Durham, NC Crime Rate 2023: 403 per 100,000
Population 284K · 2023 FBI UCR Data · Safety Grade C
Durham, NC has a violent crime rate of 403 per 100,000 residents, which is 11% above the national average of 363.8. The property crime rate is 2,443 per 100,000, 33% above the national average. Over the past 5 years, crime in Durham has remained stable.Durham receives a Safety Context Score of C (59/100) based on 2023 FBI UCR data.
Reading this data in context: Durham's violent crime rate of 403 per 100,000 residents is 11% above the national average. Over the past 5 years, the overall crime rate has remained relatively stable (-3.0%). Crime data reflects reported incidents and does not capture the full picture of neighborhood safety. All crime statistics are compiled from the FBI Crime Data Explorer, which aggregates data reported by local law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Crime Rate Breakdown (per 100K residents)
All rates per 100,000 residents. National average shown for comparison.
Durham, NC Crime Types Explained
Below is the per-capita breakdown of each FBI-tracked offense in Durham, 2023. Every figure is per 100,000 residents — never a raw count — and includes the national average for comparison.
Robbery in Durham, NC
Durham reported 88.7 robbery incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 22% above the national robbery rate of 73 per 100,000 — above the national average. The FBI defines robbery as taking property by force or threat of force. See how Durham ranks nationally for robbery.
Aggravated Assault in Durham, NC
Durham reported 270 aggravated assault incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 10% above the national aggravated assault rate of 246.4 per 100,000 — near the national average. The FBI defines aggravated assault as unlawful attack with intent to inflict severe bodily injury, usually involving a weapon. See how Durham ranks nationally for aggravated assault.
Murder in Durham, NC
Durham reported 4 murder incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 30% below the national murder rate of 5.7 per 100,000 — below the national average. The FBI defines murder as intentional homicide, the most serious violent crime category. See how Durham ranks nationally for murder.
Burglary in Durham, NC
Durham reported 342.1 burglary incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 27% above the national burglary rate of 269.8 per 100,000 — above the national average. The FBI defines burglary as unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft. See how Durham ranks nationally for burglary.
Larceny-Theft in Durham, NC
Durham reported 1,881 larceny-theft incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 34% above the national larceny-theft rate of 1,402 per 100,000 — above the national average. The FBI defines larceny-theft as the unlawful taking of property without force, threat, or fraud — the most common property crime. See how Durham ranks nationally for larceny-theft.
Motor Vehicle Theft in Durham, NC
Durham reported 366.5 motor vehicle theft incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 15% above the national motor vehicle theft rate of 318.3 per 100,000 — above the national average. The FBI defines motor vehicle theft as theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. See how Durham ranks nationally for motor vehicle theft.
5-Year Crime Rate Trend
Per-capita rates per 100,000 residents
Frequently Asked Questions
Durham has a Safety Context Score of C (59/100). The violent crime rate is 403 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 363.8. Over the past 5 years, overall crime has remained relatively stable (-3.0%).
Durham's violent crime rate is 403 per 100,000 residents and property crime rate is 2,443 per 100,000. These are per-capita rates based on FBI UCR data, which provide a more accurate comparison than raw crime counts.
Durham's 5-year crime trend shows a -3.0% change. Crime rates have been relatively stable over this period. Always look at long-term trends rather than single-year changes.
Durham's violent crime rate of 403 per 100K is above the national average of 363.8. The property crime rate of 2,443 per 100K is above the national average of 1,832.
Based on 2023 FBI data, Durham earns a Safety Context Score of C (59/100). Durham's crime rates are near the national average. The 5-year trend is stable, which is an important factor for anyone considering relocation. Crime statistics represent city-wide averages and vary significantly by neighborhood.
The most common crime type in Durham is larceny-theft at 1,881 per 100,000 residents. Overall, property crime (2,443/100K) is significantly more common than violent crime (403/100K), which is typical for most US cities. Motor vehicle theft is 366.5/100K above the national average of 318.3.
Explore More
All crime rates are per 100,000 residents. Safety Context Scores are calculated using per-capita violent crime (40%), per-capita property crime (30%), and 5-year trend direction (30%), all compared to national averages.
The this entity record above pulls directly from the FBI UCR/NIBRS dataset. What follows is the per-entity context — how this entity sits in the broader U.S. city and county crime rates distribution and which underlying factors drive the headline numbers.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the FBI UCR/NIBRS dataset portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. cities and counties with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.