There’s a lyric in Tupac’s ‘California Love’ that says "Inglewood always up to no good." That song came out in the 90’s when the city suffered from rampant crime and violence. But is Inglewood still up to no good, or has things turned around and changed for the better?
If you are thinking about visiting Inglewood and have qualms about the safety of the city, we go you covered. We deep dived into the statistics, crime reports and talked to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe the city really is.
Inglewood Crime Stats
Looking only at the crime statistics, Inglewood is a moderately safe place to visit. In 2019, Inglewood had a violent crime rate of 613.42 incidents per 100,000 residents and it had a property crime rate of 2,121.84 per 100,000 residents. Out of the 100 most populous cities in the United States, Inglewood’s violent crime rate is the 55th highest.
The national average for violent crime is 366.7 per 100,000 residents and the national average for property crime is 2,109.9 per 100,000 residents. Inglewood’s violent crime rate is 1.6 times more than the national average and its property crime rate is about the same as the national average.
Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults and the violent crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
Inglewood Murder Stats
In 2020 Inglewood reported 11 homicides, which gives it a murder rate of 10.2per 100,000 residents.
The national murder rate is 5 per 100,000 people. Inglewood’s murder rate is about twice than the national average.
As of September 14, 2021, there have been already 14 homicides reported in Inglewood.
*Murder rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported murders by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000. In 2020 there were 54 murders in Inglewood and the population was 69.093. This equals a murder rate of 78.15 per 100,000 general population.
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in Inglewood for 2019 compared to 2018
Total violent crime in Inglewood decreased by 1.75% and total property crime decreased by 15.41% in 2019.
Inglewood vs The Most Dangerous Cities In The United States
Here’s a list of the top 10 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rate. It can give you some perspective on Inglewood’s violent crime rate, which is 613.42 per 100,000 people.
Inglewood’s violent crime rate is 3.94 time LESS than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.
Here’s a table showing you violent crime rate and property crime rate of the top 20 most populous cities in the state of California.
Inglewood’s violent crime rate of 613.42, places it in 13th place behind Pomona and its property crime rate of 2,121.84, places it in 18th place behind Salinas.
What do residents of Inglewood say about its safety
"It may look and feel unsafe to someone not from LA, but its not bad really, there are a lot worse places."
"Inglewood is mostly black. However I am white and never felt unsafe in Inglewood."
"If you are a high-maintenance individual who grew up in a large suburban home in a fancy neighborhood, you may feel uncomfortable."
"As a 5 year resident of Inglewood. I never had any problems. I’m sure parts of Inglewood may not be the greatest, but my area on the west side of Inglewood is well maintained and safe."
"There are a several areas of Inglewood that are run down and unsightly, but nothing I’d describe as really unsafe."
"The further east of Inglewood you go, the sketchier it gets."
"Not the best area, but certainly not the worst."
"Inglewood is pretty safe. There are still some rough area, but the city is slowly getting gentrified."
"Inglewood isn’t as rough as people think it is."
"I was born and raised in Inglewood and it’s getting a lot better. There is a lot of investement in the city because of the new stadium and the revitalization of The Forum. Gentrification is in full effect."
Your Safety While Attending An Event At The Forum Or SoFi Stadium
If you are planning on attending an event at The Forum or SoFi, here are some tips to help you have a safer visit:
The area around the Forum is historically sketchy. However, if you are attending a concert it’s pretty safe due to police presence and because it is crowded. Just don’t go wandering around the area outside of the parking lot.
It is NOT the kind of area I would suggest you be in alone after dark.
Do not walk more than two blocks away from the Forum. It is best not to go exploring the area on foot. Uber/Lyft/drive/carpool in and out.
Don’t try to walk somewhere after the show to find food and drink. It’s better idea to go to one of the touristy areas to eat. The Santa Monica and Wilshire areas all have great options for food and drinks.
Travel in groups, the more the merrier. Avoid areas where there aren’t a lot of people. Avoid walking through alleys and unlit areas.
Is Inglewood safe at night?
Inglewood is not safe at night, especially for a tourist who doesn’t know the layout of the area. It is especially unsafe in the neighborhoods of Inglewood where gang life is still very active.
Driving tour of Inglewood:
Is it safe to visit alone?
Inglewood can be a safe place to visit alone if you visit during the daytime and avoid wandering around the neighborhoods.
Is Inglewood Safe To Visit?
It seems that Inglewood has an unfair reputation for being an unsafe city. If you look at the crime statistics it will tell you that Inglewood is a moderately safe place to visit. Its violent crime rate is not concerning and is on par with cities like Boston, Seattle, Aurora and Pittsburgh.
If you talk to the residents of the city, many say that while there are sketchy area, its fairly safe for the most part.
If you are thinking about visiting the city, we recommend that you visit during the daytime, as parts of the city can get sketchy at night.
Quick Facts About Inglewood:
Inglewood, California
United States
Population estimates, July 1, 2019, (V2019)
108,151
328,239,523
Population estimates base, April 1, 2010, (V2019)
109,649
308,758,105
Population, percent change – April 1, 2010 (estimates base) to July 1, 2019, (V2019)
-1.4%
6.3%
Veterans, 2015-2019
4,267
18,230,322
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019
$483,000.00
$217,500.00
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2015-2019
$2,129.00
$1,595.00
Median gross rent, 2015-2019
$1,358.00
$1,062.00
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019
76.2%
88.0%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019
21.2%
32.1%
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019
67.1%
63.0%
Median household income (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019
$54,400.00
$62,843.00
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019
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