Coverage
50 states + DC
Full national footprint
Waco, TX has a F safety grade (0/100) with a violent crime rate of 426 per 100,000 — 503% above the national average.
2026 data Free + no signup Authoritative source
Waco, TX Crime Rate & Safety
Free public-data reference page. Cross-checked against the upstream agency, refreshed as new data lands. Cite PlainCrime when you reuse this analysis.
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 Waco, TX safe? Waco has a violent crime rate of 425.9 per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data — 503% higher than the national average and 8% above the Texas average. The city receives a safety grade of F (High Risk). Property crime rate: 2126.2/100K. Population: 146,270.
FBI UCR Data Snapshot: Waco, TX
Waco, TX — reporting population 146,270 in 2024 — recorded 623 violent crimes and 3,110 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 425.9 per 100,000 residents, while the property crime rate reaches 2126.2 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 398 incidents, robbery 84, murder 8, and rape 133 in 2024. Property crime splits into larceny-theft (2,379), burglary (431), motor vehicle theft (300), and arson (8). Larceny-theft and other property offenses typically dominate city crime counts, and larceny-theft leads Waco's mix at 63.7% of all Part I offenses.
Against the national violent crime average, Waco runs 503% above the US benchmark, and 8% above the Texas statewide rate. Translated to per-capita risk, the 2024 figures imply roughly a 1 in 39 statistical chance of being named in a crime report that year, narrowing to 1 in 235 for a violent offense. UCR figures reflect offenses reported to and submitted by local law enforcement and may undercount unreported crime.
Is Waco, TX Safe? Safety Assessment
Based on 2024 FBI crime data, Waco, TX receives a safety grade of F (High Risk) with a composite safety score of 0/100. Violent crime is 503% above the national average, indicating substantially higher risk than most US cities.
Your statistical chance of being a crime victim in Waco is approximately 1 in 39 , with a 1 in 235 chance of being a violent crime victim. The most common crime type is larceny-theft, accounting for 64% 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
425.9/100K
violent crimes per 100K residents
+503% vs US
Property Crime Rate
2126.2/100K
property crimes per 100K residents
+519% vs US
Total Crimes
3,733
reported in 2024
Population
146,270
2024 Census-based estimate
Crime Breakdown (2024)
| Category | Count | Rate /100K |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 623 | 425.9 |
| Murder | 8 | 5.5 |
| Rape | 133 | 90.9 |
| Robbery | 84 | 57.4 |
| Aggravated Assault | 398 | 272.1 |
| Property Crime | 3,110 | 2126.2 |
| Burglary | 431 | 294.7 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,379 | 1626.4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 300 | 205.1 |
| Arson | 8 | 5.5 |
Per-Capita Risk Assessment
Overall Crime Risk
1 in 39
Statistical chance of being a crime victim based on 2024 data
Violent Crime Risk
1 in 235
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 2,379 (63.7%)
Burglary 431 (11.5%)
Aggravated Assault 398 (10.7%)
Motor Vehicle Theft 300 (8.0%)
Rape 133 (3.6%)
Robbery 84 (2.3%)
Murder 8 (0.2%)
Arson 8 (0.2%)
Waco vs Texas vs National Average
Waco
Violent425.9/100K
Property2126.2/100K
GradeF
Texas
Violent394.7/100K
Property2058.2/100K
National Average
Violent70.6/100K
Property343.3/100K
Nearby Cities in Texas
Compare Waco against neighboring cities in the same state, or use our side-by-side compare tool to benchmark two cities directly.
Houston
F Pop: 2,319,160
Violent: 1148.2/100K
Property: 4293.5/100K
San Antonio
F Pop: 1,514,458
Violent: 594.1/100K
Property: 4623.6/100K
Dallas
F Pop: 1,321,502
Violent: 658.2/100K
Property: 3351.9/100K
Fort Worth
F Pop: 997,476
Violent: 458.4/100K
Property: 2699.8/100K
Austin
F Pop: 984,613
Violent: 466.9/100K
Property: 3241.9/100K
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the crime rate in Waco, TX? ▼
Waco has a violent crime rate of 425.9 per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2126.2 per 100,000, based on 2024 FBI UCR data.
Is Waco, TX safe? ▼
Waco receives a safety grade of F (High Risk), with a safety score of 0/100. The violent crime rate is 503% above the national average and 8% above the Texas average.
What is the population of Waco, TX? ▼
The reporting population for Waco is 146,270 as of 2024.
How many crimes were reported in Waco? ▼
In 2024, Waco reported 623 violent crimes and 3,110 property crimes, for a total of 3,733 reported offenses.
What are the odds of being a crime victim in Waco? ▼
Based on 2024 data, the statistical chance of being a crime victim in Waco is approximately 1 in 39, with a 1 in 235 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 Waco? ▼
The most common crime type in Waco is larceny-theft, accounting for 63.7% of all reported crimes (2,379 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 TX
🏠 🎓 💰 🌿 🏥 ⚠️ 📊 🛡️
Rent Prices in TX →
HUD fair market rents & housing costs
Schools in Waco →
School ratings, test scores & demographics
Cost of Living →
Compare cost of living across metro areas
EPA Data for TX →
Toxic releases & environmental quality
Hospitals in TX →
Hospital quality ratings & patient safety
Natural Hazards in TX →
FEMA disasters & NOAA storm events
Compare TX Metros →
Cross-data metro comparison tool
Road Safety in TX →
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.
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.
Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data
Update cadence
Quarterly
Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release
Source agency
Federal
Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation
Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline
Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.