crimebycounty

North Carolina Crime & Safety

Crime rates and safety scores for all 100 counties.

Avg Violent Crime Rate

331.0

per 100K

Avg Property Crime Rate

1719.0

per 100K

Avg Safety Score

32/100

State Overview

Crime & Safety in North Carolina

National Context

North Carolina Stays Below National Crime Averages

North Carolina reports an average total crime rate of 2,050.0 per 100,000 residents, positioning the state significantly below the national average of 2,385.5. This data places the Tar Heel State on the safer end of the national spectrum across all 100 monitored counties.

Violent vs. Property Crime

Property Crime Drives Most Reported Offenses

Property crimes dominate the landscape at 1,719.3 per 100,000 people, which is notably lower than the national benchmark of 2,015.7. Violent crime accounts for a smaller portion of the total at 330.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, also trailing the national average of 369.8.

Safest Counties

Hyde, Stokes, and Mitchell Lead in Safety

Hyde County reports a total crime rate of 0.0 per 100,000, while Stokes County follows closely at 4.5. Mitchell County rounds out the top three safest areas at just 40.0 per 100,000, showcasing the exceptionally low incident levels found in these rural communities.

Crime Hotspots

Urban and Regional Centers See Higher Rates

Durham County reports the state's highest total crime rate at 8,661.0 per 100,000 residents, largely driven by 7,238.1 property offenses. Camden and Robeson counties also see elevated levels at 6,769.7 and 5,778.5 respectively, reflecting localized activity that exceeds the state average.

The Takeaway

A Generally Safe Outlook for North Carolinians

North Carolina remains a relatively safe state with crime rates consistently tracking below national averages in both violent and property categories. Prospective movers and current residents should feel encouraged by these figures, though checking specific neighborhood data remains important given the variance between rural counties and busy urban hubs.

All North Carolina Counties

CountySafety Score
Hyde County98/100
Stokes County95/100
Mitchell County94/100
Caswell County89/100
Nash County81/100
Wake County80/100
Yancey County79/100
Madison County75/100
Jones County72/100
Avery County68/100
Beaufort County67/100
Pasquotank County64/100
Gates County63/100
Alleghany County57/100
Northampton County55/100
Transylvania County54/100
Catawba County54/100
Watauga County53/100
Pender County48/100
Currituck County48/100
Polk County47/100
Ashe County45/100
Brunswick County44/100
Orange County43/100
Perquimans County43/100
Alexander County42/100
Cabarrus County40/100
Yadkin County40/100
Columbus County39/100
Moore County39/100
Macon County38/100
Chowan County38/100
Lenoir County37/100
Hertford County37/100
Henderson County36/100
Johnston County35/100
Bertie County35/100
Pamlico County34/100
Union County34/100
Jackson County34/100
Clay County33/100
Swain County33/100
Granville County33/100
Wilkes County33/100
Tyrrell County32/100
Greene County32/100
Dare County30/100
Randolph County30/100
Lincoln County29/100
Stanly County29/100
Surry County28/100
Lee County28/100
Craven County26/100
Carteret County26/100
Onslow County25/100
Bladen County24/100
Cleveland County24/100
Iredell County24/100
Montgomery County24/100
Person County23/100
Haywood County23/100
Rowan County22/100
Washington County22/100
Franklin County22/100
Sampson County21/100
Harnett County21/100
Rutherford County20/100
Wilson County19/100
Davie County18/100
Rockingham County17/100
Hoke County16/100
Graham County16/100
Caldwell County15/100
McDowell County15/100
Pitt County14/100
Warren County14/100
Duplin County14/100
Cherokee County13/100
Martin County13/100
New Hanover County13/100
Gaston County10/100
Wayne County10/100
Alamance County9/100
Buncombe County9/100
Guilford County9/100
Anson County8/100
Halifax County8/100
Vance County5/100
Cumberland County4/100
Davidson County4/100
Mecklenburg County4/100
Burke County3/100
Richmond County3/100
Forsyth County3/100
Scotland County3/100
Chatham County2/100
Edgecombe County2/100
Robeson County1/100
Camden County1/100
Durham County1/100

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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