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Aug 18, 2026
Crime rates are important pieces of information that help people understand the communities they live in and the communities they visit when they travel. If you live in the Los Angeles area, knowing about the Los Angeles crime rate can help you make decisions about activities for yourself and your family.
When people move to a new area, one of the first questions they ask is whether it is safe. “Safe” can mean different things to different people, but many people are referring to the crime rate when they ask that question. Crime rates are averages of the number of crimes committed in a certain area divided by a certain number of people, often 1,000 or 100,000.
Crime Trends in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the United States in terms of population. It is a sprawling metropolitan area with a busy and fast-paced downtown, and nearly 4 million people call Los Angeles home. Large cities are often associated with high crime rates, but it is important to note that crime statistics are based on averages, and certain areas of large cities tend to be safer than others.
Crime rates are generally trending down across the city and across all kinds of crime. For example, according to recently published crime data covering the year 2025, the Los Angeles homicide rate has dropped to 5.9 per 100,000 people, which is the lowest this figure has been since 1959.
How Does Los Angeles Rank in Crime?
Neighborhood Scout ranks Los Angeles as safer than 14% of U.S. cities. The violent crime rate is 7.20 per 1,000 residents. California’s violent crime rate is 4.86 per 1,000 residents, meaning Los Angeles has a significantly higher violent crime rate than the surrounding state. Property crime rates in Los Angeles are 14.87 per 1,000 residents, and the average number of violent crimes committed per year in the city is 27,925.
Based on data from Neighborhood Scout, the safest neighborhoods in Los Angeles are:
- Pacific Palisades North
- Elysian Park North
- University of California Los Angeles
- Mulholland Park/Braemar Estates
- Riviera
- Pacific Palisades Northwest
- Encino
- Granada Hills Northwest
- Royal Oak
- Bell Canyon
Your chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Los Angeles is 1 in 139. Statewide, the chances are 1 in 206. The odds of being a victim of a property crime (like auto theft) are 1 in 67 in the city and 1 in 48 statewide. The crime rate per square mile in Los Angeles is 181 compared to the state average of 77.
Homicide Trends in Los Angeles
When people think about violent crime, murder is the first thing that comes to mind for most people. There are several different classifications of homicide, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and involuntary manslaughter. The major differences in these crimes have to do with the offender’s state of mind at the time of the crime.
First-degree murder involves premeditation and an intent to kill. Second-degree murder involves intent to kill, but not premeditation. Voluntary manslaughter involves killing from a place of extreme emotion, but with the intent to kill. Involuntary manslaughter involves killing in the course of reckless actions, but not with the intent to kill.
The number of homicide victims dropped from 284 in 2024 to 230 in 2025. During that same time period, more people died in traffic collisions. As has been the case since 2023, the number of people who died in car accidents surpassed the number of people killed in homicides. Last year had 290 fatal traffic accidents in the city.
In 2025, the Los Angeles Police Department reported a homicide clearance rate of 101%. This figure includes clearance of some homicide cases from prior years.
Overall Violent Crime Trends
A crime is considered violent if the perpetrator physically hurt the victim or threatened to physically hurt the victim. Some examples of violent crime include homicide, armed robbery, assault, and kidnapping. Importantly, the definition of violent crime does not require actual injury. The threat of imminent harm, or coercion of the victim through the threat of imminent harm, is enough to classify a crime as violent.
Both violent crimes and Part 1 crimes decreased from 2024 to 2025. There were 82 fewer shooting victims across the city compared to 2024. The LAPD reported the seizure of 8,650 firearms, which they cite as a contributing factor for the reduction in homicides and other shooting crimes across the city.
Property Crimes and Theft Trends
The rate of property crimes is trending downward in Los Angeles. The police department reports that it placed a strong emphasis on operations targeting high-crime areas, increasing the visibility of its patrols, and executing undercover and plainclothes operations. These tactics may account for the continued reduction in property crime since 2024.
