If you are thinking about visiting Mesa 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 Mesa, AZ safe?
Although Mesa has a spotty reputation among residents of the Phoenix area, if you just look at the statistics, Mesa is a safe city. In 2021, Mesa had a violent crime rate of 395.51 per 100,000 residents, which is on par with the national average and similar to cities like Austin, San Jose and El Paso. Out of the 100 most populous cities in the United States, Mesa’s had the 29th lowest crime rate.
Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Mesa’s crime rate
Mesa Crime Rates And Crime Stats
The most recent, complete set of crime statistics comes from the FBI UCR and cross referenced with the Mesa Police Department and are for 2020 and 2021:
Mesa police reported a total of 11,945 offenses in 2021, compared with 11,745 in 2020, which is a 2% year-over-year increase.
|
2020 |
2021 |
% Change |
Homicide |
19 |
24 |
26% |
Rape |
240 |
274 |
14% |
Robbery |
378 |
322 |
-15% |
Aggravated Assaults |
1,334 |
1,395 |
5% |
VIOLENT CRIME TOTALS |
1,971 |
2,015 |
2% |
Burglary |
1,599 |
1,365 |
-15% |
Larceny |
7,137 |
7,471 |
5% |
Motor Vehicle Theft |
1,016 |
1,058 |
4% |
Arson |
22 |
36 |
64% |
PROPERTY CRIME TOTALS |
9,774 |
9,930 |
2% |
TOTAL CRIME |
11,745 |
11,945 |
2% |
Violent Crime Rate
In 2021 Mesa reported 2,015 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 395.51 per 100,000 residents. Mesa’s violent crime rate is 1% less than the national average.
Year over year violent crime increased 2%.
You have a 1 in 253 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Mesa.
Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.
Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended in Mesa in the last 11 years.
Property Crime Rate
In 2021 Mesa reported 9,930 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 1,949.07 per 100,000 residents. Mesa’s property crime rate is on par with the national average.
Year over year property crime increased 2%.
You have a 1 in 51 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Mesa.
Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
Murder Rate
In 2021 Mesa reported 24 murders and had a murder rate of 4.71 per 100,000 residents. Mesa’s murder rate is 27% less than the national average.
You have a 1 in 21,228 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Mesa.
Areas to avoid in Mesa, AZ
The sketchiest part of Mesa is west-Mesa, in the area that is bounded north of the 60, east of the 101, west of the 87 and south of the 202. The area is outlined in red in the map below.
Mesa vs Other Cities In Arizona (2020)
Here’s a graph showing you the violent crime rates of the 10 most populous cities in Arizona. Mesa’s violent crime rate ranked 5th highest among all cities
City |
Population |
Violent Crime Rate |
1,608,139 |
848.56 |
|
542,629 |
708.22 |
|
Tempe |
180,587 |
609.12 |
Glendale |
248,325 |
452.23 |
Mesa |
504,258 |
388.69 |
Peoria |
190,985 |
246.62 |
Chandler |
275,987 |
196.75 |
Scottsdale |
241,361 |
194.73 |
Surprise |
143,148 |
146.00 |
Gilbert |
267,918 |
106.00 |
Mesa’s Crime Rate Comparison
Here’s a list of the top 23 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Mesa had a significantly lower crime rate than all cities listed below.
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 |
Mesa | 509,475 | 395.51 |
Is Downtown Mesa safe?
Downtown Mesa used to be a rough area that was just filled with motels that were popular with drug addicts and transients, but it has been going through a revival over the past decade and has seen an influx of investment and attractions including museums, arts centers, theaters, an amphitheater, restaurants, breweries and much more.
It is generally a safe area during the day and at night, as the area is well populated, with everything being in walking distance of each other.
Is the public transportation in Mesa, AZ safe?
The public transportation system in Mesa is handled by the Valley Metro, which offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city.
The Metro is generally a safe option to use during normal commuting hours (6am – 7pm). Outside these hours, we recommend that you find a different mode of transportation.
Is Mesa, AZ safe at night?
Mesa is generally a safe city at night as long as you avoid the sketchy areas. 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.
What do residents of Mesa say about it’s safety?
- North West Mesa is sketchy. There are lots of drugs and crime in the area. The light rail makes it worse because transients and trouble makers congregate and spend the day going back and forth on the trains. South West Mesa is on the decline, but not as bad as north-west. Central Mesa is not bad and east Mesa is probably the safest area.
- Mesa is a patchwork of neighborhoods that run the gamut from sketchy to safe.
- The sketchy neighborhoods in the Mesa is like Mayberry compared to Compton, South Side Chicago and Baltimore.
- Relative to other major cities around the country, Mesa is tame. There are pockets of areas that you probably don’t want to be walking around in the middle of the night, but you should have any problems spotting those areas.
- Mesa is a nice place. There are some poorer pockets, but not as big and bad as some people make it out to be.
- Avoid west Mesa, the area north of the 60 fwy and just east of the 101 fwy. East and North East Mesa is the better part of town.
- Mesa is a suburb of Phoenix and some of it is undesirable just like any other city, but is fine for the most part.
- Mesa is the ghetto of Phoenix.
- Generally speaking, The further east you go, the better it gets. The most ghetto part of Mesa is generally the areas along the 101 between the 202 and the 60. Aside from that, it’s a great place to live.
Tips to stay safe while visiting Mesa, AZ
- Research the city before you arrive. Figure out what areas are good and which are sketchy and plan your trip with this knowledge
- Avoid walking through the sketchy areas (west Mesa) at night.
- Always be aware of your surroundings. Continuously scan the area for any dangers that might be present.
- Don’t leave valuables in your car. Carry valuables with your or hide it in the trunk.
- Don’t engage with homeless or erratic people. Don’t make eye contact and keep walking.
- You do not need to be polite with anyone making you feel uncomfortable. Walk to the other side of the street. Sit in another train car.
- Trust your intuition. Remove yourself from a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Facts about Mesa, AZ
- The population of Mesa in 2021 was 509,475.
- The city covers a land area of 138.79 sq mi.
- The median age was 32 years old.
- 89.9% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 28.1% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
- The median income for a household in the city was $61,640. The per capita income for the city was $30,903.
- 13.3% of the population live below the poverty line.
- The median home value in Mesa is $450K in 2022.
- In 2022, the average rent for a Mesa 2-bedroom apartment is $1,703.
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