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Buffalo, NY has a F safety grade (0/100) with a violent crime rate of 706 per 100,000 — 900% above the national average.
FBI UCR 2024 Per-capita rates FBI UCR + NIBRS
Buffalo, NY Crime Rate & Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents, drawn directly from FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. Compare against state and national averages.
Crime data sourced from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program, covering violent crime, property crime, and individual offense categories. Safety grades reflect a composite analysis of violent and property crime rates benchmarked against national averages. For context on how crime statistics are collected and what they mean for community safety, read our guide to understanding FBI crime data.
Is Buffalo, NY safe? Buffalo has a violent crime rate of 706.2 per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data — 900% higher than the national average and 86% above the New York average. The city receives a safety grade of F (High Risk). Property crime rate: 3809.6/100K. Population: 273,728.
FBI UCR Data Snapshot: Buffalo, NY
Buffalo, NY — reporting population 273,728 in 2024 — recorded 1,933 violent crimes and 10,428 property crimes in the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program's Table 8 city-level submissions. The city's violent crime rate works out to 706.2 per 100,000 residents, while the property crime rate reaches 3809.6 per 100,000. Combining those two rates against national benchmarks yields a composite safety grade of F (High Risk), scoring 0 out of 100.
Within the violent crime count, aggravated assault accounted for 1,348 incidents, robbery 432, murder 34, and rape 119 in 2024. Property crime splits into larceny-theft (7,044), burglary (1,199), motor vehicle theft (2,185), and arson (91). Larceny-theft and other property offenses typically dominate city crime counts, and larceny-theft leads Buffalo's mix at 57.0% of all Part I offenses.
Against the national violent crime average, Buffalo runs 900% above the US benchmark, and 86% above the New York statewide rate. Translated to per-capita risk, the 2024 figures imply roughly a 1 in 22 statistical chance of being named in a crime report that year, narrowing to 1 in 142 for a violent offense. UCR figures reflect offenses reported to and submitted by local law enforcement and may undercount unreported crime.
Is Buffalo, NY Safe? Safety Assessment
Based on 2024 FBI crime data, Buffalo, NY receives a safety grade of F (High Risk) with a composite safety score of 0/100. Violent crime is 900% above the national average, indicating substantially higher risk than most US cities.
Your statistical chance of being a crime victim in Buffalo is approximately 1 in 22 , with a 1 in 142 chance of being a violent crime victim. The most common crime type is larceny-theft, accounting for 57% of all reported offenses.
Safety assessments are based on FBI UCR reported crime statistics. Actual safety varies by neighborhood, time of day, and individual circumstances. Crime reporting rates differ across jurisdictions.
Safety Overview
Safety Grade
F
High Risk
Score: 0/100
Violent Crime Rate
706.2/100K
violent crimes per 100K residents
+900% vs US
Property Crime Rate
3809.6/100K
property crimes per 100K residents
+1010% vs US
Total Crimes
12,361
reported in 2024
Population
273,728
2024 Census-based estimate
Crime Breakdown (2024)
| Category | Count | Rate /100K |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 1,933 | 706.2 |
| Murder | 34 | 12.4 |
| Rape | 119 | 43.5 |
| Robbery | 432 | 157.8 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1,348 | 492.5 |
| Property Crime | 10,428 | 3809.6 |
| Burglary | 1,199 | 438 |
| Larceny-Theft | 7,044 | 2573.4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 2,185 | 798.2 |
| Arson | 91 | 33.2 |
Per-Capita Risk Assessment
Overall Crime Risk
1 in 22
Statistical chance of being a crime victim based on 2024 data
Violent Crime Risk
1 in 142
Statistical chance of being a violent crime victim
These are statistical averages based on reported crimes. Actual risk varies significantly by neighborhood, time of day, and individual circumstances.
Crime Type Distribution (2024)
Larceny-Theft 7,044 (57.0%)
Motor Vehicle Theft 2,185 (17.7%)
Aggravated Assault 1,348 (10.9%)
Burglary 1,199 (9.7%)
Robbery 432 (3.5%)
Rape 119 (1.0%)
Arson 91 (0.7%)
Murder 34 (0.3%)
Buffalo vs New York vs National Average
Buffalo
Violent706.2/100K
Property3809.6/100K
GradeF
New York
Violent380/100K
Property1661.2/100K
National Average
Violent70.6/100K
Property343.3/100K
Nearby Cities in New York
Compare Buffalo against neighboring cities in the same state, or use our side-by-side compare tool to benchmark two cities directly.
New York
F Pop: 8,299,271
Violent: 671/100K
Property: 2368.3/100K
Yonkers
F Pop: 206,557
Violent: 311.8/100K
Property: 1014.7/100K
Rochester
F Pop: 206,093
Violent: 582.3/100K
Property: 3289.3/100K
Syracuse
F Pop: 145,175
Violent: 765.3/100K
Property: 4234.2/100K
Amherst Town
F Pop: 126,184
Violent: 103.8/100K
Property: 2058.1/100K
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the crime rate in Buffalo, NY? ▼
Buffalo has a violent crime rate of 706.2 per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3809.6 per 100,000, based on 2024 FBI UCR data.
Is Buffalo, NY safe? ▼
Buffalo receives a safety grade of F (High Risk), with a safety score of 0/100. The violent crime rate is 900% above the national average and 86% above the New York average.
What is the population of Buffalo, NY? ▼
The reporting population for Buffalo is 273,728 as of 2024.
How many crimes were reported in Buffalo? ▼
In 2024, Buffalo reported 1,933 violent crimes and 10,428 property crimes, for a total of 12,361 reported offenses.
What are the odds of being a crime victim in Buffalo? ▼
Based on 2024 data, the statistical chance of being a crime victim in Buffalo is approximately 1 in 22, with a 1 in 142 chance of being a violent crime victim. These are statistical averages and actual risk varies by neighborhood and circumstance.
What is the most common crime in Buffalo? ▼
The most common crime type in Buffalo is larceny-theft, accounting for 57.0% of all reported crimes (7,044 incidents in 2024).
Understanding Crime Data
► ► ► ►
Understanding Crime Rates
How per-capita rates are calculated and what they mean
Violent vs Property Crime
Key differences between crime categories
FBI Crime Stats Explained
How the FBI collects and reports UCR data
Crime, Housing & Schools
How safety connects to housing costs and school quality
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Cost of Living →
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Environmental Data for NY →
Toxic releases & environmental quality
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Hospital quality ratings & patient safety
Natural Hazards in NY →
Disaster history & national storm events
Compare NY Metros →
Cross-data metro comparison tool
Road Safety in NY →
Traffic fatality data by county
Data as of 2024. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
Crime rates are calculated per 100,000 population. Not all agencies report complete data. FBI Crime in the United States (CIUS) Table 8. Population figures referenced from U.S. Census Bureau estimates where noted; state-level comparisons cross-check against state UCR programs. Verify with FBI.gov UCR, Census.gov QuickFacts, and HUD.gov fair-market rents.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program — Summary Reporting System + National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). fbi.gov/ucr
- FBI Crime Data Explorer (CDE) — current-vintage UCR/NIBRS data API. cde.ucr.cjis.gov
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) — National Crime Victimization Survey, contextual statistics. bjs.ojp.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — population denominators for rate calculations. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- CDC WONDER — injury and mortality reference for homicide rate context. wonder.cdc.gov
- FBI Hate Crime Statistics — annual hate-crime reports. justice.gov/hatecrimes
Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data
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