Menlo Park, CA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Menlo Park, CA

Is Menlo Park, CA safe?

Menlo Park earns a city-wide safety rating of Very Safe (A), making it one of the more secure communities in the Bay Area. Of the 16 neighborhoods analyzed, 75% received a Grade A and the remaining 25% received a Grade B — meaning every single neighborhood in the city falls into the safe category. Not one neighborhood scored a C, D, or F. Standout areas like Central Menlo Park (Grade A, population 5,639) and University Heights (Grade A, population 3,866) anchor the city's strong safety profile. Even the highest-crime areas — Downtown Menlo Park and Belle Haven — hold a B+, which still represents a well-above-average safety standing. For context, the city's poverty rate is just 5.6% and unemployment sits at 3.7%, both of which are associated with lower crime environments.

What is the crime rate in Menlo Park?

Menlo Park's overall crime grade is B- at the city level, while the neighborhood-by-neighborhood analysis yields a city-wide safety rating of Very Safe (A). Breaking down the 16 neighborhoods: 12 neighborhoods (75%) earned a Grade A, and 4 neighborhoods (25%) earned a Grade B. The Grade A neighborhoods include Central Menlo Park, Suburban Park / Lorelei Manor / Flood Triangle, Allied Arts, University Heights, Menlo Oaks, Fair Oaks, Linfield Oaks, Stanford Weekend Acres, Stanford Hills, and Sharon Heights. The Grade B neighborhoods — Downtown Menlo Park, Belle Haven, Vintage Oaks, and The Willows — represent the upper end of the B range (B+ for Downtown and Belle Haven), indicating that even Menlo Park's busiest or most densely used areas maintain relatively low crime levels. The city's median household income of $167,567 and median home value of $2,000,000 reflect the affluent, stable environment that correlates with these low crime figures.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Menlo Park?

All 12 Grade A neighborhoods in Menlo Park are strong candidates for safest in the city, but several stand out by combining top safety grades with notable population size or income levels:

• Central Menlo Park — Grade A | Population: 5,639 | Median Income: $237,649. The largest and most affluent Grade A neighborhood in the city.
• University Heights — Grade A | Population: 3,866 | Median Income: $192,549. A sizable residential area with strong safety metrics.
• Suburban Park / Lorelei Manor / Flood Triangle — Grade A | Population: 1,554 | Median Income: $186,235. A quieter enclave with consistently low crime.
• Sharon Heights — Grade A- | Population: 3,670 | Median Income: $181,651. One of the larger neighborhoods, holding a near-perfect safety grade.
• Fair Oaks — Grade A | Population: 5,453 | Median Income: $98,295. Notably, Fair Oaks achieves a Grade A despite a lower median income than many peers, demonstrating that safety is broadly distributed across Menlo Park.
• Allied Arts — Grade A | Population: 1,247 | Median Income: $133,257. A smaller, tight-knit neighborhood with excellent safety standing.

Smaller neighborhoods like Stanford Hills (Grade A-, median income $220,073) and Stanford Weekend Acres (Grade A-, median income $233,681) also rank among the safest, though their very small populations (107 and 44 residents, respectively) make them less representative of day-to-day city life.

Which neighborhoods in Menlo Park have the most crime?

Even Menlo Park's highest-crime neighborhoods maintain respectable safety grades. Downtown Menlo Park and Belle Haven both earn a Grade B+, placing them well above the national average for safety. Vintage Oaks and The Willows each hold a Grade A-, which is only marginally below a full A. In practical terms, none of Menlo Park's 16 analyzed neighborhoods fall below a B+ — a distinction that few cities of any size can claim. If you are comparing neighborhoods, Downtown Menlo Park's higher foot traffic and commercial activity likely contribute to its slightly elevated crime profile relative to quieter residential areas like Menlo Oaks (Grade A, population 1,042) or Linfield Oaks (Grade A-, population 903).

Is Menlo Park a good place to live?

By nearly every measurable indicator, Menlo Park ranks as an exceptional place to live. The city's 100% safe neighborhood rate — with all 16 neighborhoods grading A or B — is a rare achievement. Economically, the median household income of $167,567 is more than double the U.S. median, the poverty rate of 5.6% is well below national averages, and the unemployment rate of 3.7% reflects a healthy local labor market. The median home value of $2,000,000 and median rent of $2,531 signal high demand and strong property fundamentals. For families, the combination of Grade A neighborhoods like Central Menlo Park and University Heights with the city's broader Very Safe (A) rating means that safety is not limited to a few premium pockets — it is a city-wide characteristic. The trade-off is cost: Menlo Park is among the most expensive housing markets in the country. But for those who can access it, the data consistently supports Menlo Park as one of the safest and most prosperous small cities in California.