San Diego, CA Crime Rate 2023: 736.3 per 100,000
Population 1.4M · 2023 FBI UCR Data · Safety Grade C
San Diego, CA has a violent crime rate of 736.3 per 100,000 residents, which is 102% above the national average of 363.8. The property crime rate is 2,402 per 100,000, 31% above the national average. Over the past 5 years, crime in San Diego has decreased by 6.0%.San Diego receives a Safety Context Score of C (50/100) based on 2023 FBI UCR data.
Reading this data in context: San Diego's violent crime rate of 736.3 per 100,000 residents is 102% above the national average. Over the past 5 years, the overall crime rate has decreased (-6.0%). 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.
San Diego, CA Crime Types Explained
Below is the per-capita breakdown of each FBI-tracked offense in San Diego, 2023. Every figure is per 100,000 residents — never a raw count — and includes the national average for comparison.
Robbery in San Diego, CA
San Diego reported 139.9 robbery incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 92% above the national robbery rate of 73 per 100,000 — well above the national average. The FBI defines robbery as taking property by force or threat of force. See how San Diego ranks nationally for robbery.
Aggravated Assault in San Diego, CA
San Diego reported 508 aggravated assault incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 106% above the national aggravated assault rate of 246.4 per 100,000 — well above the national average. The FBI defines aggravated assault as unlawful attack with intent to inflict severe bodily injury, usually involving a weapon. See how San Diego ranks nationally for aggravated assault.
Murder in San Diego, CA
San Diego reported 22.1 murder incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 288% above the national murder rate of 5.7 per 100,000 — well above the national average. The FBI defines murder as intentional homicide, the most serious violent crime category. See how San Diego ranks nationally for murder.
Burglary in San Diego, CA
San Diego reported 384.3 burglary incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 42% 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 San Diego ranks nationally for burglary.
Larceny-Theft in San Diego, CA
San Diego reported 1,898 larceny-theft incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 35% 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 San Diego ranks nationally for larceny-theft.
Motor Vehicle Theft in San Diego, CA
San Diego reported 288.3 motor vehicle theft incidents per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is 9% below the national motor vehicle theft rate of 318.3 per 100,000 — near the national average. The FBI defines motor vehicle theft as theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. See how San Diego ranks nationally for motor vehicle theft.
5-Year Crime Rate Trend
Per-capita rates per 100,000 residents
Frequently Asked Questions
San Diego has a Safety Context Score of C (50/100). The violent crime rate is 736.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 363.8. Over the past 5 years, overall crime has decreased (-6.0%).
San Diego's violent crime rate is 736.3 per 100,000 residents and property crime rate is 2,402 per 100,000. These are per-capita rates based on FBI UCR data, which provide a more accurate comparison than raw crime counts.
San Diego's 5-year crime trend shows a -6.0% change. Crime rates have been decreasing, which is a positive sign. Always look at long-term trends rather than single-year changes.
San Diego's violent crime rate of 736.3 per 100K is above the national average of 363.8. The property crime rate of 2,402 per 100K is above the national average of 1,832.
Based on 2023 FBI data, San Diego earns a Safety Context Score of C (50/100). San Diego's crime rates are near the national average. The 5-year trend is improving, 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 San Diego is larceny-theft at 1,898 per 100,000 residents. Overall, property crime (2,402/100K) is significantly more common than violent crime (736.3/100K), which is typical for most US cities. Motor vehicle theft is 288.3/100K below 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.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the FBI UCR/NIBRS dataset. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the FBI UCR/NIBRS dataset; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. cities and counties. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.