Elk Grove is one of the best suburbs of Sacramento and popular with millennials and families thanks to its excellent school district, a park for every 2,000 residents, and its low crime rate. In fact, it’s one of the 50 safest cities in California! Are you considering moving to Elk Grove, CA? Here’s what you’ll want to know about the Elk Grove crime rate, your risk of crime, and safe places to live.
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Understanding the Elk Grove Crime Rate
To understand your risk of being the victim of crime in a new city, you’ll probably start by checking crime rates and comparing them to the national average and where you live now. Just make sure you understand how crime rates are calculated and their limitations.
Elk Grove crime rates are calculated based on FBI Uniform Crime Statistics (2019). You will see three different crime rates: a total crime rate, property crime rate, and violent crime rate. However, only eight index crimes are used to calculate these rates of crime per capita, or per 100,000 people. Most criminal offenses are excluded because these eight crimes are considered very serious, the best indicator for your actual risk of being the victim of crime, and they are well tracked by police departments across the country.
Crime rates can be misleading. The FBI even warns that crime rates and its statistics should not be used to rank cities. Rates of crime are a good place to start, but they only tell you the overall amount of index crimes reported in the city. From one neighborhood to the next, the story may be very different.
You can use this Elk Grove crime map from City Protect to explore crime in the city in greater detail. Sort by type of offense and date to see where crime happens. CrimeGrade.org also offers a crime map for Elk Grove with a shaded map of crime by neighborhood.
What Is the Crime Rate in Elk Grove, CA?
The Elk Grove, CA crime rate is 1,693 crimes per 100,000 with 212 violent crimes and 1,481 property crimes per capita. You have a 1 in 59 chance of being the victim of crime. To put that into perspective, the national average crime rate is 2,580 crimes per 100,000 with 382 violent crimes and 2,362 property crimes per capita.
Crime in Elk Grove is 39% below the California average and 32% below the national average with 44% less violent crime than the U.S. average. Elk Grove is safer than more than half of all cities in the U.S. of all sizes.
Elk Grove is home to 174,500 people. Here’s how the crime rate compares to other California cities and major cities with 100,000 to 300,000 people.
- San Francisco (pop. 875,000) has 265% more crime
- Sacramento (pop. 500,000) has 125% more crime than Elk Grove
- Bakersfield (pop. 378,000) has 172% more crime
- Fresno (pop. 525,000) has 130% more crime
- San Jose (pop. 1.03 million) has 69% more crime
- Birmingham, AL (pop. 212,000) has 386% more crime
- St. Louis, MO (pop. 308,000) has 379% more crime
- Orlando, FL (pop. 281,000) has 229% more crime
- Cincinnati, OH (pop. 301,000) has 204% more crime
- Scottsdale, AZ (pop. 251,000) has 25% more crime
Violent Crime in Elk Grove
The Elk Grove violent crime rate is 212 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. There were only 372 violent index crimes reported in the city in 2019:
- 223 aggravated assaults
- 114 robberies
- 35 rapes
- 0 homicides
The Elk Grove murder rate is 0 homicides per capita. The national average is 5 murders per capita. You have a 1 in 472 chance of being the victim of violent crime. Elk Grove has a violent crime rate 44% below the national average!
Property Crime in Elk Grove
Most crime in the city is property crime. The Elk Grove property crime rate is 1,481 property crimes per 100,000 residents. There were 2,599 index property crimes reported in 2019:
- 2,107 larcenies
- 292 burglaries
- 200 car thefts
- 10 arsons
You have a 1 in 68 chance of being the victim of property crime in the city.
Dangerous Areas of Elk Grove, CA
Elk Grove doesn’t really have any dangerous areas – the city has a very low crime rate, after all. As a general rule, however, the northern part of the city has the most crime. This part of the city borders South Sacramento, an area known for high crime. In particular, neighborhoods bordering Sacramento’s Valley Hi/North Laguna neighborhood and the census-designated place of Vineyard have more crime than neighborhoods further south in Elk Grove. There are a few other pockets of the city with higher-than-average crime. One area is around Miwok Park and Century Laguna 16.
Elk Grove has a crime rate 32% below the national average and 39% lower than the California average with violent crime 44% below the national average. By comparison, the Valley Hi/North Laguna area it borders to the north has 152% more violent crime than the national average with 955 violent crimes per capita!
To the west, the census-designated place of Franklin has a high crime rate, although the neighboring areas of Elk Grove, including Laguna West-Lakeside and Laguna Stonelake, are among the safest places to live in California!
