Three numbers pull in different directions. Wichita sits in the 9th percentile of the 13,216 jurisdictions SafeNest grades, and property crime, at 2,303 per 100k against a national 1,954, is the layer a buyer encounters most routinely. Yet the violent crime rate fell 52.4% year over year in the most recent FBI reporting year, which SafeNest classifies as improving: the level and the trend disagree, and anyone buying for a long hold should read both. Schools split the same way. The 3.3/10 average across 99 rated schools contains a 5.4/10 high school average, a 2.7/10 middle school average, and Circle Greenwich Elementary at 9.3/10. Kansas's 13 federal flood declarations are state-level context, not a parcel finding. Every figure here is a city-wide average; none of it tells you what the block you are buying on looks like.
Crime in Wichita vs. the national average
Wichita reports 539 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 41% above the U.S. average of 381, and 2,303 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (18% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate fell 52.4% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as improving. Single-year swings of this size can also reflect changes in how agencies report crime data, not only changes on the ground.
| Wichita | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 539 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 2303 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Wichita 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 Kansas — the state SafeNest uses for Wichita's flood context — list 13 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1957 and 2011, most recently "Flooding". Kansas 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 Wichita 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 Wichita
Public schools in Wichita average 3.3/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 99 rated schools. By level, high schools rate strongest at 5.4/10 on average, while middle schools average 2.7/10. The highest-scoring is Circle Greenwich Elementary at 9.3/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Wichita: 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 Wichita 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 Wichita 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 Wichita address free in the iPhone app.
Common questions about safety in Wichita
Is Wichita, KS safe?
Wichita records 539 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 41% 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 Wichita?
Wichita reports approximately 539 violent crimes and 2303 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, the most recent FBI reporting year in our data.
Does Wichita have flood risk?
SafeNest reports federal disaster declaration history for the area. For Wichita, federal records show 13 FEMA flood disaster declarations for Kansas, most recently in 2011; 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 Kansas.
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).