F
25%
Total crime NAT. AVG.
65%
Violent crime NAT. AVG.
18%
Property crime NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects the 2022 calendar year and was released from the FBI in September, 2023; this is the most current data available.
StatisticReportedincidents/100k peopleNewport News/100k peopleVirginia/100k peopleNational/100k people
Total crime5,354n/a (estimate)2,9111,9302,324
Murder31n/a16.97.36.3
Rape58n/a31.530.240.0
Robbery177n/a96.238.466.1
Assault855n/a464.9158.1268.2
Violent crime1,121n/a (estimate)610234370
Burglary337n/a183.2124.6269.8
Theft3,434n/a1,867.31,410.41,401.9
Vehicle theft462n/a251.2160.7282.7
Property crime4,233n/a (estimate)2,3021,6961,954

An Overview of Crime Rates in Newport News, VA

Crime is typically categorized into two main types: violent and property crimes. Violent crimes encompass offenses such as murder, rape, robbery, and assault, while property crimes include burglary, theft, and vehicle theft. Based on the most recent report, the Newport News crime rate is higher than the national average by 25.3%. Specifically, there were 1121 violent crimes in Newport News, equivalent to 610 per 100,000 individuals, higher than the national average by 64.8%. Furthermore, Newport News recorded 4233 property crimes, amounting to 2302 per 100,000 residents, which was higher than the average by 17.8%.

While murder rates in the United States have shown a consistent decline since 1990, recent years have witnessed an increase. Unfortunately, Newport News ranks among the cities with the highest murder rates in the nation, when compared to all reporting cities in the U.S. In Newport News, there were a total of 31 murders, translating to 17 murders per 100,000 residents. This alarming statistic underscores the need for heightened attention to community safety and crime prevention efforts in the area.

What Do the Locals Say About Crime in Newport News?

What is the prevailing sentiment among Newport News residents regarding the state of crime? A comprehensive survey conducted by AreaVibes, involving 139 respondents, sheds light on this matter. The results were as follows: 32% of Newport News residents expressed a notable sense of security, asserting that crime was virtually non-existent in their community, and they felt at ease strolling the streets after dark. While, 68% of those surveyed held a contrasting viewpoint, perceiving a higher incidence of crime, leading them to feel apprehensive about walking alone at night.

Is Newport News a Safe Place to Live?

Is Newport News a safe place to live? While the answer may not be straightforward due to variations in safety levels across the city, gaining an understanding of the overall crime rate can prove to be advantageous. In general, Newport News has a crime rate that is higher than the national average by 25%. Breaking this down on a daily basis, it translates to 14.67 daily incidents, encompassing 3.07 violent crimes and 11.6 property crimes. Evaluating these statistics can aid in forming a more informed perspective on the safety of Newport News as a potential place to call home.

Has Crime in Newport News Increased Since Last Year?

Year-over-year crime rates in Newport News has increased by 13.9% in the last reported crime report. Comparing crime rates from one year to another offers some insight into whether or not Newport News is becoming a safer or more dangerous place to live. Crime rates are categorized by violent and property crime. Year-over-year violent crime has decreased by 3.7%, while property crime has increased by 19.7%. This analysis equips individuals with crucial information for making informed decisions about living in Newport News.

Potential Causes for Crime in Newport News

The economic prosperity of a city's inhabitants exerts substantial influence on crime stats. Elevated poverty rates and income inequality can precipitate heightened criminal activity, as individuals may turn to illicit means to fulfill their fundamental requirements. While lower poverty rates could lead to lower Newport News crime rates. In Newport News, the poverty rate stands at 14.8%, diverging from the national average of 15.1%.

Limited employment opportunities or a prevalence of low-wage jobs can result in higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. Regions where individuals grapple with joblessness or meager wages may exhibit greater vulnerability to an uptick in crime due to financial instability. While areas that have strong employment rates, often will see a reduction in overall crime. Newport News, for instance, reports an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which differs from the national average of 4.7%.

Newport News has a population density of 2603.1 people per square mile, while with the national average is 90.6 people per square mile. Cities characterized by high population density are frequently larger urban centers offering diverse economic prospects. Within these areas, income inequality may be accentuated, resulting in the coexistence of poverty and affluence. Such economic disparities can contribute to elevated property crimes and on occasion, violent crimes. Conversely, areas with low population density generally record lower Newport News crime rates.

