Rialto, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Rialto and Santa Cruz, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Santa Cruz is the safer city
Santa Cruz scores 56/100 (grade D) versus 55/100 (grade D) for Rialto — a 1-point gap. Rialto's violent-crime rate is +9% vs Santa Cruz. Across the 8 offense categories, Santa Cruz has the lower rate in 5.
Rialto, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 105,159
- Violent / 100k
- 583
- Property / 100k
- 2,087
- In California
- #147 of 175
Santa Cruz, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 62,473
- Violent / 100k
- 533
- Property / 100k
- 2,521
- In California
- #146 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Rialto | Santa Cruz | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 55D | 56D | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 583 | 533 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 2,087 | 2,521 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 4.8 | 0 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 2,670 | 3,054 | 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 | Rialto | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 4.8 | 0 |
| Rape | 33.3 | 54.4 |
| Robbery | 113 | 104 |
| Aggravated assault | 432 | 375 |
| Burglary | 279 | 123 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,455 | 2,211 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 339 | 160 |
| Arson | 15.2 | 27.2 |
Crime trends
Rialto
Santa Cruz
Frequently asked questions
Is Rialto or Santa Cruz safer?
Which has more violent crime, Rialto or Santa Cruz?
What are the odds of violent crime in Rialto vs Santa Cruz?
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 Rialto & Santa Cruz
Worried about the numbers above? Compare local providers, estimate costs, and explore the right kind of coverage.