City Crime Score
Very low crime
Population
18,620
Median Income
$66,051
Home Value
$193,429
Median Age
40.0
Crime Statistics
Demographics
17.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher
Housing
Great Bend, KS Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Great Bend, KS Crime Overview: What the Data Actually Shows
Great Bend earns an overall crime grade of B for 2026 — a meaningful distinction for a Kansas city of roughly 15,224 residents. That grade reflects a community that manages crime reasonably well relative to cities of similar size, though it isn't without its challenges. To understand what's really happening on the ground, it helps to look at the actual incident breakdown from the last 90 days.
Breaking Down the Last 90 Days of Crime in Great Bend
Across the 42 incidents recorded in the most recent 90-day window, the picture is more nuanced than a single letter grade suggests. Here's how the incident types stack up:
- Other incidents (38%, 16 cases) — The largest single category, covering miscellaneous calls and reports that don't fall neatly into standard crime classifications. The most recent occurred March 11, 2026.
- Arrests (19%, 8 cases) — Nearly one in five recorded events resulted in a formal arrest, suggesting law enforcement is actively engaging with incidents rather than simply logging them. Latest: March 3, 2026.
- Theft (17%, 7 cases) — Property theft is the most clearly defined crime category in the dataset, accounting for just under one in five incidents. Latest: March 10, 2026.
- Assault (14%, 6 cases) — Violent incidents make up a smaller but notable share. Six assaults in 90 days in a city this size warrants attention, though it does not define Great Bend as a high-violence community. Latest: March 9, 2026.
- Vandalism (10%, 4 cases) — Property destruction rounds out the mid-tier categories. Latest: March 9, 2026.
- Burglary (2%, 1 case) — Notably, burglary is the rarest documented incident type in this period, with just one reported case (March 7, 2026) — a positive sign for home security in the area.
Taken together, theft and burglary — the two clearest property crime indicators — account for only about 19% of all incidents combined. Assault at 14% is present but not dominant. The relatively high arrest rate (19%) suggests active policing rather than a passive response to reported crimes.
What Great Bend's B Grade Means in Context
A B crime grade places Great Bend in a favorable tier for a Kansas city with a population density of 559 residents per square mile. The city's unemployment rate sits at a low 3.6%, which research consistently links to reduced property crime pressure. The median household income of $46,659 and a poverty rate of 15.3% tell a more mixed story — affordability is real here (median home value of $101,915, median rent of $670), but a portion of the population faces economic stress that can correlate with certain crime types.
The B grade is not an A, and residents should engage with the crime map actively rather than assuming uniform safety across all parts of the city. Neighborhoods near high-traffic commercial corridors — such as those along 10th Street or near the downtown core — tend to see more theft and vandalism activity, consistent with patterns in similarly sized Midwestern cities. Quieter residential pockets near Veterans Memorial Park and the areas surrounding the Great Bend Municipal Airport corridor generally reflect the calmer end of the city's safety spectrum.
Property Crime vs. Violent Crime: The Real Split
One of the most useful things a crime map can show is the type of risk, not just the volume. In Great Bend's recent data, violent crime (assault) accounts for 14% of incidents, while the combined property crime categories (theft + burglary + vandalism) account for roughly 29%. That means property-related offenses outnumber violent incidents by about 2-to-1 — a ratio that actually compares favorably to many U.S. cities where violent crime comprises a much larger share.
For residents, this means the most practical safety investments are those that protect property: securing vehicles, locking outbuildings, and being attentive to package theft, particularly in higher-density rental areas where median rents of $670 attract a more transient tenant mix.
How to Use the Great Bend Crime Map Effectively
The crime map is most valuable when used as a living document rather than a snapshot. Here's how to get the most from it:
- Filter by incident type — Separate theft from assault from vandalism to understand what kind of risk applies to your specific neighborhood or commute route.
- Track recency — Notice that most recent incidents in this dataset cluster around early March 2026. Seasonal patterns in crime are real; Kansas winters can suppress outdoor property crime, making spring upticks worth watching.
- Cross-reference with arrest data — The 19% arrest rate in this period means roughly 1 in 5 incidents led to an apprehension. Areas with active patrol presence tend to show higher arrest rates alongside higher reported incidents — which can be a sign of enforcement, not just danger.
- Report to the Great Bend Police Department — Data quality on any crime map depends on reporting. Unreported incidents create blind spots. The Great Bend Police Department accepts tips and non-emergency reports that feed into the public record.
