San Diego is the second largest city in California, located right near the U.S.’s southern border with Mexico. With 35 million tourists every year, San Diego is one of the most popular travel destinations in the country.
One of the most important factors that determine where someone chooses to live is safety. If you’re interested in moving to San Diego, you’re probably wondering how much crime occurs in the city, and which neighborhoods are the safest to live in. Keep reading to find out!
Crime Rates in San Diego
The crime rate is the ratio of crimes committed in an area compared to its population. The higher the crime rate, the more frequently criminal activity occurs, and the more unsafe a neighborhood is deemed.
In recent years, San Diego has proven itself to be one of the safest cities in the country. The crime rate is 15% lower than the national average, which makes San Diego 34% safer than all other cities in the country.
We’ll be looking at the two different crime rates that are often cited in claims of how safe a city or neighborhood is: property crime and violent crime.
Property Crime Rate in San Diego
According to the annual SANDAG INC. report, the property crime rate from 2020 in the San Diego region reached a new record low compared to the past 40 years. Even robbery (which is categorized as a violent crime) was down in 2020.
The most frequently reported property crimes in San Diego include:
- Burglary
- Theft
- Motor Vehicle Theft
Violent Crime Rate in San Diego
The violent crime rate in San Diego has always been relatively low compared to other cities in the country. This hasn’t changed much over the past couple of years. In both 2019 and 2020, the violent crime rate increased by less than 1%.
Top 6 Safest Neighborhoods in San Diego
Based on information from 2020
Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines is a neighborhood packed full of natural beauty, located right on the Pacific Ocean. The neighborhood’s crime rate is the lowest in all of San Diego. There are entire categories of crimes that have never occurred in Torrey pines. It’s safe to say that Torrey Pines is a place where you’ll always feel safe at any time of the day. Without a doubt, this neighborhood is one of the best in all of San Diego to raise a family.
Torrey Hills
Torrey Hills is the second safest neighborhood out of all 49 in San Diego. Similar to Torrey Pines, violent crime is extremely rare here. With an A- rating in crime and safety and A+ for public schools, Torrey Hills is without a doubt one of the best places to raise children in San Diego.
Del Mar Mesa
According to Niche.com, Del Mar Mesa receives an A+ for its crime rate. This is the very best ranking possible, which means that there is practically no crime occurring in this neighborhood. Del Mar Mesa is also one of the most beautiful parts of the city, with over 10 miles of hiking, biking, and riding trails.
Carmel Valley
Carmel Valley’s crime rate is 65% lower than the national average. If excellent public schools, family-friendliness and safety are your key concerns when it comes to where you live, you won’t go wrong with Carmel Valley. The neighborhood is located within walking distance from the beach, multiple country clubs, plenty of locally-owned stores, fine dining, as well as some of the most popular attractions in all of North County.
Via de la Valle
An interesting fact about Via de la Valle is that 88% of residents own their homes, far more than any other neighborhood in San Diego. This means that everybody knows everybody and the entire community takes each of each other. This part of San Diego has an outstanding crime and safety rating. It has not reported violent or non-violent crimes in the past few years.
Del Mar
With its high ratings in both safety and public school quality, Del Mar is one of the best places in San Diego for a family to raise their children. Their community puts great effort in keeping their neighborhood safe. They maintain their own municipal Fire Department which is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Safety in San Diego
Overall, San Diego is a very safe city. A survey of police reports found that San Diego’s crime rate is “one of the lowest in the nation for its size.” In other words, San Diego is one of the safest large cities in the country.
North County is desirable for families, thanks to its quiet neighborhoods with larger homes. Most young professionals prefer living downtown or in neighborhoods to the northeast because of these areas’ lively nightlife.
