Is Baton Rouge Safe? [2022 Crime Rates And Crime Stats]

If you are thinking about visiting Baton Rouge and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.

We are going to deep dive into the statistics, look at some maps, graphs and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe Baton Rouge really is.

Is Baton Rouge, Louisiana Safe To Visit?

Statistically speaking, Baton Rouge is not the safest city to visit. In 2021, Baton Rouge had a violent crime rate of 1,189.10 per 100,000 people. Baton Rouge’s crime rate is nearly 3 times greater than the national average. Baton Rouge also registered one of the highest murder rates in the country.

Here’s a graph showing you how Baton Rouge’s crime rate compares to other major U.S. cities.

Here’s a graph showing you how Baton Rouge’s crime rate compares to the most dangerous cities in the U.S.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Crime Stats

Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 compared to 2019:

	2020	2021	Percent Change
Homicide	102	88	-14%
Rape	55	116	111%
Robbery	457	309	-32%
Aggravated Assault	1,473	2,129	45%
VIOLENT CRIME Totals	2,087	2,642	27%
Burglary	1,898	2,994	58%
Larceny	7,854	5,367	-32%
Motor Vehicle Theft	828	1,249	51%
Property Crime Totals	10,580	9,610	-10%
TOTAL CRIME	12,667	12,252	-4%

**All data is from the FBI UCR**

Baton Rouge’s Violent Crime Stats

In 2021 Baton Rouge reported 2,642 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 1,189.10 per 100,000 people.

Baton Rouge’s violent crime rate is nearly 3x greater than the national average.
Year over year violent crime has increased by 27%.
It’s violent crime rate is on par with the national average and with cities like Nashville and San Bernardino.

Here’s a graph showing you how violent crimes have trended in Baton Rouge over a 11 year period.

*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.

Baton Rouge’s Property Crime Stats

In 2021Baton Rouge reported 9,610 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 4,325.22 per 100,000 people.

Baton Rouge’s property crime rate is more than twice the national average.
Year over year property crime in Baton Rouge has decreased by 10%.

Here’s a map showing you how property crimes have trended in Baton Rouge over a 11 year period.

*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson and property crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.

Baton Rouge’s Murder Stats

In 2021, Baton Rouge reported 88 homicides and had a homicide rate of 39.61 per 100,000 people.

Baton Rouge’s murder rate is more than 6 times the national average
Baton Rouge has one of the highest murder rates in the country

Here’s a map showing you how homicides have trended in Baton Rouge over a 11 year period.

Here’s a graph showing you how Baton Rouge’s murder rate compares to other cities with high murder rates.

Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Scotlandville
Tigerland
Lobdell
Prescott
Gardere
Winbourne
Plank Rd.
Zion City
Brookstown
Mid City North

Safest Neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Brightside
Garden District
Oak Hills
Spanish Town Historic District
Goodwood
Sherwood Forest
Capital Heights

Is Downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana Safe?

Downtown Baton Rouge is generally a safe area to visit during the day time. Most of the crime in downtown is concentrated in areas immediately north of downtown, south of the 10 and east of the 110.

At night, we recommend that you don’t venture out of the immediate downtown area, stay in well populated places and don’t stray off the beaten path.

Many residents complain that downtown is not a very fun place to visit and is pretty much dead after 5pm.

Is Baton Rouge, Louisiana safe from hurricanes?

Baton Rouge is not safe from hurricanes and is susceptible to them. In fact, no parts of Louisiana is completely safe from hurricanes. The further north and northwest you go, toward Arkansas and Texas, the less severe the hurricane will be.

Hurricane season in Baton Rouge is from June 1st through November 30th and the peak of hurricane season is mid-August to mid-October. Although hurricanes can and have occurred outside this time frame.

Is it safe to visit Baton Rouge during hurricane season?

It is safe to visit Baton Rouge during hurricane season, as long as you don’t visit when a hurricane is about to hit! Fortunately there is usually adequate warning when a hurricane is brewing in the area.

Check out https://www.nhc.noaa.gov before you visit. This is your best resource for tracking and monitoring storms. Another great website to check out is https://spaghettimodels.com.

Is Baton Rouge safe from tornadoes?

