Luzerne County Crime & Safety

Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Safety Score

43/100

Higher = safer

Safety Rating

Average

Total Crime Rate

1296.3

per 100K population

Crime Statistics

Violent Crime Rate

172.1

per 100K population

National avg 380.7

Property Crime Rate

1124.2

per 100K population

National avg 1954.4

Safety Score

43/100

Higher = safer

State avg 62/100

State Safety Rank

#60

of 67 counties (1 = safest)

Data Story

About Crime & Safety in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Luzerne County Safety Against National Benchmarks

Luzerne County reports a safety score of 98.0 and a total crime rate of 1,296.3 per 100K. While this is the highest in this group, it remains far below the national average of 2,385.5.

Ranking Within the Pennsylvania Landscape

With a crime rate of 1,296.3, Luzerne is above the Pennsylvania average of 932.4. Its safety score of 98.0 is slightly below the state average score of 98.5, but still indicates a generally safe environment.

Monitoring Trends Across Regional Neighbors

Data from 55 reporting agencies shows that Luzerne has a higher crime rate than neighboring Lackawanna's 1,144.4. Despite this, it remains much safer than many major cities with similar population counts.

Violent and Property Crime Distribution

Violent crime stands at 172.1 per 100K, which is higher than the state average of 142.2 but less than half the national average. Property crime makes up 1,124.2 of the total incidents reported in the county.

Modern Tools for Home Protection

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the crime rate in Luzerne County, PA?

Luzerne County has a total crime rate of 1296.3 per 100,000 residents, based on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. This includes both violent crimes (172.1 per 100K) and property crimes (1124.2 per 100K).

Is Luzerne County, PA safe?

Luzerne County has a safety score of 43/100, rated "Average". A higher safety score indicates lower crime rates relative to other counties nationwide. It ranks #60 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania for safety (1 = safest).

How does Luzerne County crime compare to the Pennsylvania average?

What types of crime are most common in Luzerne County?

How is crime data measured and reported for Luzerne County?

Crime data for Luzerne County comes from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program. Local law enforcement agencies submit data on violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and property crimes (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft) to the FBI. Rates are calculated per 100,000 residents to allow fair comparison between counties of different sizes. The safety score (0-100) is derived from these rates, with higher scores indicating safer counties.

What is being done about crime in Luzerne County?

Luzerne County has a safety score of 43/100, which is below the Pennsylvania average of 62/100. Many counties with above-average crime rates invest in community policing, crime prevention programs, neighborhood watch initiatives, and social services aimed at reducing crime over time.