Newport News crime map



The Newport News crime map provides a detailed overview of all crimes in Newport News as reported by the local law enforcement agencies. Based on the color coded legend above, the crime map outlines the areas with lower crime compared to the areas with higher crime. The Newport News crime heat map offers insight into the total crimes on a block group level. Please note that the red areas on the Newport News crime map does not always indicate that it is a dangerous area for its residents. Areas on the heat map could be inflated if they are located in high traffic areas like airports, sports centers or large parks. Other areas on the heat map could see increased crime rates if they are located in major tourist areas like the downtown core.
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Compare Newport News, VA Crime

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      Crime Quick Facts

      • Newport News crime rates are 25% higher than the national average
      • Violent crimes in Newport News are 65% higher than the national average
      • In Newport News you have a 1 in 35 chance of becoming a victim of crime
      • Newport News is safer than 14% of the cities in the United States
      • Year over year crime in Newport News has increased by 11%

      Newport News, VA Crime Quiz

         

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        Daily Crime In Newport News (per 100,000 people)

        The above illustration depicts the number of crimes committed daily in Newport News, per 100,000 residents. In Newport News, the total number of daily crimes is 1.51 times more than the Virginia average and 1.25 times more than the national average. Violent daily crime statistics in Newport News are 2.60 times more than the Virginia average and 1.65 times more than the national average. For property crime, Newport News has a daily crime rate that is 1.36 times more than the Virginia average and 1.18 times more than the daily national average.

        How Safe is Newport News (higher is better)

        How safe is Newport News, Virginia compared to other cities in Virginia and the rest of the cities across the United States? The graphs above show that Newport News is safer than 6% of the cities in Virginia and 14% of the cities in the United States. These results are calculated by analyzing all cities in Virginia and across the US as a whole and determining how many areas have a lower crime rate than Newport News. Overall, Newport News is ranked below average compared to all other cities across the United States.

        Chance of Being A Victim of Crime in Newport News

        The chance of being a victim of violent crime in Newport News is 1 in 165
        The chance of being a victim of property crime in Newport News is 1 in 44
        The chance of being a victim of crime in Newport News is 1 in 35
        Are you at risk of becoming a victim of crime in Newport News, Virginia? If you reside in Newport News, then there is a 1 in 165 chance that you will experience a violent crime. These types of crimes may include homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault. Your risk of being a victim of property crime is 1 in 44. These types of crime include burglary, petty theft, and theft of motor vehicles. Altogether, there is a 1 in 35 risk that you will become a victim of crime in Newport News.

        Year Over Year Crime In Newport News (per 100,000 people)

        The year over year change in crime per 100,000 people helps to understand whether crime in Newport News, VA is on the rise or declining. The violent crime rate in Newport News has decreased by 6%, while the property crime rate in Newport News has increased by 16% year over year. Summing up the numbers, Newport News has increased by 11% with regards to total crimes year over year.

        Newport News police department

        Item Newport News Virginia National
        Law enforcement employees (officers & civilians)5548,827558,732
        Police officers & civilians /1000 residents3.13.23.3
        There are a total of 554 Newport News police officers. This results in 3.1 police officers per 1,000 residents which is 5.2% less than the Virginia average and 6.2% less than the National average.

        Sex offenders in Virginia

        State Total offenders Virginia /100K National /100K
        Virginia25,766352266
        There are a total of 25,766 sex offenders in Virginia. This yields a total of 352 sex offenders in Virginia per 100,000 residents which is 32% greater than the national average.

        Nearby Cities With Low Crime Rates

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Poquoson, VA12,121165479644
        Yorktown, VA28695685780
        Smithfield, VA8,4922271,0881,314
        Carrollton, VA6,3401791,2971,476
        Williamsburg, VA15,0342091,5391,748
        Gloucester Point, VA10,3732321,6791,911
        Rushmere, VA1,0012952,1392,434
        Newport News, VA179,5826102,3022,911

        Cities with similar population

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Providence, RI179,4723402,5312,872
        Santa Rosa, CA178,3913391,3591,698
        Sioux Falls, SD180,9275463,0833,629
        Ontario, CA178,1943232,1292,453
        Rancho Cucamonga, CA178,0603702,0182,389
        Newport News, VA179,5826102,3022,911
        Source: The Newport News, VA crime data displayed above is derived from the FBI's uniform crime reports for the year of 2022. The crime report encompasses more than 18,000 city and state law enforcement agencies reporting data on property and violent crimes. The uniform crime reports program represents approximately 309 million American residents, which results in 98% coverage of metropolitan statistical areas.