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D-

Is Santa Barbara, California Safe?

Population 86,422 · Safer than 13% of US cities

Improving· 2023 FBI UCR data

Santa Barbara has a crime problem that shows up in the data. The D- safety grade reflects a violent crime rate close to the national average and an overall rate of 280.4 per 1,000 residents. Property crime makes up the majority of offenses, with theft at 1,684 per 100K.

Santa Barbara Crime Rates vs State and National Averages

MetricSanta BarbaraCalifornia AvgNational Avg
Violent Crime Rate354.1333.9363.8
Property Crime Rate2449.62099.21,832.3
Murder Rate6.0--5.7
Assault Rate272.0--268.2
Theft Rate1684.0--1,401.5
Vehicle Theft Rate219.0--318.3

All rates per 100,000 residents. 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report + Census Bureau population estimates.

Overall SafetyD-

280.4 crimes per 1,000 residents

Violent CrimeC

354/100K (national avg: 364)

Property CrimeD-

2450/100K (national avg: 1,832)

Key Crime Statistics for Santa Barbara

Violent crime in Santa Barbara is close to the national average. The rate of 354.1 per 100K falls below the national 363.8.

Property crime is above the national average at 2449.6 per 100K vs. the national 1,832.3.

Theft is the most reported crime at 1,684 per 100K. The national average is 1,401.5.

Santa Barbara Crime Breakdown by Category

Murder6
01.1x national avgAvg: 5.7
Assault272
01.0x national avgAvg: 268.2
Robbery49
077% of avgAvg: 63.3
Burglary383
01.4x national avgAvg: 269.8
Theft1,684
01.2x national avgAvg: 1,401.5
Vehicle Theft219
069% of avgAvg: 318.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. Vertical marker = national average.

How Santa Barbara Compares

Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)

Santa Barbara
354.1
State
333.9
National
363.8

Property Crime Rate (per 100K)

Santa Barbara
2449.6
State
2099.2
National
1832.3

Rates per 100,000 residents. National averages from 2023 FBI UCR data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Barbara Safety

Is Santa Barbara safe?
Not especially. Santa Barbara earns a D- with a crime rate of 280.4 per 1,000 residents, and violent crime runs close to the national average. Standard precautions apply, especially at night.
What is the crime rate in Santa Barbara?
280.4 per 1,000 residents. That breaks down to a violent crime rate of 354.1 per 100,000 (the national average is 363.8) and property crime at 2449.6 per 100,000 (national average: 1832.3).
Is Santa Barbara safe for tourists?
Exercise extra caution. Santa Barbara's D- grade reflects real risk, particularly for property crime. Theft (1,684 per 100K) is the biggest concern for visitors. Stay in well-lit, busy areas at night.
What are the safest neighborhoods in Santa Barbara?
Neighborhood-level data varies, but suburban residential areas in Santa Barbara generally report lower crime than downtown or commercial districts. For block-level detail, check the Santa Barbara police department's crime map.
Is crime increasing in Santa Barbara?
No. Crime in Santa Barbara has been trending down, which is good news for the D--rated city.
How does Santa Barbara compare to other cities in California?
Below average for the state. Santa Barbara ranks behind about 81% of California cities on safety, with property crime being the bigger issue at 1.3x the national rate.
How safe is Santa Barbara to live in?
Worth factoring into your decision. Violent crime is close to the national average, which is encouraging. Crime has been dropping, which helps.
How bad is crime in Santa Barbara?
Bad. A D- grade and 280.4 per-thousand rate put Santa Barbara below 87% of US cities. Violent crime at 354 per 100K is the core problem.
What is the violent crime rate in Santa Barbara?
354.1 per 100,000, which is 3% below the national average of 363.8. That includes assault (272), robbery (49), and murder (6.0) per 100,000.

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View all California city safety grades

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2024 FBI Uniform Crime Report data and Census Bureau population estimates. Safety grades calculated using national and state-level crime rate distributions. Not a substitute for local law enforcement guidance.

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