Fresno, CA vs Merced, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Fresno and Merced, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Merced is the safer city
Merced scores 46/100 (grade D) versus 45/100 (grade D) for Fresno — a 1-point gap. Fresno's violent-crime rate is in line with Merced. Across the 8 offense categories, Merced has the lower rate in 4.
Fresno, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 551,969
- Violent / 100k
- 718
- Property / 100k
- 2,579
- In California
- #164 of 175
Merced, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 98,482
- Violent / 100k
- 699
- Property / 100k
- 2,505
- In California
- #162 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Fresno | Merced | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 45D | 46D | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 718 | 699 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 2,579 | 2,505 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 4.2 | 6.1 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 3,297 | 3,204 | 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 | Fresno | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 4.2 | 6.1 |
| Rape | 49.5 | 73.1 |
| Robbery | 156 | 122 |
| Aggravated assault | 508 | 498 |
| Burglary | 349 | 383 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,771 | 1,741 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 435 | 295 |
| Arson | 23.7 | 85.3 |
Crime trends
Fresno
Merced
Frequently asked questions
Is Fresno or Merced safer?
Which has more violent crime, Fresno or Merced?
What are the odds of violent crime in Fresno vs Merced?
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 Fresno & Merced
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