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National City, CA has a F safety grade (0/100) with a violent crime rate of 696 per 100,000 — 885% above the national average.
FBI UCR 2024 Per-capita rates FBI UCR + NIBRS
National City, CA 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 National City, CA safe? National City has a violent crime rate of 695.6 per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data — 885% higher than the national average and 46% above the California average. The city receives a safety grade of F (High Risk). Property crime rate: 1939.4/100K. Population: 54,915.
FBI UCR Data Snapshot: National City, CA
National City, CA — reporting population 54,915 in 2024 — recorded 382 violent crimes and 1,065 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 695.6 per 100,000 residents, while the property crime rate reaches 1939.4 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 240 incidents, robbery 122, murder 4, and rape 16 in 2024. Property crime splits into larceny-theft (571), burglary (133), motor vehicle theft (361), and arson (9). Larceny-theft and other property offenses typically dominate city crime counts, and larceny-theft leads National City's mix at 39.5% of all Part I offenses.
Against the national violent crime average, National City runs 885% above the US benchmark, and 46% above the California statewide rate. Translated to per-capita risk, the 2024 figures imply roughly a 1 in 38 statistical chance of being named in a crime report that year, narrowing to 1 in 144 for a violent offense. UCR figures reflect offenses reported to and submitted by local law enforcement and may undercount unreported crime.
Is National City, CA Safe? Safety Assessment
Based on 2024 FBI crime data, National City, CA receives a safety grade of F (High Risk) with a composite safety score of 0/100. Violent crime is 885% above the national average, indicating substantially higher risk than most US cities.
Your statistical chance of being a crime victim in National City is approximately 1 in 38 , with a 1 in 144 chance of being a violent crime victim. The most common crime type is larceny-theft, accounting for 39% 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
695.6/100K
violent crimes per 100K residents
+885% vs US
Property Crime Rate
1939.4/100K
property crimes per 100K residents
+465% vs US
Total Crimes
1,447
reported in 2024
Population
54,915
2024 Census-based estimate
Crime Breakdown (2024)
| Category | Count | Rate /100K |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 382 | 695.6 |
| Murder | 4 | 7.3 |
| Rape | 16 | 29.1 |
| Robbery | 122 | 222.2 |
| Aggravated Assault | 240 | 437 |
| Property Crime | 1,065 | 1939.4 |
| Burglary | 133 | 242.2 |
| Larceny-Theft | 571 | 1039.8 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 361 | 657.4 |
| Arson | 9 | 16.4 |
Per-Capita Risk Assessment
Overall Crime Risk
1 in 38
Statistical chance of being a crime victim based on 2024 data
Violent Crime Risk
1 in 144
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 571 (39.5%)
Motor Vehicle Theft 361 (24.9%)
Aggravated Assault 240 (16.6%)
Burglary 133 (9.2%)
Robbery 122 (8.4%)
Rape 16 (1.1%)
Arson 9 (0.6%)
Murder 4 (0.3%)
National City vs California vs National Average
National City
Violent695.6/100K
Property1939.4/100K
GradeF
California
Violent476.8/100K
Property1985.9/100K
National Average
Violent70.6/100K
Property343.3/100K
Nearby Cities in California
Compare National City against neighboring cities in the same state, or use our side-by-side compare tool to benchmark two cities directly.
Los Angeles
F Pop: 3,796,352
Violent: 728.5/100K
Property: 1483.9/100K
San Diego
F Pop: 1,389,024
Violent: 412.2/100K
Property: 1670/100K
San Jose
F Pop: 956,840
Violent: 606.8/100K
Property: 2587.9/100K
San Francisco
F Pop: 802,856
Violent: 596.5/100K
Property: 3929.1/100K
Fresno
F Pop: 546,722
Violent: 735.5/100K
Property: 3271.3/100K
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the crime rate in National City, CA? ▼
National City has a violent crime rate of 695.6 per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1939.4 per 100,000, based on 2024 FBI UCR data.
Is National City, CA safe? ▼
National City receives a safety grade of F (High Risk), with a safety score of 0/100. The violent crime rate is 885% above the national average and 46% above the California average.
What is the population of National City, CA? ▼
The reporting population for National City is 54,915 as of 2024.
How many crimes were reported in National City? ▼
In 2024, National City reported 382 violent crimes and 1,065 property crimes, for a total of 1,447 reported offenses.
What are the odds of being a crime victim in National City? ▼
Based on 2024 data, the statistical chance of being a crime victim in National City is approximately 1 in 38, with a 1 in 144 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 National City? ▼
The most common crime type in National City is larceny-theft, accounting for 39.5% of all reported crimes (571 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
Explore More Data for CA
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Cost of Living →
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Hospital quality ratings & patient safety
Natural Hazards in CA →
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Compare CA Metros →
Cross-data metro comparison tool
Road Safety in CA →
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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Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release
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