Is Arlington, Texas Safe? (2021 Crime Rates And Crime Statistics)

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

We are going to deep dive into crime rates, crime statistics, crime maps, crime graphs and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe Arlington really is.

What is Arlington, TX crime rate?

In 2021, Arlington had a crime rate of 567.44 per 100,000 people, which is 1.4 times greater than the national average. It’s property crime rate of 2,572.61 per 100,000 people is 1.3 times greater than the national average.

Arlington’s crime rate breakdown

Violent Crime Rate

In 2021, Arlington reported 2,254 violent crimes: 19 homicides, 335 rapes, 265 robberies and 1,635 aggravated assaults.

Year over year violent crime has increased by 5%.

Arlington violent crime rate of 567.44 is similar to Austin, Portland and Fort Worth.

Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended over the last 12 years in Arlington:

Violent crime in Arlington has been steadily increasing since 2018.

*Violent crimes includes; 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.

Murder Rate

In 2021, Arlington reported 19 murders and had a murder rate of 4.78 per 100,000 people.

Year over year murders has decreased by 17.4%

Arlington’s murder rate is 26% less than the national average.

Here’s a graph showing you how homicides has trended over the last 12 years in Arlington:

Property Crime Rate

In 2021 Arlington reported 6,894 property crimes: 1,240 burglaries, 7,650 larcenies and 1,329 motor vehicle thefts.

Year over year property crime in Arlington has decreased by 1%.

Arlington property crime rate of 2,572.61 is similar to Los Angeles, Irving and Anaheim.

Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended over the last 12 years in Arlington:

Property crime in Arlington has been steadily decreasing over the last 12 years.

*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.

How are Arlington’s crime rates calculated?

Crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.

For example, in 2021 there were 19 murders in Arlington and the population was 397,223. This equals a murder rate of 4.78 per 100,000 residents.

Arlington’s crime rate vs other cities in Texas (2020 Crime Rates)

Here’e how Arlington’s crime rate compared to other cities in Texas. Arlington has one of the lowest crime rates in all of Texas.

	Population	Violent Crime Rate (2020)
Houston	2,304,580	1,278.93
Lubbock	257,141	1,109.12
Dallas	1,304,379	882.72
Corpus Christi	317,863	872.07
San Antonio	1,434,625	784.32
Fort Worth	918,915	547.28
Arlington	394,266	543.29
Austin	961,855	485.62
El Paso	678,815	319.23
Splendora	2,300	260.87
Plano	285,494	158.32
Groesbeck	4,268	140.58
Arlington	142,210	86.49
Sachse	27,103	59.03
Fulshear	16,856	17.80

Arlington, TX vs The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States (2020 Crime Rates)

Here’s a list of the top 19 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Arlington’s violent crime rate is 4.3 times less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.

Arlington, TX Crime Stats (2021)

Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 compared to 2021:

	2021	2021	% Change
Murder	23	19	-17.4%
Rape	242	335	38.4%
Robbery	361	265	-26.6%
Aggravated Assault	1,514	1,635	8.0%
VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL	2,140	2,254	5.3%
Burglary	1,211	1,240	2.4%
Theft	7,796	7,650	-1.9%
Motor Vehicle Theft	1,264	1,329	5.1%
PROPERTY CRIME TOTAL	10,271	10,219	-0.5%
TOTAL CRIME	12,411	12,473	0.5%

*All data is from the Arlington Police Department and cross referenced with the FBI UCR*

How much has crime increased in Arlington, TX?

In 2021, Arlington reported 12,473 total crimes, which is a 0.5% increase over 2020.

In 2021, Arlington reported 2,254 violent crimes, which is a 5.3% increase over 2020.

In 2021, Arlington reported 19 murders, which is a 17.4% decrease over 2020.

In 2021, Arlington reported 10,219 property crimes, which is a 0.5% decrease over 2020.

Most dangerous neighborhoods in Arlington, TX

Here’s a map showing you the roughest parts of Arlington according to residents. East of Collins, South of 30 and North of 20. There are a few good pocket in this area but all the “bad” neighborhoods are contained by these boundaries.

Is Downtown Arlington safe?

Downtown Arlington is generally a safe area to visit day and night. The downtown area has plenty of good options for restaurants, bars, shopping and other civic places to visit, as well as the University of Texas at Arlington nearby.

Is the public transportation in Arlington safe?

Arlington is the largest city in America without a mass transit system. It does not have a bus system nor a rail system. Residents of the city have voted down measures to create mass transit three times.

With that in mind, Arlington is not a very walkable city as everything is quite spaced out. Your best bet is to drive or use a ride sharing service to get around the city.

Is Arlington safe at night?

Arlington is generally safe at night as long as you avoid the problem areas. Be aware that streets and squares that are perfectly safe to visit in the daytime can be questionable and sketchy at night.

You should also stay in well lit and populated places at night and avoid walking through desolate areas.

Is Arlington safe from tornadoes?

Arlington is not completely safe from tornadoes and is slightly susceptible to them.

Most recently, in Nov of 2020, a tornadoes swept through Arlington and damaged several apartment complexes and other buildings. The tornado also displaced 75 families from their homes.

The peak of tornado season in Texas is May and June, but they can form any time of the year.

What do residents of Arlington say about it’s safety?

"Arlington is generally a safe city. East Arlington is probably the most dangerous area."
"Arlington is a very nice place to live in general. Southeast and Southwest Arlington tend to be the rougher areas."
"I have lived in Arlington since the 80s and I have never felt unsafe living here."
"I was born and raised in Arlington and most the city is pretty normal."
"Arlington doesn’t have the kind of crime dallas and Forth Worth has. There’s a small region that I would avoid walking at night but other than that, the city is pretty safe."
"The east side is a little ghetto but it’s not that bad. I have lived here since I was a little kid and yeah there’s some sketchy areas but not on the level of Houston or Dallas and certainly not Detroit. I can’t really think of a place I would avoid in Arlington."
"Arlington has its problems like every city but is by no means a dump or unsafe. Don’t listen to the older residents about how it used to be. They bitch about literally everything."

Tips to stay safe while visiting Arlington, TX

Do your research before you visit. Figure out what areas and good and what areas are bad. Plan your trip accordingly.
Never drive by Cowboy stadium on a football Sunday, regardless of what time the game is. Also avoid 360 and 30 the first hour before and after Cowboy games.
Don’t be a walking advertisement. Leave all your expensive jewelry, clothing and accessories at home.
Save the sight seeing for the daytime. Walking around the city aimlessly at night is not a great idea.

Is Arlington, TX safe?

Statistically speaking, Arlington is a safe city. It’s violent crime rate and property crime rate are not indicative of an unsafe city and many residents agree that Arlington is fairly safe.

Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Arlington’s crime rate:

Facts about Arlington, TX

The population of Arlington in 2021 is 397,223 and is the 50th most populous city in the United States.
The city covers a land area of 95.84 square miles.
The median age in the city is 32 years old.
85.2% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 30.3% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,571. The per capita income for the city was $28,484.
14.6% of the population live below the poverty line.
The median home value in Arlington is $320,000 in 2022.
In 2022, the average rent for a Arlington 2-bedroom apartment is $1374.