Riverside asks a buyer to weigh two things at once. Crime sits above national levels in both categories: violent at 590 per 100k against 381, property at 2,832 against 1,954. In the 2024 FBI reporting year violent crime rose 8.4% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as worsening, and the city ranks in the 7th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades. Schools run the other direction, unevenly: 5.3/10 across 78 rated schools, high schools at 6.1, middle schools at 4.8, and Riverside STEM Academy at 9.9/10. The strength is concentrated in particular schools rather than spread across the district. Flood risk stays unresolved at this altitude, since California's 41 federal declarations since 1954 describe a state, not a parcel. Every number here is a city-wide average; the block you buy on can differ.
Crime in Riverside vs. the national average
Riverside reports 590 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 55% above the U.S. average of 381, and 2,832 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (45% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate rose 8.4% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as worsening.
| Riverside | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 590 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 2832 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Riverside 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 California — the state SafeNest uses for Riverside's flood context — list 41 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1954 and 2024, most recently "Severe Storm And Flooding". California has also seen 6 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Riverside 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 Riverside
Public schools in Riverside average 5.3/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 78 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 6.1/10 on average, while middle schools average 4.8/10. The highest-scoring is Riverside STEM Academy at 9.9/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Riverside: 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 Riverside 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.
Check a specific Riverside 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 for $6.99.
Or search any Riverside address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Riverside
Is Riverside, CA safe?
Riverside records 590 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 55% above the US national average of 381. Overall SafeNest grade: D, a city-wide average of reported crime. It does not describe a specific street or address.
What is the crime rate in Riverside?
Riverside reports approximately 590 violent crimes and 2832 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Riverside have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Riverside, federal records show 41 FEMA flood disaster declarations for California, 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 California.
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).