
San Antonio, Texas, is a beautiful city that attracts newcomers for its warm weather, thriving job market, and welcoming residents. However, when thinking about moving to any city, safety is a key concern. If you’ve been wondering, Is San Antonio safe? it’s important to take a closer look at the San Antonio crime rate and what it means for residents.
While the San Antonio Texas crime rate has historically been high in some areas, the city has made significant progress in recent years- and the city certainly does not have the highest crime rate in Texas. With focused community initiatives and increased law enforcement efforts, the San Antonio crime rate has been steadily declining. We’ll explore the trends in crime, what’s being done to improve safety, and why so many people still choose to call San Antonio home.
Is San Antonio safe? The first step to answering this question is to understand how crime rates work in the first place. The San Antonio crime rate is determined by information from law enforcement agencies that are then reported by the FBI. To get the final crime index numbers, the FBI will take the total number of crimes committed in an area per 1,000 residents and then divide it by the area’s population. Then, the number is multiplied by 100, which is why you’ll see the San Antonio crime rate reported as “X crimes per 100,000 people.”
The San Antonio crime rate is divided into overall crime, violent crime, and property crime, giving a more specific look at the types of property and violent crimes committed in the area.
While the crime rate can be useful and is often used to compare San Antonio TX crime to other cities, it shouldn’t be the only source of information used. The San Antonio crime rate is city-wide, and it does not differentiate between separate areas in the city. San Antonio spans 504 square miles, and some areas have vastly different levels of crime. As such, a few smaller neighborhoods with higher crime can drive up the crime rate for the entire city.
Also, reporting crime data is completely voluntary, which means that some cities may appear safer when the fact of the matter is that they just failed to report all of their data.
So, while the crime rate is a good place to start, it’s important to do your own research as well. Learn how to check the crime rate in an area by checking neighborhood ratings or crime statistics by neighborhood.
How safe is San Antonio Texas? To answer this question, let’s take a look at the San Antonio crime rate and how it compares to the crime rate in Texas and the crime rate in the United States. These are the San Antonio crime statistics you need to know.
National Crime Rate:
Texas Crime Rate:
San Antonio Crime Rate:
As you can see, the San Antonio crime rate is significantly higher than the state and national averages. The San Antonio crime rate is 117.8% higher than the state average and 156.0% higher than the national average. Although these numbers are high and may be concerning at first, crime in the area is declining. According to KSAT 12, overall crime in San Antonio TX is down 3% compared to last year, and crime from 2022 to 2023 declined as well.
Taking a look at San Antonio crime reports and crime maps is a great way to better understand the San Antonio crime rate. By taking a look at the neighborhood crime map below, you can see where most of the crime is concentrated in the city. The darker colors represent areas with more crime, while the lighter colors represent areas that see little to no crime.

Based on the map above, you can see that most of the crime in San Antonio is concentrated in the center of the city, with a few outliers on the outside as well. In these areas, the San Antonio crime rate tends to be higher. It’s also important to remember, however, that these areas are more densely populated and closer to downtown, so factors like nightlife and gang activity play a part in the crime here.
Another good way to get a good picture of the San Antonio crime rate is to view specific San Antonio crime reports. The San Antonio Police Department has a Public Safety Dashboard, where you can view exactly when, where, and what types of crimes are happening around the city. You can also use the Community Crime Map to find out more information about crime in a certain area down to the street or specific address.
Violent crime makes up a large portion of the San Antonio crime rate. Violent crime includes San Antonio murders, San Antonio homicides, San Antonio shootings, manslaughter, rape, sexual assault, assault, and kidnapping. Here’s an overview of the San Antonio violent crime rate:
While the overall San Antonio violent crime rate is high, numbers are actually declining. The San Antonio homicide rate and San Antonio murder rate are down. This is likely thanks to a new 3-step violent crime reduction plan, as reported by CNN.
According to Axios, San Antonio has seen a 37% drop in homicides so far in 2024, as well as a drop in kidnappings by 26%, sex offenses by 23%, human trafficking by 12.5%, and assaults by 4%. Overall, the violent crime rate in San Antonio was down 5.7% in the first part of the year. If violent crimes continue to drop at these rates, the overall San Antonio crime rate will continue to drop as well.
Property crime is another contributing factor to the San Antonio crime rate. Property crime includes burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, larceny, arson, and vandalism. Here’s a look at the property crime rate in San Antonio:
According to KSAT, property crime in San Antonio is down 3.4% compared to last year. While property crime is frustrating, it’s generally not a threat to your safety, and you can take preventative steps to protect your belongings.
Where is the San Antonio crime rate highest? There are a few bad areas in San Antonio that you may want to avoid. These San Antonio bad areas can be dangerous due to gang violence, drug activity, and nightlife. As always, make sure to check neighborhood safety yourself as well. These are just a few areas to avoid in San Antonio as well as the individual neighborhood crime statistics.
On the other hand, there are several great San Antonio neighborhoods that hardly contribute to the San Antonio crime rate at all. You’ll find several safe neighborhoods in San Antonio, including 55+ communities in San Antonio and waterfront communities to enjoy the San Antonio climate. These are just a few of the safest places to live in San Antonio.
Although the San Antonio crime rate may be higher in certain areas, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your property.
The San Antonio crime rate is monitored by the San Antonio Police Department. The San Diego Police Department dates all the way back to 1870, when the population of the city was only 12,256. Today, the police department has 2,373 officers on the force and occupies seven substations around the city of San Antonio.
The SAPD is very active in the community and hosts several events throughout the year for residents to partake in. They also have a Citizen on Patrol program, where residents are trained to be the “eyes and ears” of the SAPD.
San Antonio police reports are public information, and you have the ability to access them at any time. You can find reports on the Police Open Records Requests page.
San Antonio Police Department, 315 S Santa Rosa Ave, San Antonio, TX 78207, (210) 207-7273
Yes, San Antonio is a safe place to live. While the overall crime rate is on the higher end, there are many safe places to live in the area that see little to no crime at all.
Downtown San Antonio is safe. While you should still be mindful if you are out after dark or walking alone, there are generally plenty of people in the downtown area.
The San Antonio crime rate is 5,951 crimes per 100,000 people.
While there are parts of San Antonio that are considered dangerous, the city overall is not a dangerous place to live.
So, is San Antonio safe? While the San Antonio crime rate is on the higher end, numbers have dropped in recent years and show no signs of slowing down. San Antonio is a safe place to live – and a great place to live at that! If you are thinking about moving to the area, then get in touch with the experts at Chapa’s Moving Service!
Give our reliable San Antonio movers a call today to get started with a free quote.