F
92%
Total crime NAT. AVG.
17%
Violent crime NAT. AVG.
107%
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 peopleEl Cerrito/100k peopleCalifornia/100k peopleNational/100k people
Total crime1,150n/a (estimate)4,4722,8432,324
Murder1n/a3.95.76.3
Rape1n/a3.937.440.0
Robbery60n/a233.3123.566.1
Assault49n/a190.5332.8268.2
Violent crime111n/a (estimate)432500370
Burglary104n/a404.4371.9269.8
Theft791n/a3,075.71,499.31,401.9
Vehicle theft144n/a559.9471.9282.7
Property crime1,039n/a (estimate)4,0402,3431,954

An Overview of Crime Rates in El Cerrito, CA

When we analyze the latest crime report, the El Cerrito crime rate is 92.4% higher than the national average. These incidents are classified into two primary categories: violent and property crimes. Violent crimes include assault, robbery, rape and murder. Whereas property crimes encompass theft, vehicle theft and burglary. In the case of El Cerrito, there were 111 reported violent crimes, equivalent to 432 per 100,000 individuals, 16.7% higher than the national average. Additionally, El Cerrito recorded 1039 property crimes, amounting to 4040 per 100,000 residents, 106.7% higher than the U.S. average.

In El Cerrito, the crime rate stands at 4472 per 100,000 residents, surpassing the national average by 92.39%. This places the city among those with some of the highest total crime rates nationwide. However, it's important to recognize that this doesn't imply that the entire city is unsafe. As with any urban area, there are neighborhoods in El Cerrito that exhibit varying levels of safety, emphasizing the need for localized crime prevention efforts and community involvement to create a safe environment across the entire city.

El Cerrito faces some of the nation's most elevated property crime rates, recording 4040 incidents per 100,000 people. This places the city among the worst 10% of all U.S. cities that reported crime. Regrettably, the likelihood of falling victim to property crime in El Cerrito stands at 1 in 25, significantly surpassing the national average. These statistics underscore the imperative need for bolstered community safety measures to mitigate property crimes and enhance the well-being of its residents.

Vehicle thefts across all of America are on the rise and El Cerrito has one of the highest vehicle theft rates in the country. In the most recent crime report, El Cerrito reported 144 vehicle thefts, which equates to 560 stolen vehicles per 100,000 people. This falls in the bottom 10% of all cities, meaning that 90% of cities have better vehicle theft rates. The chance of having your vehicle stolen in El Cerrito is 1 in 179.

What Do the Locals Say About Crime in El Cerrito?

What do the local residents think about crime in El Cerrito? Well, based on a recent survey of 9 people (conducted by AreaVibes), 44% of El Cerrito residents said that there was virtually no crime and that they felt safe walking at night. Another 56% of respondents said that there was too much crime in the area and they did not feel safe walking alone at night.

Is El Cerrito a Safe Place to Live?

Before you decide to relocate, it’s always good to ask yourself “Is El Cerrito a safe place to live?” Although the answer might not be that simple, as some areas are safer than others, getting a good feel for the overall rate of crime can definitely be helpful. Overall, the El Cerrito crime rate is 92% higher than the national average. If we break that down daily, that translates into 3.15 crimes per day - 0.3 violent crimes and 2.85 property crimes.

Has Crime in El Cerrito Increased Since Last Year?

Year-over-year crime rates in El Cerrito has increased by 10.1% in the last reported crime report. Comparing crime rates from one year to another offers some insight into whether or not El Cerrito 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 2.6%, while property crime has increased by 11.6%. This analysis equips individuals with crucial information for making informed decisions about living in El Cerrito.

Potential Causes for Crime in El Cerrito

The economic well-being of a city's residents plays a significant role in crime rates. High poverty rates and income inequality can lead to increased crime stats as individuals may resort to illegal activities to meet their basic needs. While lower rates could lead to a lower El Cerrito crime rate. The poverty level in El Cerrito is 8%, while the national average is 15.1%.

The level of education within a community can impact crime rates. Higher educational attainment often correlates with lower crime rates, as it provides individuals with better job opportunities and alternatives to criminal behavior. While lower educational achievement rates tend to lead to higher crime rates. In El Cerrito, 93.3% of people have completed high school, while 83% of people have completed high school nationally.

