With 1,348,886 residents, Dallas is the ninth-largest city in the US by population, so it’s not surprising that the Dallas crime rate is high. This city is the core of the metropolitan area in the South, and it welcomes about 24.9 million visitors annually. If you wish to visit it or move there permanently, it’s crucial that you know more about the crime in this city.
We covered the violent and property crime rates and separated the numbers for each specific crime so that you know what to expect.
History of Crime Rate in Dallas, Texas
Dallas is known for the Dallas (Civello) Mafia leaders. The Mafia of Dallas got established when Corleone moved to the state. The family started operations sometime around 1910.
While the numbers were far from those of today, theft, murders, and similar crimes were always present. For example, the violent crime rate was 1,432.9 in 2000 and 701 in 2010. Fast forward to the more recent years — in 2019, there was an evident rise in murders, which left law enforcement perplexed.
Surprisingly, there was a drop in violent crimes in general during these years, barring murders, which reached the highest rate in the last decade.
Current Dallas, Texas Crime Rate
At the moment, Dallas’ total crime rate is 83% higher than the national average. Moreover, the violent crime rate is 118% higher, and the property crime rate is 76% up. Dallas is safer than just 5% of other American cities and its crime rate jumped by 3% year-over-year.
The current total daily crime rate measured per 100,000 residents is 11.76, which is higher than the state (7.37) and national (6.43) averages. In addition, the Texas crime rate for violent crimes is 2.31, and the property crime rate is 9.44.
Based on this data, you’ll have one in 119 chances of being a victim of a violent crime and one in 30 chances of being victimized by property crimes.
However, there are still some safe areas in Dallas to look into if you need to move here. Based on the Dallas crime rate map, some of the safest neighborhoods are University Park (great amenities), North Dallas (good for families), and Oak Lawn (it offers a great education system).
Different Types of Crimes in Dallas
Some of the most common crimes in Dallas are theft, aggravated assault, and vehicle theft, but people are also exposed to a high rate of robbery and burglary. The number of murders in Dallas is pretty high, too. According to the latest FBI report, there were 58,488 reported crime incidents in Dallas in 2020.
Dallas Crime Rate for Crimes Against Persons
Crimes against people include murders, rape, aggravated assaults, and robbery. Based on the FBI data from 2020, there were a total of 11,514 violent crimes reported in Dallas. Let’s break down the numbers.
Dallas has a murder rate of 17.3.
(Areavibes)
When it comes to murder, Dallas is not one of the safest cities in Texas. It has a crime rate of 17.3. Compared to the national average of 6.5, the Dallas murder rate is almost three times higher. According to statistics, the residents reported 236 murders in 2020.
The assault rate in Dallas is 544.2.
(Areavibes)
Dallas’ average assault rate is almost twice as big as those of Texas (302.5) and the US (279.7). Moreover, the number of aggravated assaults accounts for more than half of violent crimes in this city — 7,417 out of 11,514.
When comparing average violent crime rates per 100,000 residents, the Dallas violent crime rate (845) is much higher than Texas (447) and the national (388) averages.
Residents reported 569 rapes in Dallas during 2020.
(Areavibes)
Dallas also has a very high rate of rapes — 41.7, with a total of 569 reported incidents in 2020. However, this number is lower than the Texas average (46.0) but higher than the national (38.4).
There were 3,292 cases of robbery in 2020.
(Areavibes) (DallasCountyBailBondstx)
According to current Dallas, Texas crime rates, there were 3,292 reported robberies in 2020. The Dallas average robbery rate per 100,000 residents is 241.5, which is significantly higher than both US and state averages — 73.9 and 91.4.
What’s more, robbery is among the top five most common crimes in Dallas. It’s also classified as a violent crime since it often ends with an injured victim.
Dallas, Texas Crime Rate for Crimes Against Property
Crimes against property include burglary, theft, vehicle theft, and arson. According to the latest reports, Dallas saw a total of 46,974 property crime incidents in 2020, with theft making up more than half of this number. Moreover, the city’s average property crime rate is also much higher than the national average.
Dallas residents were exposed to 9,917 burglaries.
(Areavibes)
According to Dallas crime rates statistics, the burglary crime rate is 727.6, with 9,917 total reported cases in 2020. Again, this rate is higher than the national (314.2) and Texas (370.7) averages.
The theft rate in Dallas is 1,955.7 per 100,000 residents.
(Areavibes)
Theft is the most common crime in Dallas, with 26,656 reported cases in 2020. Based on the numbers, the Dallas, TX crime rate for theft is 1,955.7. In addition, Texas’ average theft rate is 1,587.3, while the US average is 1,398.0.
There were 10,401 reported vehicle thefts in 2020.
(Areavibes)
With more than 10,000 reported incidents, vehicle thefts are the second most common type of crime in Dallas, Texas. Measured per 100,000 residents, the crime rate in Dallas for vehicle theft is 763.1. On the other hand, the Texas average is 287.0, and the national average is 246.0.
The arson crime rate is 10.6, similar to the US average.
(City-data)
According to the latest data from 2019, the rate for arson in Dallas is 10.6, while the US average is 10.8. Moreover, there were 144 arson incidents per 100,000 residents.
Conclusion
According to the Dallas crime rate, this isn’t one of the safest places in the US. Currently, Dallas’ total crime rate is 83% higher than the US average, while the violent crime rate is 118% higher, and the property crime rate is 76% up.
In addition, there were 58,488 total crime incidents in 2020, with theft, vehicle theft, and burglary being the most common crimes in the city.
People Also Ask
Is Dallas safe?
Dallas’ total crime rate is 83% higher than the US average, with 58,488 reported incidents in 2020. Theft, vehicle theft, and burglary are the most common crimes.
If you move here, you’ll have one in 119 chances of being a victim of a violent crime and one in 30 of being a victim of a property crime. Additionally, Dallas is safer than just 5% of other cities in the US.
What is the crime rate in Dallas, Texas?
Measured per 100,000 residents, the current total crime rate in this city is 4,291. The rates of violent and property crimes are 845 and 3,446, respectively.
Additionally, the total rate of daily crimes is 11.76. The daily violent crime rate is 2.31, and the property crime rate is 9.44. All these crime rates are higher than Texas and national averages.
How dangerous is Dallas?
Dallas is the largest city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, which is also the most populated area in Texas. Even though its total crime rate is much higher than the national average, the city has a medium overall risk and is considered relatively safe to visit. However, you should be extra careful in areas with higher crime rates, such as South Dallas and West Dallas.
Has the crime rate increased in Dallas, Texas?
Current data shows that year-over-year, the crime rate in the city jumped by only 3%. Violent crimes are seeing the highest increase, while the number of property crimes is declining. The total crime rate is also higher than the national and state average. Still, Dallas remains one of the moderately dangerous cities.
Citizens reported 11,514 violent and 46,974 property crimes in 2020, and the daily Dallas crime rate is also high.