crimebycounty

Tennessee Crime & Safety

Crime rates and safety scores for all 95 counties.

Avg Violent Crime Rate

357.0

per 100K

Avg Property Crime Rate

1429.0

per 100K

Avg Safety Score

36/100

State Overview

Crime & Safety in Tennessee

National Context

Tennessee Crime Rates Sit Below National Benchmarks

Tennessee reports an average total crime rate of 1,785.6 per 100,000 residents, significantly lower than the national average of 2,385.5. This positioning places the state on the safer end of the national spectrum despite being home to several major urban hubs.

Violent vs. Property Crime

Property Crime Drives Most Local Incidents

Property crime dominates the landscape at 1,428.9 per 100,000 residents, nearly four times the state's violent crime rate of 356.7. While property offenses are more frequent, Tennessee's violent crime rate remains slightly below the national benchmark of 369.8.

Safest Counties

Rural Perry and Pickett Counties Lead in Safety

Perry County ranks as the safest in the state with a remarkably low total crime rate of 142.3 per 100,000 people. Pickett and Van Buren counties follow closely, both maintaining total crime rates roughly one-eighth of the national average.

Crime Hotspots

Higher Crime Rates Concentrate in Specific Districts

Shelby County reports the state's highest crime rate at 7,287.4 per 100,000, reflecting the complex challenges faced by its dense metropolitan areas. Carter and Hawkins counties also show elevated activity, with total rates exceeding 6,000 incidents per 100,000 residents.

The Takeaway

A Diverse Safety Landscape Across Tennessee

With a statewide average 25% lower than the national figure, Tennessee offers many safe pockets for residents and newcomers. Prospective movers should look beyond state averages to specific counties, as safety profiles vary dramatically between quiet rural areas and busy urban centers.

All Tennessee Counties

CountySafety Score
Perry County92/100
Pickett County87/100
Van Buren County86/100
Cannon County86/100
Clay County79/100
Claiborne County77/100
Jackson County73/100
Wayne County70/100
Washington County69/100
Stewart County68/100
Sumner County67/100
Moore County67/100
Williamson County64/100
Morgan County64/100
White County64/100
Chester County61/100
Unicoi County61/100
Fayette County61/100
Houston County60/100
Bledsoe County57/100
Grainger County55/100
DeKalb County50/100
Macon County49/100
Carroll County48/100
Sullivan County47/100
Blount County46/100
Loudon County45/100
Johnson County44/100
Lawrence County43/100
Wilson County43/100
Marion County41/100
Cheatham County41/100
Smith County41/100
Rhea County41/100
Scott County40/100
Lewis County40/100
Decatur County40/100
Trousdale County39/100
Jefferson County39/100
Overton County39/100
Tipton County39/100
Marshall County39/100
Union County37/100
Campbell County37/100
Crockett County37/100
Humphreys County36/100
Giles County35/100
Roane County35/100
Lincoln County34/100
Robertson County33/100
Lake County33/100
Hancock County32/100
Henderson County32/100
Benton County31/100
Fentress County31/100
Dickson County31/100
Henry County30/100
Sequatchie County30/100
Gibson County30/100
Cumberland County29/100
Bedford County26/100
Weakley County25/100
Franklin County25/100
Monroe County24/100
Polk County23/100
Warren County23/100
Greene County22/100
McNairy County22/100
Hardeman County22/100
Hickman County21/100
Rutherford County21/100
Sevier County21/100
Meigs County20/100
Anderson County20/100
Putnam County19/100
Montgomery County17/100
Maury County16/100
Coffee County15/100
Bradley County13/100
Obion County12/100
Grundy County12/100
Knox County11/100
Lauderdale County11/100
Hardin County11/100
Haywood County11/100
Cocke County10/100
Hamblen County9/100
Madison County7/100
McMinn County7/100
Dyer County6/100
Hamilton County4/100
Davidson County2/100
Hawkins County1/100
Carter County1/100
Shelby 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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