The two crime numbers pull in opposite directions: violent crime runs 8% above the national average while property crime sits 15% below it, and the violent rate fell 1.4% year over year in 2024, a pattern SafeNest classifies as stable. The C grade and the 16th percentile placement among the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades reflect that mix, not either number alone. Schools spread the same way. The average is 5.4/10 across 283 rated schools, elementary at 5.7 and middle at 5.0, with Southwest Senior High at 9.9. Choosing between neighborhoods here means choosing between ranges, not averages. California's 41 federal flood declarations between 1954 and 2024 set the hazard backdrop, though flood-zone status is determined parcel by parcel. None of these figures describe a street or an address; they describe San Diego as a whole.
Crime in San Diego vs. the national average
San Diego reports 412 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 8% above the U.S. average of 381, and 1,670 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (15% below). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 1.4% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as stable.
| San Diego | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 412 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 1670 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in San Diego 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 San Diego'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 San Diego 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 San Diego
Public schools in San Diego average 5.4/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 283 rated schools. By level, elementary schools rate strongest at 5.7/10 on average, while middle schools average 5.0/10. The highest-scoring is Southwest Senior High 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 San Diego: 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 San Diego 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 San Diego 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 San Diego address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in San Diego
Is San Diego, CA safe?
San Diego records 412 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, roughly in line with 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 San Diego?
San Diego reports approximately 412 violent crimes and 1670 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does San Diego have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For San Diego, 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).