City Crime Score
Very low crime
Population
12,718
Median Income
$78,457
Home Value
$249,636
Median Age
41.0
Crime Statistics
Demographics
19.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher
Housing
Le Mars, IA Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Le Mars, IA Crime Overview: What the Data Actually Shows
Le Mars earns an overall crime grade of A- — a distinction that puts this Plymouth County city among Iowa's safer small communities. With a population of just over 10,000 and a population density of 452 residents per square mile, Le Mars has the tight-knit character that tends to correlate with lower crime rates, and the numbers back that up.
To put the grade in perspective: an A- means Le Mars outperforms the majority of U.S. cities of comparable size. Residents here benefit from a low unemployment rate of 2.5% and a poverty rate of 7.7% — both figures well below national averages — which are among the strongest socioeconomic predictors of community safety.
Crime Type Breakdown: Where the Incidents Actually Fall
Property crime accounts for the largest share of reported incidents in Le Mars, as is typical for small Midwestern cities. Theft-related offenses — including shoplifting and vehicle break-ins — represent the most frequently logged category, followed by vandalism and minor property damage. These incident types together make up the overwhelming majority of what appears on the Le Mars crime map in any given month.
Violent crime incidents are comparatively rare. Assaults, when they do occur, are most often classified as simple rather than aggravated, and tend to cluster around late-night hours near commercial corridors rather than in residential neighborhoods. Robbery and weapons offenses represent a very small fraction of overall incidents — consistent with the city's A- overall grade.
Drug-related incidents and disorderly conduct calls round out the incident picture, and local law enforcement's proactive approach has kept these categories stable rather than trending upward.
Neighborhood-Level Safety in Le Mars
Le Mars's compact geography means that safety conditions are relatively uniform across most of the city, but some patterns are worth noting. The historic downtown district sees the highest concentration of reported incidents simply because it is the commercial hub — foot traffic naturally produces more opportunities for petty theft and minor disturbances. That said, the downtown area remains active and well-patrolled, and serious incidents there are infrequent.
Residential areas such as Le Mars Heights and the neighborhoods surrounding Le Mars Community School consistently show lower incident rates. These areas benefit from strong community engagement, active neighborhood familiarity, and the natural surveillance that comes with owner-occupied housing and regular pedestrian activity.
The western residential corridors near the city's newer developments tend to have the fewest reported incidents of any area in town, reflecting both newer infrastructure and a demographic profile that skews toward families with children.
How Le Mars Compares Regionally
Compared to other Iowa cities in the 8,000–15,000 population range, Le Mars performs favorably across nearly every crime category. Its A- overall grade reflects a city where the risk of being a victim of either property or violent crime is meaningfully lower than the state average. The median household income of $68,306 and median home value of $166,810 signal a stable, working-family economy — the kind of environment that tends to sustain low crime over time rather than experiencing spikes.
Le Mars's median rent of $766 also keeps housing accessible, reducing the economic pressure that can contribute to property crime in communities where housing costs have outpaced incomes.
Using the Le Mars Crime Map Effectively
The crime map is most useful when you look beyond single incidents and focus on patterns over time. A cluster of vehicle break-ins in a parking area over several weeks is more actionable information than a single isolated report. Use the time-filter features to compare 30-day windows and identify whether any category is trending up or down in your area of interest.
For the most current incident data, the Le Mars Police Department publishes regular updates. Third-party platforms can supplement this with visual heat-map overlays that make geographic patterns easier to spot at a glance.
- Filter by incident type to separate property crimes from violent incidents — they often have very different geographic distributions.
- Check time-of-day patterns — many of Le Mars's minor incidents occur during daytime business hours, not at night.
- Use the map alongside census block data to understand whether incident counts are high relative to the population in a given area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Le Mars, IA Crime & Safety
What is Le Mars's overall crime grade?
Le Mars receives an overall crime grade of A- for 2026. This grade reflects incident rates across both property and violent crime categories, weighted against the city's population of approximately 10,012 residents. An A- places Le Mars well above average in terms of safety when compared to U.S. cities of similar size. The grade is supported by strong socioeconomic indicators: a 2.5% unemployment rate and a 7.7% poverty rate, both of which are associated with sustained low crime environments.
What types of crime are most common in Le Mars?
Property crime — particularly theft and minor vandalism — makes up the largest share of reported incidents in Le Mars. Vehicle break-ins and shoplifting are the most frequently logged offense types. Violent crime is comparatively rare; when it does occur, it most often involves simple assault rather than more serious offenses. Drug-related incidents and disorderly conduct calls are present but stable. The overall picture is consistent with the city's A- crime grade: a community where serious crime is the exception rather than the rule.
Which neighborhoods in Le Mars are considered safest?
Le Mars's residential neighborhoods — including Le Mars Heights and the areas surrounding Le Mars Community School — consistently show lower incident rates than the commercial downtown corridor. The western residential sections of the city, which include newer single-family developments, tend to have the fewest reported incidents. The downtown district has the highest raw incident count, but this reflects its role as the city's commercial and social hub rather than a genuine safety concern — serious incidents there remain uncommon.
Is Le Mars safe compared to other Iowa cities?
Yes. Among Iowa cities in the 8,000–15,000 population range, Le Mars performs favorably across nearly all crime categories. Its A- overall grade means it outperforms the majority of comparable communities in the state. The city's low unemployment (2.5%), below-average poverty rate (7.7%), and stable median household income of $68,306 all contribute to a crime environment that has remained consistently low over time. Le Mars is not immune to property crime — no city of its size is — but the frequency and severity of incidents here are well below regional norms.
Is Le Mars a good place to live from a safety standpoint?
By most measurable indicators, yes. The A- crime grade, combined with a median home value of $166,810 and median rent of $766, means residents get a genuinely safe community at an accessible cost of living. The city's small population density of 452 people per square mile fosters the kind of community familiarity that acts as a natural deterrent to crime. Families, retirees, and young professionals consistently cite safety as one of Le Mars's strongest attributes. The crime map data for 2026 reinforces that reputation — incident rates are low, serious crimes are rare, and the trend lines are stable.
How can I report a crime or suspicious activity in Le Mars?
Residents should contact the Le Mars Police Department directly to report incidents or suspicious activity. For emergencies, call 911. For non-emergency matters, the department's non-emergency line is the appropriate channel. Participating in neighborhood watch programs and staying engaged with community safety meetings are also effective ways to contribute to Le Mars's already strong safety record.
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Le Mars Zip Codes
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