Grand Rapids, MI vs Pontiac, MI: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Grand Rapids and Pontiac, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Pontiac is the safer city
Pontiac scores 48/100 (grade D) versus 38/100 (grade E) for Grand Rapids — a 10-point gap. Grand Rapids's violent-crime rate is +9% vs Pontiac. Across the 8 offense categories, Pontiac has the lower rate in 6.
Grand Rapids, MI
Crime Index
- Population
- 200,467
- Violent / 100k
- 894
- Property / 100k
- 2,334
- In Michigan
- #19 of 24
Pontiac, MI
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 62,702
- Violent / 100k
- 818
- Property / 100k
- 1,384
- In Michigan
- #17 of 24
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Grand Rapids | Pontiac | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 38E | 48D | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 894 | 818 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 2,334 | 1,384 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 6.5 | 9.6 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 3,228 | 2,203 | 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 | Grand Rapids | Pontiac |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 6.5 | 9.6 |
| Rape | 83.8 | 62.2 |
| Robbery | 95.3 | 54.2 |
| Aggravated assault | 708 | 692 |
| Burglary | 188 | 270 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,872 | 911 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 256 | 193 |
| Arson | 18.5 | 11.2 |
Crime trends
Grand Rapids
Pontiac
Frequently asked questions
Is Grand Rapids or Pontiac safer?
Which has more violent crime, Grand Rapids or Pontiac?
What are the odds of violent crime in Grand Rapids vs Pontiac?
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 Grand Rapids & Pontiac
Worried about the numbers above? Compare local providers, estimate costs, and explore the right kind of coverage.