Located 30 miles north of Downtown San Diego, Escondido is a hidden gem that is often overlooked on a travelers itinerary. While it doesn’t offer the costal beauty of neighboring cities, it location is nestle among beautiful wildlife and foothills. There are a plethora of things to see and do here and is a great retreat from the hustle and bustle of a fast city.
If you are thinking about visiting Escondido 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 Escondido, CA safe?
Statistically speaking, Escondido is a moderately safe city as indicated by its crime rates. In 2021, Escondido had a violent crime rate of 361.73 per 100,000 residents, which is 71% less than the national average. Escondido’s crime rate is on par with cities like Anaheim, San Diego and San Jose.
Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Escondido’s crime rate
Escondido Crime Rates And Crime Stats
The most recent, complete set of crime statistics comes from the FBI UCR and cross referenced with the Escondido PD and are for 2020 and 2021:
Escondido police reported a total of 3,204 offenses in 2021, compared with 3,291 in 2020, which is a 3 percent year-over-year decrease.
CRIME REPORTS |
2020 |
2021 |
Percentage Change |
Homicide |
5 |
3 |
-40% |
Rape |
51 |
27 |
-47% |
Robbery |
118 |
140 |
19% |
Aggravated Assault |
395 |
375 |
-5% |
VIOLENT CRIME TOTAL |
569 |
545 |
-4% |
Burglary |
400 |
330 |
-18% |
Larceny/Theft |
1865 |
1732 |
-7% |
Auto Theft |
434 |
567 |
31% |
Arson |
23 |
30 |
30% |
PROPERTY CRIMES TOTAL |
2,722 |
2,659 |
-2% |
CRIME TOTALS |
3,291 |
3,204 |
-3% |
Violent Crime Rate
In 2021 Escondido reported 545 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 361.73 per 100,000 residents. Escondido’s violent crime rate is 9% less than the national average.
Year over year violent crime decreased 4%.
You have a 1 in 276 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Escondido.
Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.
Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended in Escondido in the last 12 years.
Property Crime Rate
In 2021 Escondido reported 2,659 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 1,764.84 per 100,000 residents. Escondido’s property crime rate is nearly 10% less than the national average.
Year over year property crime decreased 2%.
You have a 1 in 57 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Escondido.
Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
Murder Rate
In 2021 Escondido reported 3 murders and had a murder rate of 1.99 per 100,000 residents. Escondido murder rate is 69% less than the national average.
You have a 1 in 50,222 chance of becoming a victim of murder in Escondido.
Escondido Crime Map
Here’s a map showing you all the locations of violent crime in Escondido from 6/12/2021 – 6/12/2022 via My Neighborhood Update.
Escondido’s crime rate vs other cities in California (2020)
Here’s how Escondido’s crime rate compared to other cities in California. Escondido had a similar crime rate to Anaheim and San Diego.
|
Population |
Violent Crime Rate |
440,646 |
1,347.34 |
|
320,804 |
1,254.04 |
|
3,898,747 |
727.39 |
|
524,943 |
675.69 |
|
542,107 |
656.70 |
|
873,965 |
556.89 |
|
466,742 |
501.99 |
|
403,455 |
497.45 |
|
1,013,240 |
431.78 |
|
1,386,932 |
382.35 |
|
Escondido | 150,665 | 361.73 |
346,824 |
357.82 |
Escondido’s Crime Rate Comparison
Here’s a list of the top 23 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Escondido’s violent crime rate is 8 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 |
Escondido | 150,665 | 361.73 |
Is Downtown Escondido safe?
Downtown El Segundo (Grand Ave) is generally a safe area during the day and at night. There are a lot of shop and restaurants in walking distance of each other and there is usually a good amount of people and police around.
We recommend that you stay within the bounds of the downtown area at night. The area just outside of downtown can get a little sketchy.
Is the public transportation in Escondido, CA safe?
The public transportation system in Escondido is handled by the BREEZE bus system, which offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city.
The BREEZE 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 Escondido, CA safe at night?
Escondido is generally a safe city at night. At night you should always stay in well populated areas and avoid walking through alleys or desolate areas. And as a woman you should also avoid walking far distance by yourself at night.
Is Escondido safe for a solo traveler?
Escondido is safe for all travelers, including female solo travelers!
If you visit Escondido 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 Escondido say about it’s safety?
- Escondido has good and bad areas. The east and west sides of the city are the rougher parts of the city. Northern Escondido has the better neighborhoods.
- The best areas of Escondido are the northern and southern parts.
- I’ve have lived in Escondido my whole life and like any city there are good and bad areas. I think I’d avoid living near downtown.
- A good rule of thumb is to avoid areas with flower/tree named streets. Avoid, Aster st.That’s gangland.
- Generally speaking, the further out you are from the center of town, the better the area.
- Escondido is fairly safe. Just avoid the east side, which is a hotbed for gang activity.
- I have lived here most my life and there are not too many places that need to be avoided. Just stay aware of your surroundings and use some streets smarts and you should be fine.
Tips to stay safe while visiting Escondido, CA
- Always be aware of your surroundings. Always scan the area around you while walking.
- Stay in well populated and well-lit areas at night. Don’t walk through alleys and don’t walk through deserted blocks.
- Don’t leave anything of value in your car. Make your car as untempting as possible to thieves.
- Plan out your routes beforehand. Make sure you know how to get to your destination and make sure you know how to get back.
- Don’t engage with homeless people. Just avoid them and keep walking.
Facts about Escondido, CA
(Queen Califa’s Magical Circle)
- The population of Escondido in 2021 was 150,665 and is the 24 most populous city in California.
- The city covers a land area of 37.34 sq mi.
- The median age was 32.5 years.
- 79.7% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 24.6% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
- The median income for a household in the city was $65,326. The per capita income for the city was $29,557.
- 13.9% of the population live below the poverty line.
- The median home value in Escondido is $850,000 in 2022.
- In 2022, the average rent for a Escondido 2-bedroom apartment is $2,499.
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