California vs Florida: Crime Rate Comparison (2024)
Side-by-side crime comparison between California and Florida using FBI data.
Key Insights
- →Florida has a lower violent crime rate (267.1) than California (486.0) per 100K
- →California population: 39,431,263 | Florida: 23,372,215
- →Homicide rate: California 4.5 vs Florida 3.9 per 100K
- →Property crime: California 2078.4 vs Florida 1420.4 per 100K
Crime Rate Comparison
| Metric | California | Florida | Safer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,431,263 | 23,372,215 | — |
| Violent Crime Rate | 486.0 | 267.1 | ✓ Florida |
| Homicide Rate | 4.5 | 3.9 | ✓ Florida |
| Property Crime Rate | 2078.4 | 1420.4 | ✓ Florida |
| Total Violent Crimes | 191,641 | 62,423 | — |
| Total Property Crimes | 819,559 | 331,980 | — |
| Violent Crime Change | -4.1% | -8.7% | ✓ Florida |
Historical Violent Crime Trend
| Year | California Rate | Florida Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 428.0 | 462.5 |
| 2016 | 444.8 | 429.4 |
| 2017 | 453.3 | 408.1 |
| 2018 | 447.5 | 385.9 |
| 2019 | 442.1 | 378.2 |
| 2020 | 442.0 | 383.6 |
| 2021 | 481.2 | 337.3 |
| 2022 | 503.6 | 292.9 |
| 2023 | 506.9 | 292.7 |
| 2024 | 486.0 | 267.1 |
Verdict: Which State Is Safer?
Based on 2024 FBI data, **Florida** has a lower violent crime rate at 267.1 per 100,000 compared to California's 486.0. Florida has lower property crime. However, crime varies enormously within each state — some cities in the "safer" state may be more dangerous than most cities in the other.