Is Raleigh Safe? 2024 Crime Data & Safety Guide

A data-driven look at Raleigh, North Carolina safety using FBI crime statistics. Last updated with 2024 data.

Key Insights

  • Raleigh's violent crime rate is 488.8 per 100K — 36% above the national average
  • Safety Grade: D — Safer than 12% of US cities
  • 2,386 violent crimes and 13,760 property crimes reported in 2024
  • Violent crime decreased 7.4% from 2023
  • Most common violent crime: Larceny-Theft (10,049 incidents)
D
Safety Grade
Safer than 12% of cities
488.8
Violent Crime Rate
+36% vs national avg
2819.2
Property Crime Rate
+60% vs national avg

Raleigh Crime Statistics (2024)

Crime TypeCountRate per 100K
Total Violent Crime2,386488.8
Murder255.1
Rape17636.1
Robbery42386.7
Aggravated Assault1,762361.0
Total Property Crime13,7602819.2
Burglary1,362279.0
Larceny-Theft10,0492058.9
Motor Vehicle Theft2,349481.3

Violent Crime Breakdown

Aggravated Assault73.8%
Robbery17.7%
Rape7.4%
Murder1.0%

Year-over-Year Trend

Violent Crime

7.4%
528.1488.8 per 100K

Property Crime

8.9%
2589.52819.2 per 100K

Neighborhood Safety Context

Like all major cities, Raleigh's crime is not evenly distributed. Crime tends to concentrate in specific neighborhoods — often those with higher poverty rates and fewer resources. Tourist areas, business districts, and affluent residential neighborhoods typically have significantly lower crime rates than the city average suggests.

The citywide crime rate of 488.8 per 100K is an average across a population of 488,085. Some neighborhoods may be 5-10x safer than the average, while others may be significantly more dangerous. Always research specific neighborhoods when evaluating safety.

Verdict: Is Raleigh Safe?

Raleigh has a higher-than-average crime rate. Visitors should research specific neighborhoods before visiting. Many areas are perfectly safe, but concentrated pockets of violence do exist. The city has been working on crime reduction initiatives.