High rental costs can limit economic mobility, making it difficult for individuals to save money, invest in education, or access better job opportunities. This can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and increase the risk of involvement in criminal activities. In summary, high rental costs can create economic challenges, overcrowding, and neighborhood dynamics that may increase the likelihood of certain types of crime, particularly property crimes. In El Cerrito, the average rental rates are $2,031 per month, compared to the national average of $949.

El Cerrito crime map



The El Cerrito crime map provides a detailed overview of all crimes in El Cerrito 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 El Cerrito crime heat map offers insight into the total crimes on a block group level. Please note that the red areas on the El Cerrito 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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Crime Quick Facts

  • El Cerrito crime rates are 92% higher than the national average
  • Violent crimes in El Cerrito are 17% higher than the national average
  • In El Cerrito you have a 1 in 23 chance of becoming a victim of crime
  • El Cerrito is safer than 13% of the cities in the United States
  • Year over year crime in El Cerrito has increased by 10%

El Cerrito, CA Crime Quiz

     

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        Daily Crime In El Cerrito (per 100,000 people)

        The number of daily crimes per 100,000 residents in El Cerrito, California is displayed in the graph above. As you can see, the daily crimes for El Cerrito are 1.57 times more than the California average and 1.92 times more than the national level. Daily violent crimes in El Cerrito are 1.16 times less than than California and 1.17 times more than the national mean. While daily property crimes in El Cerrito are 1.72 times more than than California and 2.07 times more than the national average.

        How Safe is El Cerrito (higher is better)

        Compared to the other cities in California and all other cities across the US, is El Cerrito safe? From the gauges displayed above, you will notice that El Cerrito is safer than 18% of other cities in the state of California. In addition, El Cerrito is safer than 13% of cities in the entire United States. To achieve these results, all California and United States cities were analyzed to determine how many locations had a lower crime rate than El Cerrito. By studying this data, it was possible to determine that El Cerrito is below average in safety when compared with other United States cities.

        Chance of Being A Victim of Crime in El Cerrito

        The chance of being a victim of violent crime in El Cerrito is 1 in 232
        The chance of being a victim of property crime in El Cerrito is 1 in 25
        The chance of being a victim of crime in El Cerrito is 1 in 23
        Are you curious to know the likelihood of suffering from a crime in El Cerrito? If you reside in El Cerrito, the likelihood that you will become a victim of a violent crime is 1 in 232. Violent crimes include: murder, sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault. There is a 1 in 25 change that you will become a victim of a property crime. These sorts of crimes against personal property include: burglary, theft, and auto theft. In total, the likelihood of being victimized by a crime in El Cerrito, is 1 in 23.

        Year Over Year Crime In El Cerrito (per 100,000 people)

        A good indicator of whether El Cerrito is becoming a safer or a more dangerous place to live can be determined by analyzing the year over year crime rate (per 100,000 people). The number of violent crimes in El Cerrito has decreased by 2%, while the property crime rate in El Cerrito has increased by 12% year over year. The number of total crimes in El Cerrito has increased by 10% year over year.

        El Cerrito police department

        Item El Cerrito California National
        Law enforcement employees (officers & civilians)4751,506558,732
        Police officers & civilians /1000 residents1.93.63.3
        There are a total of 47 El Cerrito police officers. This results in 1.9 police officers per 1,000 residents which is 46.1% less than the California average and 40.2% less than the National average.

        Sex offenders in California

        State Total offenders California /100K National /100K
        California79,891232266
        There are a total of 79,891 sex offenders in California. This yields a total of 232 sex offenders in California per 100,000 residents which is 13% less than the national average.

        Nearby Cities With Low Crime Rates

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Black Point-Green Point, CA1,73870329399
        Acalanes Ridge, CA87570329399
        Shell Ridge, CA1,08170329399
        Castle Hill, CA1,16470329399
        Reliez Valley, CA3,32195446542
        San Miguel, CA3,25395446542
        Ross, CA2,4530690690
        El Cerrito, CA25,2804324,0404,472

        Cities with similar population

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Franklin, IN25,276821,2561,338
        Suitland, MD25,2735462,2452,791
        Salem, VA25,2901261,7321,858
        Clinton, IA25,2908633,7354,598
        Mount Pleasant, MI25,2902861,8402,125
        El Cerrito, CA25,2804324,0404,472
        Source: The El Cerrito, CA 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.