Iowa Crime Statistics
46 years of data (1979–2024)
Key Insights
- →Iowa ranks #37 out of 51 states for violent crime rate (243.3 per 100K).
- →Violent crime decreased 11.1% from 2023 to 2024.
- →160 cities report crime data. Safest: Carroll (39.5/100K). Most dangerous: Fort Dodge (1061.1/100K).
- →69 murders in 2024 — a rate of 2.1 per 100K residents.
- →Since 1979, Iowa's violent crime rate has changed by +34%.
Violent Crime Rate
243.3
-11.1% YoY
Murder Rate
2.1
69 total
Property Crime Rate
1296.8
42,034 total
Population
3,241,488
2024
2024 Crime Breakdown
Violent Crime: 7,885
Murder69
Rape1,142
Robbery605
Aggravated Assault6,069
Property Crime: 42,034
Burglary6,454
Larceny-Theft31,201
Motor Vehicle Theft4,379
Violent Crime Rate Trend
Homicide Rate Trend
Violent Crime Breakdown (2024)
Most Dangerous Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Dodge | 1061.1 | 24,502 |
| Des Moines | 703.0 | 209,245 |
| Davenport | 581.4 | 99,926 |
| Sioux City | 555.4 | 85,711 |
| Waterloo | 476.0 | 66,385 |
| Council Bluffs | 420.8 | 62,269 |
| Burlington | 413.8 | 23,444 |
| Dubuque | 400.9 | 58,620 |
| Ottumwa | 397.1 | 25,185 |
| Newton | 384.3 | 15,611 |
Safest Cities
| City | Violent Rate | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Carroll | 39.5 | 10,118 |
| Spencer | 52.2 | 11,501 |
| North Liberty | 69.3 | 21,635 |
| Johnston | 76.6 | 24,819 |
| Urbandale | 89.1 | 47,119 |
| Le Mars | 94.1 | 10,624 |
| Bettendorf | 104.7 | 40,105 |
| Norwalk | 109.1 | 15,588 |
| Pella | 109.7 | 10,940 |
| Marion | 122.6 | 42,420 |
Crime Velocity — Which Cities Are Changing Fastest
Fastest Improving
Fastest Worsening
Velocity scores measure the direction and speed of crime changes. Negative = improving, positive = worsening. Full methodology →
Hate Crimes in Iowa
74 incidents reported
Top bias motivations: Sexual Orientation (6)
Explore full hate crime data →Arrest Demographics (National)
The FBI publishes state-level total arrest counts but does not break down arrest demographics by race at the state level in the same detail as national data. For national arrest demographic patterns, see our dedicated pages:
Related Analysis
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer. Rates per 100,000 residents. City data from Table 8.