Safest Neighborhoods in Elk Grove
It’s really hard to choose a bad area in Elk Grove if safety is a concern. However, you’ll find the least amount of crime in some of these safe Elk Grove neighborhoods.
- Laguna Stonelake is one of the safest places to live in Elk Grove and a sought-after community. The community is located right off I-5 next to California Northstate University and near Lake Heron.
- Laguna West-Lakeside is one of Elk Grove’s most upscale neighborhoods with almost 1,700 homes surrounding the 39-acre Lake Heron. The community has four parks; a neighborhood elementary school, Stone Lake; and a community clubhouse. The community is on the west side of Elk Grove and home to more than 9,000 people.
- Sterling Meadows, a master-planned community by Lennar near the Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and Elk Grove Regional Park.
- Laguna Ranch, one of the most picturesque new neighborhoods in Elk Grove. This safe community of ranch and two-story homes is anchored by a central park.
- Madeira Meadows is a new home community by Taylor Morrison with three villages. The community is near Elk Grove Regional Park, the city’s top-rated park with an aquatic center, lake, two islands, bike park, and dog parks.
- Monterey Village is a master-planned gated community in western Elk Grove. The community includes the developments of Cypress Cove (KB Homes) and Latitudes (Tim Lewis Homes) with solar living homes, a community pool, and more.
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Elk Grove Safety Tips – How to Avoid Crime in Elk Grove, CA
The City of Elk Grove has a very low crime rate, especially when it comes to violent crime. However, it’s always a good idea to be vigilant to reduce your risk of crime.
- On the CNU campus, stick to well-lit and regularly traveled paths at night. Don’t leave belongings unattended; larceny is the most common crime on campus.
- Avoid leaving valuables in your vehicle, especially where they are visible. Park in a secure, well-lit area. Investing in a simple anti-theft device like a steering wheel lock can cost as little as $20 and earn you a discount on car insurance.
- There are fewer than 300 burglaries in the city every year, but it’s still smart to take steps to prevent a burglary. Make sure your home looks occupied when you’re gone by leaving some lights on. Lock all outside doors, including your garage door, and make sure windows and sliding glass doors are secured. A home security system usually comes with a monthly fee, but it can give you peace of mind and earn you a homeowner’s insurance discount.
Elk Grove Police Department
- Chief of Police: Timothy Albright
- Officers: 146 sworn officers, 108 civilian employees
- Non-emergency phone number: (916) 714-5115
- Address: Elk Grove Police Department, 8400 Laguna Palms Way, Elk Grove, CA 95758
The Elk Grove Police Department serves the City of Elk Grove’s 174,500 people and responds to more than 52,000 service calls every year. The department has made efforts to make their policies more transparent, especially when it comes to their policies on the use of force.
The police department has four divisions:
- Field Division (Patrol) responds to calls for service with patrol teams, a traffic bureau with traffic and hit-and-run investigators, a K-9 unit, and community service patrol officers.
- Investigation Services Division is responsible for follow-up investigations. This division has several units. Street Crimes Unit focuses on vice offenses and gangs. Other units include Records Division, a Forensics Unit, Crime Prevention, and a Problem Oriented Policing Unit.
- Support Services Division offers support and assistance to the community and other units in the department. It includes the Evidence, Records and Property, and Communications Bureaus.
- Administrative Services Division includes the Chief’s Office, Professional Standards, Information Technology, Finance, Fleet, and Dispatch.
Elk Grove Crime Rate FAQ
What is the crime rate in Elk Grove, California?
The Elk Grove, CA crime rate is 1,693 total crimes per capita. There are 212 violent crimes and 1,481 property crimes per 100,000 people.
Is Elk Grove, CA a safe place to live?
Elk Grove is one of the safest suburbs of Sacramento and one of the top 50 safest cities in California! The state has a higher-than-average crime rate, but Elk Grove has 32% less crime than the U.S. average.
What are the bad areas of Elk Grove?
One of the great things about living in Elk Grove is it has no bad areas! Elk Grove, CA has a low crime rate, but the northern part of the city bordering South Sacramento neighborhoods has more crime.
Looking for a safe place to live near Sacramento? You’ve found it in Elk Grove, a gorgeous city known for its wineries, excellent parks, and an award-winning school district, not to mention low crime. If you’ve settled on making your home here, call Mother Lode Van & Storage for a free moving quote once you’ve settled on the right neighborhood. The best movers in Elk Grove will help you settle into your new city with a seamless, easy moving experience.
