crimebycounty

Iowa Crime & Safety

Crime rates and safety scores for all 99 counties.

Avg Violent Crime Rate

217.0

per 100K

Avg Property Crime Rate

879.0

per 100K

Avg Safety Score

98/100

State Overview

Crime & Safety in Iowa

National Context

Iowa Maintains a Significant Safety Edge

Iowa’s average total crime rate of 1,095.3 per 100,000 residents is less than half the national average of 2,385.5. This low frequency positions the Hawkeye State as one of the safest regions in the country for residents and businesses alike.

Violent vs. Property Crime

Property Offenses Drive Most Local Reports

Property crimes account for 878.7 reports per 100,000 people, significantly outpacing the violent crime rate of 216.5. Even with this disparity, Iowa’s violent crime figures remain well below the national benchmark of 369.8 per 100,000 residents.

Safest Counties

Rural Iowa Leads the Way in Safety

Decatur, Shelby, and Winnebago counties all report a total crime rate of 0.0 per 100,000, representing the pinnacle of public safety in the state. These rural communities stand out for having zero reported violent or property crimes in the current dataset.

Crime Hotspots

Understanding Variations in Local Crime Data

Plymouth County records a high total rate of 12,396.1 per 100,000, driven largely by property incidents. Des Moines and Wapello counties also see higher activity with rates of 3,809.5 and 3,479.5 respectively, though they remain outliers compared to the state median.

The Takeaway

A Secure Choice for Residents and Movers

Iowa offers a high level of security, with a total crime rate roughly 54% lower than the U.S. average. With 100% of counties reporting data, prospective movers can feel confident in the state’s overall safety and transparent law enforcement reporting.

All Iowa Counties

CountySafety Score
Decatur County100/100
Shelby County100/100
Winnebago County100/100
Butler County100/100
Woodbury County100/100
Davis County100/100
Adair County100/100
Adams County100/100
Calhoun County100/100
Grundy County100/100
Kossuth County100/100
Madison County100/100
Winneshiek County100/100
Chickasaw County100/100
Clayton County100/100
Osceola County100/100
Pocahontas County100/100
Sioux County100/100
Taylor County100/100
Franklin County99/100
Howard County99/100
Ida County99/100
Mitchell County99/100
Ringgold County99/100
Worth County99/100
Wright County99/100
Cherokee County99/100
Harrison County99/100
Tama County99/100
Van Buren County99/100
Wayne County99/100
Cedar County99/100
Guthrie County99/100
Jones County99/100
Louisa County99/100
Fayette County99/100
Hancock County99/100
Humboldt County99/100
Benton County99/100
Crawford County99/100
Emmet County99/100
Greene County99/100
Audubon County99/100
Boone County99/100
Buchanan County99/100
Dickinson County99/100
Lyon County99/100
Marion County99/100
Palo Alto County99/100
Keokuk County99/100
Monroe County99/100
Carroll County99/100
Allamakee County99/100
Clay County99/100
Floyd County99/100
Hamilton County99/100
Warren County99/100
Bremer County99/100
Iowa County99/100
O'Brien County99/100
Delaware County98/100
Jasper County98/100
Lucas County98/100
Monona County98/100
Montgomery County98/100
Buena Vista County98/100
Henry County98/100
Mills County98/100
Sac County98/100
Fremont County98/100
Jefferson County98/100
Jackson County98/100
Page County98/100
Union County98/100
Muscatine County98/100
Washington County98/100
Story County98/100
Mahaska County98/100
Clarke County98/100
Dubuque County98/100
Poweshiek County98/100
Appanoose County97/100
Marshall County97/100
Polk County97/100
Black Hawk County97/100
Cass County97/100
Hardin County97/100
Johnson County97/100
Lee County97/100
Cerro Gordo County96/100
Linn County96/100
Dallas County96/100
Pottawattamie County96/100
Webster County96/100
Scott County95/100
Clinton County95/100
Wapello County95/100
Des Moines County94/100
Plymouth County80/100

Crime rates per 100K population. — = data pending.

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Data Sources

Crime data sourced from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (UCR) and County Health Rankings. Safety scores are derived composite metrics.

Data is informational only. Not legal or security advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.

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