Rio Rancho, NM vs Santa Fe, NM: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in Rio Rancho and Santa Fe, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Rio Rancho is the safer city
Rio Rancho scores 77/100 (grade B) versus 52/100 (grade D) for Santa Fe — a 25-point gap. Santa Fe's violent-crime rate is 1.6× Rio Rancho. Across the 8 offense categories, Rio Rancho has the lower rate in 8.
Rio Rancho, NM
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 114,641
- Violent / 100k
- 320
- Property / 100k
- 985
- In New Mexico
- #1 of 4
Santa Fe, NM
Crime Index
- Population
- 91,268
- Violent / 100k
- 517
- Property / 100k
- 2,894
- In New Mexico
- #2 of 4
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | Rio Rancho | Santa Fe | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 77B | 52D | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 320 | 517 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 985 | 2,894 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 1.7 | 5.5 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 1,305 | 3,411 | 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 | Rio Rancho | Santa Fe |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 1.7 | 5.5 |
| Rape | 42.7 | 47.1 |
| Robbery | 13.1 | 47.1 |
| Aggravated assault | 263 | 417 |
| Burglary | 113 | 520 |
| Larceny-theft | 781 | 2,042 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 82.9 | 316 |
| Arson | 8.7 | 15.3 |
Crime trends
Rio Rancho
Santa Fe
Frequently asked questions
Is Rio Rancho or Santa Fe safer?
Which has more violent crime, Rio Rancho or Santa Fe?
What are the odds of violent crime in Rio Rancho vs Santa Fe?
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 Rio Rancho & Santa Fe
Worried about the numbers above? Compare local providers, estimate costs, and explore the right kind of coverage.