Is Glendale, CA Safe? (Crime Rate And Crime Stats)

Located 10 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles and nestled between Burbank and Pasadena, Glendale is a quiet suburb in the valley that goes under the radar of most travelers. While it doesn’t have the glitz, glamour and bustle of its over the hill counterparts, it does off a fair share of attractions including the Americana shopping center, the Galleria Mall and the many shops and restaurants that line Brand Blvd.

If you are thinking about visiting Glendale and have qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered. We deep dived into the statistics, crime rates and talked to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe the safe the city really is.

Is Glendale, CA safe?

Statistically speaking, Glendale is a moderately safe city as indicated by its crime rates. In 2021, Glendale had a violent crime rate of 114.37 per 100,000 residents, which is 71% less than the national average. Glendale’s crime rate is one of the lowest crime rates for a city of its size and is on par with cities like Burbank, Irvine and Temecula.

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

Glendale, CA Crime Rates And Crime Stats

The most recent, complete set of crime statistics comes from the FBI UCR and cross referenced with the Glendale PD and are for 2019 and 2020:

Glendale police reported a total of 3,585 offenses in 2021, compared with 3,422 in 2020, which is a 4 percent year-over-year decrease.

CRIME REPORTS	2020	2021	Percentage Change
Homicide	3	1	-67%
Rape	14	15	7%
Robbery	88	113	28%
Aggravated Assault	102	91	-11%
VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL	207	220	6%
Burglary	407	418	3%
Auto Theft	433	493	14%
Auto Burglary (Larceny)	452	403	-11%
Grand Theft (Larceny)	560	767	37%
Petty Theft (Larceny)	1,348	1,265	-6%
Arson	15	19	27%
PROPERTY CRIMES TOTAL	3,215	3,365	5%
CRIME TOTALS	3,422	3,585	5%

Violent Crime Rate

In 2021 Glendale reported 220 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 114.37 per 100,000 residents. Glendale’s violent crime rate is 71% less than the national average.

Year over year violent crime increased 6%.

You have a 1 in 874 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Glendale.

Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.

Property Crime Rate

In 2021 Glendale reported 3,365 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 1,749.27 per 100,000 residents. Glendale’s property crime rate is nearly 11% less than the national average.

Year over year property crime increased 5%.

You have a 1 in 57 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Glendale.

Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

Murder Rate

In 2021 Glendale reported 1 murders and had a murder rate of 0.52 per 100,000 residents. Glendale murder rate is 92% less than the national average.

You have a 1 in 65,514 chance of becoming a victim of murder in Glendale.

Glendale’s crime rate vs other cities in California (2020)

Here’s how Glendale’s crime rate compared to other cities in California. Glendale had the lowest crime rate of all cities listed.

	Population	Violent Crime Rate (2020)
Oakland	440,646	1,347.34
Stockton	320,804	1,254.04
Los Angeles	3,898,747	727.39
Sacramento	524,943	675.69
Fresno	542,107	656.70
San Francisco	873,965	556.89
Long Beach	466,742	501.99
Bakersfield	403,455	497.45
San Jose	1,013,240	431.78
San Diego	1,386,932	382.35
Anaheim	346,824	357.82
Glendale	196,543	114.37

Glendale’s Crime Rate Comparison

Here’s a list of the top 23 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Glendale’s violent crime rate is 28 times less than Monroe, Louisiana, the most dangerous city on the list.

City	Population	Violent Crime Rate per 100,000 people
Monroe	47,702	2,932.79
Memphis	633,104	2,418.24
Atlantic City	38,497	2,335.25
Saginaw	44,202	2,327.95
Detroit	639,111	2,248.44
St. Louis	301,578	1,995.17
Alexandria	45,275	1,877.42
Pine Bluff	41,253	1,808.35
Little Rock	202,591	1,805.11
Milwaukee	577,222	1,733.13
South Bend	103,453	1,706.09
Cleveland	372,624	1,689.10
Camden	71,791	1,632.52
Birmingham	200,733	1,577.22
Kansas City	508,090	1,558.58
Baltimore	585,708	1,460.11
Albuquerque	564,559	1,406.41
Chattanooga	181,099	1,382.67
San Bernardino	222,101	1,365.59
New Orleans	383,997	1,358.08
Oakland	440,646	1,347.34
Glendale	196,543	114.37

Is Downtown Glendale safe?

Downtown Glendale (Brand blvd) is a safe area during the day and at night. There is usually a good amount of people and police around. The only thing you really have to worry about are reckeless drivers who speed and avoid traffic signs. Make sure you look both ways before you cross the street and give the intersection light a second or two when it turns green before you walk.

Is the public transportation in Glendale, CA safe?

The public transportation system in Glendale is handled by the Glendale Beeline, which offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city.

The Beeline bus is generally a safe option to use during normal commuting areas (6am – 7pm). Outside of those hours, we recommend that you take a taxi or use a ride sharing service to get around town.

Is Glendale, CA safe at night?

Glendale is generally a safe city at night. There are little to no areas that would be considered dangerous. However that doesn’t mean you should throw all caution to the wind.

At night you should always stay in well populated areas and avoid walking through alleys or desolate areas. As a woman you should also avoid walking far distance by yourself at night.

Is Glendale safe for a solo traveler?

Glendale is safe for all travelers, including female solo travelers!

If you visit Glendale alone you’ll be plenty safe if you practice common sense when it comes to safety (i.e. avoid walking alone at night, locking up your vehicles, and keeping an eye on your things belongings).

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

I’ve lived here for quite some time and I’ve always felt that Glendale is a hidden gem of safety. There’s really no bad areas in Glendale, not that I can think of.
Me and my husband have lived in Glendale for nearly 10 years and it’s a spectacular place safety-wise. I have never felt in danger or have been scared to walk at night.
I have lived in Glendale for nearly 4 decades and the only area that is remotely sketchy is the area south of Colorado blvd and even then, it’s not that bad. Glendale is a great city. There are a lot of families and friendly people who live here.
Look at the stats, Glendale is one of the safest cities in Los Angeles County. Also, check out how many people walk around town with their kids at night. That says a lot.
Glendale is very safe. Never been a victim of crime nor do I know anyone that lives here who’s been a victim. It’s very quiet when it comes to crime.
Very very safe. A great place to raise a family. As you travel further south and into Highland Park, you might encounter some crime.
Glendale is pretty safe. It has it’s own police force like Burbank and the police are responsive and efficient in dealing with crime and riff-raff.
There is very little crime here. The only thing you have to worry about are the drivers. There are a lot of dummies who like to speed in their souped up cars.
I have lived in Downtown, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, North Hollywood and Glendale is by far the safest city. I have never felt in danger.

Tips to stay safe while visiting Glendale, CA

Make sure you always pay attention of your surrounding. Scan the area that you are walking. Watch out for anything that may pose a threat. Don’t bury yourself in your phone.
Be vigilant about your belongings. Don’t leave anything of value in your car or in plain sight in your car. If you can’t carry it with you. Leave it in the trunk.
Don’t walk around desolate areas at night and especially by yourself. Stay in areas that are well populated.

Facts about Glendale, CA

The population of Glendale in 2021 was 192,366 and is the 24 most populous city in California.
The city covers a land area of 30.47 sq mi.
The median age was 41 years.
88.0% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 41.6% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
The median income for a household in the city was $70,596. The per capita income for the city was $39,087.
13.9% of the population live below the poverty line.
The median home value in Glendale is $1.2M in 2022.
In 2022, the average rent for a Glendale 2-bedroom apartment is $2,800.