San Marcos, CA vs Yorba Linda, CA: Crime Rate Comparison (2025)
A side-by-side look at reported crime in San Marcos and Yorba Linda, on the FBI-based Crime Index (0–100, higher = safer) for 2025.
Yorba Linda is the safer city
Yorba Linda scores 93/100 (grade A) versus 92/100 (grade A) for San Marcos — a 1-point gap. San Marcos's violent-crime rate is 2.3× Yorba Linda. Across the 8 offense categories, Yorba Linda has the lower rate in 5.
San Marcos, CA
Crime Index
- Population
- 97,052
- Violent / 100k
- 106
- Property / 100k
- 395
- In California
- #3 of 175
Yorba Linda, CA
SaferCrime Index
- Population
- 66,061
- Violent / 100k
- 46.9
- Property / 100k
- 595
- In California
- #1 of 175
Crime rates head-to-head
| Metric | San Marcos | Yorba Linda | US average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crime Index (higher = safer) | 92A | 93A | 73C |
| Violent crime /100k | 106 | 46.9 | 315 |
| Property crime /100k | 395 | 595 | 1,487 |
| Homicide /100k | 0 | 0 | 4.1 |
| Total reported /100k | 501 | 642 | 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 | San Marcos | Yorba Linda |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 0 | 0 |
| Rape | 4.1 | 0 |
| Robbery | 20.6 | 12.1 |
| Aggravated assault | 81.4 | 34.8 |
| Burglary | 46.4 | 86.3 |
| Larceny-theft | 261 | 434 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 81.4 | 69.6 |
| Arson | 6.2 | 4.5 |
Crime trends
San Marcos
Yorba Linda
Frequently asked questions
Is San Marcos or Yorba Linda safer?
Which has more violent crime, San Marcos or Yorba Linda?
What are the odds of violent crime in San Marcos vs Yorba Linda?
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 San Marcos & Yorba Linda
Worried about the numbers above? Compare local providers, estimate costs, and explore the right kind of coverage.