Safety Tips Grounded in Great Bend's Actual Incident Profile
Given that theft (17%) and vandalism (10%) are the most actionable property crime categories in the current data, residents can take targeted steps:
- Secure vehicles overnight — Theft incidents are the clearest property crime signal in the 90-day window. Don't leave valuables visible in parked cars, especially in commercial-adjacent neighborhoods.
- Light your property — Motion-activated lighting is a cost-effective deterrent for both theft and vandalism, the two most common property offenses in this dataset.
- Know your neighbors — In a city of 15,224, community familiarity is a genuine safety asset. Neighborhoods with active block-level communication tend to report suspicious activity faster, which supports the kind of arrest rate Great Bend is already achieving.
- Stay aware in mixed-use areas — The intersection of commercial and residential zones — think areas near 10th Street retail or the downtown district — is where theft and assault incidents are most likely to cluster based on typical small-city crime geography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Great Bend, KS Crime Map 2026
Is Great Bend, KS safe in 2026?
By measurable standards, yes — Great Bend holds a crime grade of B for 2026, placing it in a reasonably safe tier for a Kansas city of its size. Over the most recent 90-day period, only 42 total incidents were recorded across the entire city, and the most serious category — assault — accounted for just 14% of those (6 incidents). Burglary, often a bellwether for neighborhood-level insecurity, appeared only once in that window. The city's low unemployment rate of 3.6% and stable housing costs (median rent $670, median home value $101,915) contribute to the kind of economic baseline that supports community safety. That said, a B grade means there's room for awareness — particularly around theft, which was the most clearly defined property crime at 17% of incidents.
What types of crime are most common in Great Bend right now?
Based on the last 90 days of incident data (42 total reports through early March 2026), the breakdown is: miscellaneous/other incidents at 38%, arrests at 19%, theft at 17%, assault at 14%, vandalism at 10%, and burglary at just 2%. Practically speaking, theft is the most actionable common crime — it's specific, preventable, and the most recent incident was logged March 10, 2026. Vandalism (4 incidents, most recently March 9) is a secondary property concern. Violent crime in the form of assault exists but is not the dominant pattern. The single burglary case (March 7) suggests home break-ins are not a widespread trend at this time.
Which neighborhoods in Great Bend tend to be safer?
While granular block-by-block data varies, residential areas farther from high-traffic commercial corridors — such as quieter streets near Veteran's Memorial Park or the residential zones on the city's western edges — tend to reflect the calmer end of Great Bend's safety profile. Neighborhoods near the Barton County Fairgrounds and those surrounding the Great Bend Municipal Park area are frequently cited by longtime residents as family-oriented and stable. Higher-density rental areas, particularly those near downtown or major retail corridors like 10th Street, tend to see more theft and vandalism activity consistent with the current incident data. Using the interactive crime map to filter by incident type and zoom into specific blocks is the most reliable way to evaluate any particular street or subdivision.
How does Great Bend's crime rate compare to other Kansas cities?
Great Bend's B overall crime grade is a meaningful benchmark. Many Kansas cities of similar population size — in the 10,000–20,000 range — score in the C range due to higher property crime concentrations. Great Bend's relatively low burglary rate (just 2% of recent incidents, or 1 case in 90 days) and its active arrest rate (19% of all logged incidents) suggest a police presence that is engaged and responsive. The city's population density of 559 per square mile is low enough that crime doesn't concentrate the way it does in denser urban environments, which helps keep the overall grade elevated.
Is Great Bend a good place to live given its crime statistics?
For most households, yes. A B crime grade, combined with a median home value of just $101,915 and median rent of $670, means Great Bend offers genuine affordability without the safety trade-offs that often accompany low-cost housing markets. The unemployment rate of 3.6% signals a functioning local economy. The poverty rate of 15.3% is worth noting — it's modestly above the national median — but community programs and the city's tight-knit character help buffer its effects. Families, retirees, and remote workers who prioritize cost of living alongside reasonable safety will find Great Bend's profile compelling. As with any city, staying engaged with the crime map and participating in neighborhood watch efforts amplifies the benefit of living in a community that's already performing at a B level.
How often is the Great Bend crime map updated?
Crime map data is typically updated as incidents are reported and processed by the Great Bend Police Department. For the most current information, the official GBPD website is the authoritative source. Third-party platforms like CrimeMapping.com and SpotCrime pull from public incident feeds and generally refresh within 24–72 hours of a report being filed. The 90-day snapshot used on this page reflects incidents through mid-March 2026 and will be updated as new data becomes available.
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