Encinitas, CA vs San Marcos, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Encinitas and San Marcos, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
San Marcos is the safer city
San Marcos scores 92/100 (grade A) versus 91/100 (grade A) for Encinitas — a 1-point gap. Encinitas's violent-crime rate is in line with San Marcos. Across the 8 offense categories, San Marcos has the lower rate in 3.
Encinitas, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 60,923
- Violent / 100k
- 107
- Property / 100k
- 542
- In California
- #4 of 175
San Marcos, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 97,052
- Violent / 100k
- 106
- Property / 100k
- 395
- In California
- #3 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Encinitas | San Marcos | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 91A | 92A | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 107 | 106 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 542 | 395 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 0 | 0 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 648 | 501 | 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 | Encinitas | San Marcos |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 1.6 | 4.1 |
| Robbery | 26.3 | 20.6 |
| Aggravated assault | 78.8 | 81.4 |
| Burglary | 68.9 | 46.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 402 | 261 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 67.3 | 81.4 |
| Arson | 3.3 | 6.2 |
Crime trends
Encinitas
San Marcos
Frequently asked questions
Is Encinitas or San Marcos safer?
Which has more violent crime, Encinitas or San Marcos?
What are the odds of violent crime in Encinitas vs San Marcos?
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 Encinitas & San Marcos
Worried about the numbers above? Compare local providers, estimate costs, and explore the right kind of coverage.