Compton, CA vs San Bernardino, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Compton and San Bernardino, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
San Bernardino is the safer city
San Bernardino scores 36/100 (grade E) versus 17/100 (grade F) for Compton — a 19-point gap. Compton's violent-crime rate is +39% vs San Bernardino. Across the 8 offense categories, San Bernardino has the lower rate in 5.
Compton, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 90,092
- Violent / 100k
- 1,245
- Property / 100k
- 2,610
- In California
- #174 of 175
San Bernardino, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 225,448
- Violent / 100k
- 894
- Property / 100k
- 2,458
- In California
- #172 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Compton | San Bernardino | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 17F | 36E | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 1,245 | 894 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 2,610 | 2,458 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 20 | 9.8 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 3,855 | 3,352 | 1,802 |
Grade shown per index band (88–100 = A … 0–29 = F). Rates are reported offenses per 100,000 residents.
By offense
Rate per 100,000 residents — the lower (safer) city is highlighted.
| Offense | Compton | San Bernardino |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 20 | 9.8 |
| Rape | 45.5 | 63.4 |
| Robbery | 315 | 215 |
| Aggravated assault | 865 | 605 |
| Burglary | 250 | 371 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,318 | 1,536 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 933 | 530 |
| Arson | 109 | 21.3 |
Crime trends
Compton
San Bernardino
Frequently asked questions
Is Compton or San Bernardino safer?
Which has more violent crime, Compton or San Bernardino?
What are the odds of violent crime in Compton vs San Bernardino?
No area has zero risk
A high Crime Index score means lower reported crime relative to other US cities — it is not a guarantee of safety. Reported crime is not the same as actual crime. Research on the gap between crime that occurs and crime that gets reported to police — often called the "dark figure" of crime — estimates that roughly 40% of violent crime and about a third of property crime go unreported each year. Every index built on official statistics, including this one, necessarily undercounts real crime. That gap is exactly why homicide — the offense with the smallest dark figure — anchors the calculation instead of a more commonly reported but less reliable category like theft.
Scores on this page reflect FBI-reported data for 2025. See the full methodology →
Protecting yourself in Compton & San Bernardino
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