 in the south neighborhoods to 1 in 295 in the north.

When looking at total crime counts (rather than per capita rates), the south parts of San Diego, CA see the most incidents - about 3,638 per year. In contrast, the northeast part of the city has the fewest, with approximately 444 crimes annually.

The Cost of Crime™ in San Diego, CA

The total projected cost of crime in San Diego for 2025 is $745,345,314. This translates to approximately $224 per resident and $644 per household. On average, crime-related costs account for 0.4% of the median household income in San Diego. These figures reflect only tangible costs, which include the following:

1. Criminal justice system costs (law enforcement, courts, and imprisonment): 45.0%
2. Direct costs to victims (damaged property, medical expenses, and lost wages): 40.8%
3. Lost economic contribution from offenders (time in prison or repeat offenses): 14.0%

The Cost of Crime per resident in San Diego is $224 per year, which is $34 less than the national average and $40 less than California's state average. Below we compare cities similar to San Diego:

• In French Camp, CA, crime costs $748 per person, which is $524 more than in San Diego.
• In Plumas Lake, CA, crime costs $105 per person, which is $119 less than in San Diego

2025 Projected Cost by Type of Crime

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

Crime	Cost to San Diego	Cost per San Diego Resident
Murder	$272.8 million	$82
Rape/Sexual Assault	$95.1 million	$29
Robbery	$116.2 million	$35
Assault	$261.3 million	$79
Total Cost of Violent Crime	$745,345,314	$224

The Intangible Cost of Violent Crime in San Diego, CA

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 San Diego totals $2,397,673,358 ($721 per resident). When added to the tangible costs, this brings the total estimated cost of crime to $3,143,018,672 ($945 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 Violent Crime Maps

When interpreting the the San Diego area violent crime map, keep in mind that violent 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 northwest part of the city has more retail establishments, which can artificially inflate violent 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, of which the San Diego area has 1, 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 the San Diego area has 247, have the same problem. Of the San Diego area’s 3,327,032 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 San Diego, CA at ISP Reports.

San Diego Crime Breakdown

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

San Diego Violent Crime Breakdown

The table below shows which violent crimes are used to calculate the Violent Crime Grade above. All violent crime rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 San Diego residents in a standard year.

Crime Type	Crime Rate
Assault	2.734
Robbery	1.111
Rape	0.4713
Murder	0.0436
Total Violent Crime	4.360 (D+)

Individual San Diego Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Cities

Compared to surrounding cities, the rate of violent crime in the San Diego area is lower. The table below shows Crime Grades for cities close to the San Diego area.

Nearby City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade
La Mesa, CA	D	D	D-
Lemon Grove, CA	D	D	D-
La Jolla, CA	D	D	D-
Coronado, CA	F	F	F
National City, CA	D-	D-	F
Santee, CA	C+	C	C-
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA	D+	D+	D
Spring Valley, CA	C	C-	D+
La Presa, CA	C	C-	D+
Bostonia, CA	D+	D+	D

Crime Maps and Rates for City with Similar Populations

San Diego is higher versus other cities of the same size for violent 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
Denver, CO	D-	D	D
Tampa, FL	A-	B	B
Minneapolis, MN	D+	C	C
Baltimore, MD	D	D	D
St. Louis, MO	D-	D	D
Orlando, FL	A-	B	B
Seattle, WA	D-	D+	D+
Charlotte, NC	D	D+	D+
San Antonio, TX	D	C-	C-
Portland, OR	D-	C	C

Considering only the violent crime rate, the San Diego area is safer than the California state average and less safe than the national average.

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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.