County safety report
Des Moines County Crime & Safety Report
FBI UCR violent crime, property crime, total crime rate, and safety score for Des Moines County, Iowa.
Primary safety signal
4
out of 100, higher means lower reported crime
Rating
Elevated Reported Crime
Total crime
3809.5
State rank
#98
Violent crime
440.4
per 100K residents
Near national average
Property crime
3369.1
per 100K residents
Above national average
Total crime
3809.5
per 100K residents
Above national average
State rank
#98
of 99 scored counties
1 = safest in state
Crime Statistics
Safety score
4
Elevated Reported Crime
Higher scores indicate lower reported county-level crime.
Total crime rate
FBI UCR incidents per 100,000 residents, compared with the national benchmark.
3809.5
Above national average
National total crime benchmark: 2335.1 per 100K
Violent crime
440.4
National avg 380.7
Property crime
3369.1
National avg 1954.4
State rank
#98
of 99 counties, 1 = safest
State average safety score: 60/100. State average total crime rate: 1095.0 per 100K.
Local interpretation
What the crime data means for Des Moines County
These reads compare Des Moines County with Iowa county averages and national FBI UCR benchmarks. They are county-level signals, not neighborhood-level guarantees.
Safety score
4/100
56 points below the Iowa county average
State rank
#98
of 99 scored Iowa counties, where #1 is safest
Safer than
1%
of scored counties in Iowa by safety score
Reporting
Partial
4 agencies in the current record
Benchmark table
Rates are incidents per 100,000 residents.
| Metric | Des Moines County | Iowa avg | U.S. benchmark | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total crime | 3809.5 | 1095.0 | 2335.1 | 63% above national benchmark. |
| Violent crime | 440.4 | 217.0 | 380.7 | 16% above national benchmark. |
| Property crime | 3369.1 | 879.0 | 1954.4 | 72% above national benchmark. |
Crime mix
Property crime drives the profile
Property crime accounts for the larger reported rate at 3369.1 per 100,000 residents, compared with 440.4 for violent crime.
Reporting quality
Partial reporting coverage
Some local agencies are represented, but the dataset may not include every agency serving the county.
4 reporting agencies are represented for 2022. Use the rates as a directional county benchmark and verify city-level police data before making a decision.
How to use this county report
Prioritize property-crime prevention
Compare burglary, theft, and vehicle-theft patterns with local police dashboards before choosing a neighborhood or security setup.
Check violent-crime concentration
Violent crime often concentrates in small areas. Review city precinct, sheriff, or state incident maps before treating the county rate as uniform.
Compare against nearby Iowa counties
The county sits above the state county average on total reported crime, so peer counties can reveal whether this is a regional pattern or a local outlier.
Account for reporting limits
Some local agencies are represented, but the dataset may not include every agency serving the county.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the reported crime rate in Des Moines County, IA?
How does Des Moines County compare with the Iowa average?
How does Des Moines County compare with the national benchmark?
What does the safety score mean for Des Moines County?
Is violent crime or property crime the larger signal in Des Moines County?
What does partial FBI coverage mean for Des Moines County?
Counties with Similar Safety Profile
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.