Mesa's two crime numbers pull in opposite directions. Property crime sits 25% below the national rate of 1,954 per 100k, while violent crime runs 27% above the 381 national average and rose 10.8% in the 2024 FBI reporting year, a trend SafeNest classifies as worsening. SafeNest ranks Mesa in the 13th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions it grades, with an overall grade of C. Schools land in the middle and vary by level: 131 rated schools average 6.1/10, high schools 6.5, middle schools 5.6, with Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies at 10.0. Arizona's 17 federal flood disaster declarations between 1966 and 2024 are state-level context, not a determination for any parcel. Read together, these are city-wide averages: the street you buy on can differ from all of them.
Crime in Mesa vs. the national average
Mesa reports 483 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 27% above the U.S. average of 381, and 1,465 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (25% below). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate rose 10.8% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as worsening.
| Mesa | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 483 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 1465 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Mesa can differ dramatically. For a specific address, a SafeNest report covers it directly — or search free in the iPhone app.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for Arizona — the state SafeNest uses for Mesa's flood context — list 17 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1966 and 2024, most recently "Flooding". Arizona has also seen 1 hurricane or tropical-storm declaration, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Mesa address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine; check FEMA's flood maps and flood-insurance requirements for that address.
Schools in Mesa
Public schools in Mesa average 6.1/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 131 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 6.5/10 on average, while middle schools average 5.6/10. The highest-scoring is Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies at 10.0/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Mesa: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Registered offender counts by distance band for any specific Mesa address are included in a SafeNest report, drawn directly from the state's public registry. The iPhone app shows that count free for any address, and maps each registrant with Premium.
Compare other cities
- Compare with Phoenix crime rate.
- Also on SafeNest: is Chandler safe?
- See also crime and safety data for Gilbert.
- Compare how safe Glendale is.
- Another city on the same data: the Scottsdale safety report.
Check a specific Mesa address
City averages are a starting point. A SafeNest report covers one specific address — crime, registered offender counts, flood and disaster history, schools, air quality, taxes — delivered by email as a PDF.
Or search any Mesa address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Mesa
Is Mesa, AZ safe?
Mesa records 483 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 27% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: C, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Mesa?
Mesa reports approximately 483 violent crimes and 1465 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Mesa have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Mesa, federal records show 17 FEMA flood disaster declarations for Arizona, most recently in 2024; a specific address may still sit inside or outside a FEMA flood zone, which SafeNest does not determine — check FEMA's flood maps for that address.
How this page was built
Every figure here comes from the same public records behind SafeNest's grading. We published the full method and what it does and doesn't support in We graded 13,216 American cities with FBI data — including where a letter grade means almost nothing. City comparisons: safest cities in Arizona.
Other city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA disaster declarations and the FEMA National Risk Index, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-08-17. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).