Is There A Lot of Crime in Temecula? (What You Should Know)

Moving to a new area can be nerve-racking, especially with crime increasing in the United States. California in particular is having an increase in crimes, but is this true for every place in California? If you are questioning your safety when moving to Temecula, California, then keep reading!

There is not a lot of crime in Temecula, California. According to crime statistics, Temecula has significantly less crime in many aspects compared to the rest of California and the United States. Temecula is the eleventh safest city in the country, as the violent crime rate is minimal.

Temecula is safer compared to other cities in California, and even the rest of the country. Keep reading below to find out why it is so much safer and also what the causes for concern are.

Why Temecula Is Safe

Temecula is one of the safest cities in the country. As of 2020, Temecula was the eleventh safest city in America. This was according to 24/7 Wall Street, which reviewed the violent crime rate for cities with populations of 100,000 or more from the FBI’s 2017 Uniform Crime Report. Having the title as the eleventh safest city is a great feat and an honorable title.

The violent crime rate of 102 incidents per 100,000 people in the Southern California city of Temecula is among the lowest in the country. Like in many safe communities, the median household income in Temecula is high. The typical area household earns $83,840 a year, far more than the $55,322 the typical American household earns. Additionally, just 6.7% of Temecula residents live in poverty, well below the 15.1% national poverty rate.
24/7WallSt

If you wish to move to Temecula, crime is not a big cause for concern. Additionally, Temecula’s neighboring city Murrieta attained the #2 spot for the safest cities in America according to 24/7 Wall Street. Murrieta is the second safest city in the state and the country. Safety is important to the citizens of Temecula and it continues to impress with its outstanding rank.

Human Trafficking On The Rise

Human trafficking is not just limited to Temecula. Human trafficking is a problem worldwide, and one of the largest dangers that this country faces. Although Temecula is thought to be one of the safest cities in America, it still is important to be aware of the imposing dangers. Temecula is typically safe, however many are not up to date on the crimes it faces.

Because of the increase in human trafficking, in January of 2021, there was a four-day anti-human trafficking operation. During this operation, seventy-two individuals were arrested. Of these seventy-two arrests, seven were from Temecula. Many of the other arrests were from neighboring cities such as Wildomar, Murrieta, and Lake Elsinore.

Human trafficking is on the rise in Temecula and throughout the country, and the citizens of Temecula are doing their best to combat its effects.

Crime Rates In Temecula

Violent Crimes

In 2018, the violent crime rate in Temecula was 119.4 per 100,000 population. Violent crimes are not common in Temecula and do not pose a large threat to the community as a whole. A crime where a victim is harmed or threatened with violence constitutes a violent crime. The four specific types of violent crimes include:

Psychological violence
Sexual violence
Physical violence
Neglect

The violent crime rate in California is 430 per 100,000 population. This makes Temecula well under the state’s average. The violent crime rate in America is 366.7 per 100,000 population. Temecula’s crime rate is over three times better than the country’s average.

Rape

In 2018, the number of rapes reported in Temecula was 3.44 per 100,000 population. In 2019, the number of rapes reported increased to 7 per 100,000 population. Rape is a growing problem not only in Temecula but throughout the world. Rape is underreported in the United States, so it can be hypothesized that the statistics are actually higher.

Although the number of rapes reported has increased, Temecula is still well below the state’s and country’s average. In 2021, the number of rapes reported in California was 39 per 100,000 population. This means that 15,505 cases were reported in one year. In 2019, the rate of rapes in the United States was 29.9 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Robbery

In 2018, the robbery rate in Temecula was 51.54 per 100,000 population. In 2019, there were 72 robberies reported in Temecula. This increased the rate to 62 robberies for every 100,000 residents.

In California in 2019, 30% of the violent crimes reported were robberies. California has the second-highest rate of robberies, with Maryland taking the #1 spot. The robbery rate in California is 132.4 per 100,000 residents. The country’s average is lower than California’s with 81.6 reports of burglary per 100,000 population. Despite robbery being a problem, particularly in Califonia, Temecula is still below America’s average.

Assault

In 2018, the assault rate in Temecula was 64.43 per 100,000 population. In 2019, the number of assaults rose to 73 for every 100,000 population. Aggravated assault is the most common violent crime reported in Temecula, however, it is nowhere near as common as it is in the rest of the country.

In the United States, the assault rate is 250.2 per 100,000 population, making it over three times more likely to be assaulted elsewhere. In California, the assault rate is even higher. Statistically, the amount of individuals assaulted is 267 per 100,000 population.

Property Crime

In 2018, the property crime rate in Temecula was 2328.82 per 100,000 population. If you find this number shockingly high, then you are correct. The property crime rate in Temecula is higher than it is in the rest of California.

The following depicts the definition of a property crime:

Part of the property is stolen
Part of the property is destroyed
No threat or violence used against the victim

The following are some of the most common examples of property crimes:

Burglary
Larceny
Arson
Vandalism
Motor vehicle theft

The property crime rate in California in 2019 was 2,272 per 100,000 population, which makes Temecula’s rate higher.

Burglary

In 2018, the burglary rate in Temecula was 368.52 per 100,000 population. This statistic is slightly lower than it is in the rest of Califonia. In California, the burglary rate is 386 per 100,000 population.

Although Temecula’s burglary rate is lower than the rest of California’s, it is higher than it is in the rest of the United States. In the United States, the average burglary rate is 340.5 per 100,000 population. Clearly, burglary is a common problem in California, not excluding Temecula.