Being aware of crime trends where you live can make the difference between successfully or unsuccessfully preventing or dealing with incidents that happen in your home, as well as deciding whether or not to move into a community. It can also help you determine whether you need a security system and the most appropriate type for your home.
Read our guide to learn how to check crime rates in your area, as well as the different types of resources you can access to help you get an idea of ​​how safe your community is. And if you find that the area has worrying levels of criminal activity and you think you need an extra layer of protection, check out our picks for the best home security systems, including vendors like ADT, Ring, and more.
Government resources
Law enforcement agencies across the country, whether at the national, state or local level, must provide the public and all others with data regarding crimes reported and addressed. Some agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and many police departments, compile this data and place it on their websites for easy access by the public and other law enforcement authorities. We list some of these websites below.
FBI Crime Data Explorer (CDE)
The FBI has a crime data explorer on its website. This tool contains crime and law enforcement statistics based on data collected as part of the agency’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR). With it, users can search crime statistics at the national, federal or state level by year.
Users can also enter the agency they wish to obtain data from, which can range from a specific county’s police department to a federal agency. This allows you to search for data from your local authorities if they have submitted reports to the UCR. Additionally, users can choose the type of crime they want information about, which are classified into violent crimes, individual crimes or property crimes. Some filterable categories within Crime Explorer that may be of interest to prospective homebuyers and savvy homeowners include:
- I hate crimes
- Homocide
- Arson
- Theft
- Motor vehicle theft
- Robbery
- Theft
- Crimes of theft of goods
- Assault
- Animal cruelty
- Human trafficking
- Weapons law violations
- Drug/Narcotics Violations
The Crime Explorer also presents a wealth of information related to each type of crime, including offender and victim demographics, location of the crime, specific characteristics of the crime, and more.
National Public Website for Sex Offenders by Dru Sjodin (NSOPW)
The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender website includes registries for all U.S. states and territories, as well as federally recognized Native American tribes. It was founded in 2005 under another name – National Public Sex Offender Registry (NSOPR) – and is the only government website that currently features all registries (public, state, territorial and tribal) in the same place.
While it does not provide users with a summary of sex crimes committed in a particular area, it does list all registered sex offenders in that area. And since most offenders return to their communities after being convicted of a sex crime, it’s worth investigating before you buy a home and afterward.
State and city police departments
Another official resource you can look to are state and city police department websites. However, unlike the data you would access with the FBI’s crime explorer, the information available won’t be as in-depth because it won’t come from multiple agencies.
Community and independent resources
Crime data provided by law enforcement can be complex and sometimes difficult to navigate. For this reason, some people prefer to consult more direct to the point local sources. Below we list some of the crime rate resources operated and maintained by members of certain communities and independent officers.
Neighborhood patrol
The role of the National Neighborhood Watch organization is to promote safer neighborhoods by providing communities with information and resources to help prevent crime. Individual Neighborhood Watch groups are set up and run by members of a community who want to help make it safer. These groups report any suspicious activity they identify in their neighborhoods to local law enforcement and work to deter crime within their communities.
Neighborhood watch groups also often partner with local police departments for activities such as training, patrolling, discussing specific community safety issues, and more. And since these groups are intended to report crimes within their communities and are more familiar with issues that law enforcement may not be concerned with, your neighborhood group may be a good source to consult regarding trends of crime closest to you.
Online crime maps
Online crime maps such as CityProtect, SpotCrime and CrimeMapping work as data aggregators. These platforms collect crime data from sources such as verified news stories, reports from police departments and other law enforcement agencies, home security system alarms, and more, then present it using Google Maps or other mapping platforms. While they are not intended to be an official statistical measure of crime, they can still provide useful information about trends in your area or an area near you.
Neighborhood groups on social media
Many neighborhoods across the country have active social media accounts aimed at keeping their residents informed. They may not offer crime statistics, but residents often post about neighborhood crimes and incidents to let others know they should be careful. These can include popular platforms like Facebook and Reddit to niche ones like Nextdoor.
How to Find Crime Rates in an Area FAQ
The reliability of a crime map will depend on how the platform presents its data and the reliability of its sources. The most reliable crime maps are based on official, verified sources such as police reports.
How can I control crime rates in my community?
If you want to learn more about crime rates and trends in your specific area, you have a couple of options. You can check official government and law enforcement websites, online crime maps, and your community’s social media accounts.
What is the best resource for checking crime incidents?
It will depend on what you are looking for. If you want to know the graphic details of a crime that occurred in your community, you will need to consult with official law enforcement or a government agency. If you just want to know which areas of your neighborhood you should avoid while walking, social media groups and crime maps should do it.
Summary of Money’s guide on how to control crime rates in an area
- Both prospective buyers and homeowners should regularly consult crime statistics and trends in their communities.
- Many crime rate and statistics resources are publicly available, including official government and law enforcement websites, as well as community-led and managed initiatives.
- Agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation provide large amounts of crime data to the public.
- Local police departments can provide data specific to your state, city, and even your county.
- Neighborhood social media accounts, neighborhood watch groups, and online crime maps are also good sources for looking up information about crime in a specific area.