Baton Rouge is not safe from tornadoes and is susceptible to them. Tornadoes in Louisiana most often occur from March to May. Baton Rouge is in the path of a tornado alley called ‘Dixie Alley‘.

Dixie Alley stretches from eastern Texas and Arkansas across Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, Georgia, and far western Kentucky to upstate South Carolina and western North Carolina.

Is the public transportation in Baton Rouge safe?

The public transportation system in Baton Rouge is handled by CATS (Capital Area Transit System). and it offers 25 fixed bus routes.

It is generally safe to use the public transportation of Baton Rouge during commuting hours (8am – 6pm), however we do not recommend that you take the bus at night. You should opt for a taxi or ride sharing service instead.

What do residents of Baton Rouge say about it’s safety?

"Avoid streets named after states and presidents "
" Avoid Tigerland at all costs.
"A good general rule of thumb is to never venture north of Florida Blvd."
"North Baton Rouge is pretty dicey, and there are a few areas around LSU I would avoid, like Tigerland."
"Anywhere north of Florida and east of I-110 you should avoid.
"Stay away from North Baton Rouge."
"Baton Rouge is patchy in the sense that there are terrible crime areas interlaced through all parts of the city."

Is Baton Rouge safe for women?

While there are no guarantees, Baton Rouge is generally safe for female solo travelers as long as you learn the layout of the city, avoid problem areas, stay in well lit/well populated areas and avoid walking by yourself at night.

Is Baton Rouge safe at night?

Baton Rouge is safe at night as long as you stay away from the sketchy neighborhoods mentioned above. You should be able to mitigate your chances of being a victim if you study the layout of the city and avoid areas where crime is high.

Streets and squares that are perfectly safe in the day can be questionable at night. Stay where the tourists go during the day and avoid any places that are outside normal pedestrian areas at night.

Is Baton Rouge’s tap water safe to drink?

The tap water in Baton Rouge, Louisiana is safe to drink. While the tap water in Baton Rouge meets the EPA health guidelines, it can still contain contaminants present in trace amounts that could potentially cause health issues over the long-run.

The biggest concern with tap water is immediately after a hurricane or tornado, which can disrupt the flow of clean water.

If you have any concerns about the tap water in Baton Rouge, we suggest that you use bottle water for your drinking needs.

Tips to stay safe while visiting Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Check the weather forecast before you arrive. Make sure you are not arriving when there is a major storm system is about to touch down on the city.
Learn the layout of the city and figure out which areas you should avoid. Book your accommodations accordingly.
Save the sight seeing for the daytime. At night the situation can drastically change in certain neighborhoods.

A Few Things You Should Do While Visiting Baton Rouge According To Locals

The Louisiana Lagniappe – Must try restaurant with delicious renditions of traditional south Louisiana cuisine (make a resservation).
The Chimes – Great southern food and great selection of beers.
Goodwood Grille – Great food and great value.
Hayride Scandal – Best place to grab a fancy cocktail.
USS KIDD Veterans Museum – A fantastic way to explore history by touring a Navy battleship.
University Lakes Trail – 4 mile loop with scenic views
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center – Great trails where you can see plenty of wildlife
Coffee Call – One of the best places to get beignets. Some say its even better than Cafe Du Monde.
Chicken Shack – Hole in the wall with really tasty fried chicken.

Quick Facts About Baton Rouge

	Baton Rouge, Louisiana	United States
Population, Census, April 1, 2020	227,470	331,449,281
Population, Census, April 1, 2010	229,493	308,745,538
Black or African American alone, percent	54.7%	13.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent	0.3%	1.3%
Asian alone, percent	3.5%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent	0.1%	0.2%
Two or More Races, percent	1.3%	2.8%
Hispanic or Latino, percent	3.7%	18.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent	36.6%	60.1%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019	$174,000.00	$217,500.00
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2015-2019	$1,330.00	$1,595.00
Median gross rent, 2015-2019	$879.00	$1,062.00
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019	88.0%	88.0%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019	33.2%	32.1%
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019	64.1%	63.0%
Median household income (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019	$44,470.00	$62,843.00
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019	$28,491.00	$34,103.00
Persons in poverty, percent	24.8%	11.4%