La Mesa, CA vs Redwood, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in La Mesa and Redwood, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Redwood is the safer city
Redwood scores 71/100 (grade C) versus 70/100 (grade C) for La Mesa — a 1-point gap. La Mesa's violent-crime rate is +8% vs Redwood. Across the 8 offense categories, Redwood has the lower rate in 4.
La Mesa, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 60,686
- Violent / 100k
- 397
- Property / 100k
- 1,355
- In California
- #94 of 175
Redwood, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 82,769
- Violent / 100k
- 366
- Property / 100k
- 1,464
- In California
- #92 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | La Mesa | Redwood | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 70C | 71C | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 397 | 366 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 1,355 | 1,464 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 1.7 | 3.6 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 1,752 | 1,830 | 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 | La Mesa | Redwood |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 1.6 | 3.6 |
| Rape | 24.7 | 50.7 |
| Robbery | 72.5 | 84.6 |
| Aggravated assault | 298 | 227 |
| Burglary | 209 | 132 |
| Larceny-theft | 943 | 1,154 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 188 | 167 |
| Arson | 14.8 | 12.1 |
Crime trends
La Mesa
Redwood
Frequently asked questions
Is La Mesa or Redwood safer?
Which has more violent crime, La Mesa or Redwood?
What are the odds of violent crime in La Mesa vs Redwood?
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 La Mesa & Redwood
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