Los Angeles, CA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Los Angeles Crime

Is Los Angeles safe?

Safety in Los Angeles varies significantly by neighborhood, but the data from our analysis of 80 neighborhoods tells an encouraging story for most of the city. 73% of neighborhoods earn a combined Grade A or B — meaning nearly three out of four areas are considered safe by our methodology. Specifically, 17 neighborhoods (21.3%) earned an A grade and 41 neighborhoods (51.3%) earned a B grade. Only 2 neighborhoods (2.5%) received a D grade — Baldwin Heights/Crenshaw and Leimert Park — and zero neighborhoods received an F. The city's overall grade is a C-, pulled down by a handful of higher-crime corridors like Downtown, Harvard Heights, and Westlake, all rated C-. For context, areas like Beverlywood, Bel Air, and Brentwood consistently rank among the safest, while visitors to the Downtown core or Westlake should remain more vigilant.

What is the crime rate in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles carries an overall crime grade of C- on our scale, reflecting a moderate-to-elevated risk profile for the city as a whole. Breaking that down by grade distribution: 21.3% of neighborhoods are Grade A, 51.3% are Grade B, 25% are Grade C, 2.5% are Grade D, and 0% are Grade F. The middle tier — Grade C neighborhoods such as Downtown, Harvard Heights, and Westlake — accounts for a full quarter of all analyzed areas, which is what pushes the city-wide average below a clean C. By contrast, the top-performing neighborhoods like Beverlywood (Grade A, median income $176,554) and Bel Air (Grade A, median income $262,825) demonstrate that income concentration and lower density strongly correlate with safer outcomes. The city's poverty rate of 16.9% and unemployment rate of 6.9% — both above national averages — are key structural factors that influence the overall crime landscape.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Los Angeles?

Our analysis identified 17 Grade A neighborhoods and 41 Grade B neighborhoods across Los Angeles. The top-rated Grade A neighborhoods are:

• Beverlywood — Grade A, median household income $176,554, population ~6,700
• Bel Air — Grade A, median household income $262,825 (highest of any analyzed neighborhood), population ~7,700
• Griffith Park — Grade A, median household income $116,356 (very low residential population)
• Cheviot Hills — Grade A, median household income $169,178, population ~8,600
• Fairfax — Grade A, median household income $108,011, population ~12,700
• Brentwood — Grade A, median household income $170,834, population ~33,600 — one of the largest safe neighborhoods by population

Just below that top tier, Grade A- neighborhoods include Hollywood Hills West (median income $141,212), Century City (median income $110,920), and notably Cypress Park (median income $43,129) — which demonstrates that high safety grades are achievable even in lower-income communities. Combined, these Grade A and A- areas represent 21.3% of all analyzed neighborhoods and are the strongest options for residents prioritizing safety.

Which neighborhoods in Los Angeles have the highest crime?

Only 2 out of 80 neighborhoods — or 2.5% — received a D grade in our analysis, and no neighborhood received an F. Those two higher-crime areas are Baldwin Heights/Crenshaw (Grade D) and Leimert Park (Grade D+), both located in South Los Angeles. A step above those, five neighborhoods earned a Grade C-: Downtown, Harvard Heights, and Westlake are the most notable. Downtown Los Angeles is particularly worth flagging given its high foot traffic — millions of visitors pass through annually, but its C- grade reflects elevated incident rates relative to the rest of the city. Harvard Heights and Westlake, both dense urban neighborhoods, share similar risk profiles. Residents and visitors in these areas are advised to stay aware of surroundings, especially after dark, and to use our interactive crime map to identify specific block-level patterns.

Is Los Angeles a good place to live?

With a population of 12.53 million, a median home value of $670,478, and a median rent of $1,523/month, Los Angeles offers a wide spectrum of living experiences. The city's median household income of $65,290 sits below the median home value threshold that makes ownership accessible without dual incomes, so neighborhood selection is critical. The good news: 73% of analyzed neighborhoods earn a safe Grade A or B, giving prospective residents a broad set of options. Families prioritizing safety and space tend to gravitate toward Brentwood, Beverlywood, or Cheviot Hills — all Grade A with strong income profiles. Budget-conscious residents who still want a safe environment may find Cypress Park (Grade A-, median income $43,129) or Fairfax (Grade A) to be compelling choices. The city's unemployment rate of 6.9% and poverty rate of 16.9% do present economic headwinds for some communities, and those pressures are visible in the Grade C and D neighborhoods. Overall, Los Angeles rewards informed neighborhood research — and with 73% of the city graded safe, the data suggests most residents can find a community that fits both their budget and safety expectations.

How does neighborhood income correlate with safety in Los Angeles?

The data reveals a strong — though not absolute — relationship between median household income and crime grade. The six Grade A neighborhoods have median incomes ranging from $108,011 (Fairfax) to $262,825 (Bel Air), all well above the city-wide median of $65,290. By contrast, the two Grade D neighborhoods — Baldwin Heights/Crenshaw and Leimert Park — fall in lower-income tiers. However, the data also shows exceptions worth noting: Cypress Park earns a Grade A- with a median income of just $43,129, well below the city median, demonstrating that community factors beyond income also shape neighborhood safety. The city-wide poverty rate of 16.9% creates pockets of concentrated disadvantage, but those pockets represent only 2.5% of neighborhoods at Grade D or below. For homebuyers and renters, cross-referencing our crime grade map with income data and the city's median home value of $670,478 can help identify neighborhoods that balance affordability with safety.