Vehicular Manslaughter Trends
In 2025, Los Angeles saw 97 cases of vehicular manslaughter, which is defined as unlawfully causing the death of another person by driving recklessly, negligently, or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The highest number of incidents took place in the territory of the South Bureau of the LAPD.
The Mayor’s Plan to Reduce Crime – Status and Progress
Crime, and especially violent crime, has long been a major problem in Los Angeles, just as in most other large cities. The standard approach of police response and harsher penalties seemed to have little effect on the overall trends. In 2023, the mayor of Los Angeles announced a comprehensive plan to address crime rates in Los Angeles, which includes the following initiatives:
- Increasing the capacity to respond to emergency medical responses to 911 calls
- Continued funding for LAPD’s Retail Theft Task Force
- Formation of the Mayor’s Office of Community Safety that focuses on community-led approaches to increase public safety
- A new $13 million investment in the Gang Reduction and Youth Development program provides critical intervention services
- Increased base salary for employees with the Summer Night Lights program
- Creation of a new program to provide meals to 397,400 Angelenos in public housing developments across the city
- New efforts to combat drug overdose through the training of city employees in how to administer NARCAN
As of 2026, much of this agenda is in progress, and the plan seems to have already made a significant positive impact on the crime situation in the city. According to a recent public announcement from Mayor Karen Bass and other city officials, 2025 saw a 19% drop in the overall homicide rate across Los Angeles, and a 27% drop in neighborhoods that are historically most affected by violent crime.
These neighborhoods are designated as Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) zones, as established in the mayor’s 2023 plan. This drop in homicide rates in these neighborhoods is evidence of the effectiveness of this plan.
The focus of these initiatives, and the plan overall, is to reduce crime from the ground up by changing the circumstances kids face, especially in these neighborhoods, that contribute to crime in the first place. The Office of Community Safety works within at-risk communities to promote public safety and reduce crime with a community approach rather than a hostile one. So far, the data would indicate that the efforts are working.
FAQs
What Are the Safest Neighborhoods in Los Angeles?
The safest neighborhoods in Los Angeles are the University of California Los Angeles, Bell Canyon, Mulholland Park, Deer Lake Highlands, and Castellammare. These communities tend to be more affluent and have a heavier police and security presence. The safety of a city’s neighborhood is measured by per capita crime rates relative to the overall city’s average crime rate.
How Safe Is It to Live in LA?
Los Angeles is statistically more dangerous than 86% of U.S. cities, meaning it is one of the more dangerous cities to live in. Each neighborhood has unique public safety statistics. Overall, crime is an average of the entire city. Research which communities are safer, and you can reduce your risk of becoming a crime victim.
Is Downtown LA Safe?
Downtown Los Angeles has a higher crime rate than the majority of U.S. cities, but that is just based on averages. Crimes occur in the safest communities in the country, and many pockets of downtown LA are relatively safe. Avoid walking alone at night, lock your car, and you will be at a much lower risk of experiencing a crime.
Is It Safe to Walk Downtown Los Angeles at Night?
It is safe to walk Downtown Los Angeles at night if certain precautions are taken. Los Angeles has a higher crime rate than the majority of U.S. cities, and downtown areas tend to have higher crime rates in general. Staying with friends and avoiding poorly lit areas can improve your safety in Downtown Los Angeles.
Need Legal Representation? Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer
When certain precautions are taken, such as avoiding walking alone at night and avoiding dark and poorly lit parks, much of Los Angeles is relatively safe. Any large city will have a larger number of reported crimes, and Los Angeles is no exception.
People commit crimes for a wide variety of reasons, and getting into trouble with the law does not make someone a bad person. There are many situations in which individuals find themselves on the wrong side of the law simply because they were associating with the wrong people or because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you ever find yourself in legal trouble and need to hire a criminal defense lawyer, you can rely on the legal services of Gibbons & Gibbons to advocate for your rights and interests. We bring over 60 years of combined experience to every case we take on, and we have the knowledge and skills necessary to represent you. To schedule your consultation, contact our office today.
