Is Salt Lake City Safe? [2022 Crime Rates And Crime Stats]

If you are thinking about visiting Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City really is.

Is Salt Lake City Safe?

Salt Lake City has an elevated crime rate and is a slightly unsafe city. In 2021, Salt Lake City reported 1,983 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 989.14 per 100,000 people.

Salt Lake City violent crime rate is 23% greater than the national average and is comparable to cities like Atlanta and Denver.

Salt Lake City’s crime rate vs other cities in Utah (2021)

Salt Lake City Crime Stats

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

	2020	2021	Percent Change
Homicide	17	16	-6%
Rape	285	312	9%
Robbery	487	436	-10%
Aggravated Assault	1,085	1,219	12%
VIOLENT CRIMES TOTAL	1,874	1,983	6%
Burglary	1,548	1,631	5%
Larceny/Theft	11,148	10,291	-8%
Motor Vehicle Theft	2,198	2,124	-3%
Arson	68	64	-6%
PROPERTY CRIMES TOTAL	14,962	14,110	-6%
TOTALS	16,836	16,093	-4%

*All data is from the FBI UCR and cross Referenced with the Salt Lake City Police Department*

Salt Lake City Crime Rates

Violent Crime Rate

In 2021 Salt Lake City reported 1,983 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 989.14 per 100,000 people.

Year over year violent crime has increased by 6%.
You have a 1 in 101 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Salt Lake City.

*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.

Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended in Salt Lake City over a 12 year period. Violent crime peaked in 2021.

Murder Rate

In 2021, Salt Lake City reported 16 murders and had a murder rate of 7.98 per 100,000 people. Salt Lake City’s murder rate is 23% higher than the national average.

Year over year murder has decreased by 6%.
You have a 1 in 12,530 chance of becoming a victim of murder in Salt Lake City.

Here’s a graph showing you how murders has trended in Salt Lake City over a 12 year period. Murders peaked in 2020 when 17 murders were reported.

Property Crime Rate

In 2021 Salt Lake City reported 14,110 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 7,038.18 per 100,000 people. Salt Lake City’s property crime rate is more than 3x the national average.

Year over year property crime in Salt Lake City has decreased by 6%.
You have a 1 in 14 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Salt Lake City.

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

*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.

What do residents say about the safety of Salt Lake City?

Stay away from the homeless shelters and pioneer park and you should be fine.
Salt Lake City is just like any city with good areas and not so good areas.
Avoid Pioneer Park at night. There is a concentrated amount of drug addicts and homeless people who hang out there.
We have a huge property crime issue in SLC. Volent crime seems less prevalent.
I have lived in downtown for a few years now and I’ve had a knife pulled on me and some deranged guy chase me unprovoked. I’ll carry pepper spray most nights now.
In my 3 years living near downtown, I’ve had a knife pulled on me and the guy chase me for 3 blocks unprovoked. I’ll carry protection most nights now.
I lived in Salt Lake for a good decade of my life and I have never felt unsafe in the city. However you should avoid some areas like Pioneer Park when the sun goes down, unless you want to see rampant drug use.

Is Downtown Salt Lake City safe?

Downtown Salt Lake City is generally a safe area. Avoid straying too far west and south (Rio Grande), as the area is a bit sketchy.

A good rule of thumb is to walk east toward the mountains and avoid walking west, away from the mountains.

Another thing to keep in mind is there is a fair share of homeless people in the downtown area and some of them may be mentally ill. They are harmeless for the most part, but you should avoid engaging with them and you should always keep an eye on your surroundings.

Is the public transportation of Salt Lake City safe?

The public transportation system in Salt Lake City is handled by UTA and it offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city. The UTA is generally safe to use during the commuting hours (7am – 7pm), however we do not recommend that you use it late at night. You should opt for a ride sharing service or cab outside those hours.

In Salt Lake City, the downtown area is actually a free fare zone, where public transit is free of charge within a specified vicinity.

Is Salt Lake City safe at night?

Salt Lake City is generally safe at night as long as you avoid walking through the bad areas mentioned above. At night we recommend that you take a few extra precautions by staying in well populated places, not straying off the beaten path and not walking by yourself.

Tips to stay safe while visiting Salt Lake City

Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t get lost in your phone while walking around.
Thoroughly research the city before you arrive. Figure out the good and bad parts of the city and adjust your travels accordingly.
Walk with confidence and purpose. Criminals like to target people who look lost and are unsure of themselves.
Save the sightseeing for the daytime and stay out of the sketchy neighborhoods at night.
Park in lighted/high traffic areas when possible. Don’t leave anything of value in your car or in plain sight in your car.
Don’t walk by yourself at night. Stay in well populated areas. Avoid walking through alleys and desolate areas at night.

Facts about Salt Lake City

The population of Salt Lake City in 2021 was 298,263.
The median income for a household in the city was $63,156. The per capita income for the city was $39,126.
90% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 48.7% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
15.2% of the population live below the poverty line.
The median home value in Salt Lake City is $560K in 2022.
In 2022, the average rent for a Salt Lake City 2-bedroom apartment is $1,600.
The median age in the city is 30 years old.