Tempe, AZ Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Tempe, AZ

Is Tempe, AZ safe to live in?

Tempe earns a city-wide Safety Rating of B (Safe) based on analysis of 25 neighborhoods. A striking 88% of those neighborhoods carry an A or B grade — meaning the vast majority of Tempe residents live in areas classified as low-crime. Specifically, 56% of neighborhoods (14 out of 25) earned an A grade, and another 32% (8 neighborhoods) earned a B grade. Only three neighborhoods — Sunset, Alegre Community, and Riverside — fall into the C+ range, and not a single neighborhood in Tempe received a D or F. That distribution compares favorably to most mid-size U.S. cities. The overall city-level grade of C- reflects aggregate crime volume relative to national benchmarks, but the neighborhood-level picture is considerably more reassuring for day-to-day residents.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Tempe?

Two neighborhoods share the top distinction of A+: Warner Ranch and Optimist Park Southeast. Warner Ranch stands out not just for safety but also for its demographics — a population of 3,581 and a median household income of $154,064, the highest of any analyzed neighborhood. Optimist Park Southeast is smaller (population 796) but similarly affluent at $110,432 median income. Rounding out the A-tier are Optimist Park Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast (median incomes ranging from $92,992 to $103,406), plus Arizona State University, Camelot Village, Maple Ash, and Cole Park. Notably, the ASU neighborhood achieves an A grade despite a median income of just $47,415, demonstrating that safety in Tempe is not exclusively tied to wealth. Kiwanis Park earns an A- with a median income of $81,165 and a population of 1,815, rounding out the top ten safest areas.

Which neighborhoods in Tempe have higher crime rates?

Three neighborhoods carry a C+ grade — Sunset, Alegre Community, and Riverside — making them the highest-crime areas among the 25 neighborhoods analyzed. Two additional neighborhoods, Holdeman and Gililland, sit at a B grade, meaning they are still considered safe but rank lower relative to Tempe's safest areas. Importantly, even the lowest-graded neighborhoods in Tempe received no worse than C+; the city has zero D-grade and zero F-grade neighborhoods out of 25 analyzed. That means even in Tempe's comparatively higher-crime pockets, the absolute risk level remains moderate rather than severe. Residents in or near these areas are encouraged to use the Tempe crime map to stay aware of localized incident patterns.

What is the crime rate in Tempe, AZ?

Tempe's overall crime picture carries a grade of C- at the city level, which accounts for crime volume across a population of 191,607 residents spread over a density of 1,852 people per square mile. However, the neighborhood-level data tells a more nuanced story: 56% of neighborhoods grade A, 32% grade B, and only 12% grade C — with no neighborhoods in the D or F range. Socioeconomic context matters here: Tempe has a poverty rate of 18.5% and an unemployment rate of 6.1%, both of which are associated with elevated property crime risk in urban research. The median household income of $61,290 and median home value of $287,431 reflect a mixed economic landscape. Property crimes such as theft and vehicle break-ins tend to be the most common incident types in cities with Tempe's profile, while violent crime remains concentrated in a smaller subset of areas.

Is Tempe a good place to live in 2026?

For most residents, yes. With 88% of analyzed neighborhoods rated A or B for safety, the odds of landing in a low-crime area are high. The median rent of $1,230 and median home value of $287,431 make Tempe relatively accessible compared to other Phoenix metro communities, and the presence of Arizona State University — itself an A-grade neighborhood — keeps the city economically and culturally active. Families and professionals drawn to areas like Warner Ranch (A+, median income $154,064) or Cole Park (A, median income $74,496) will find well-established, safe communities. Those on tighter budgets can still find safety in neighborhoods like Maple Ash (A, median income $58,306). The primary caution applies to the three C+-rated neighborhoods — Sunset, Alegre Community, and Riverside — where a higher degree of situational awareness is warranted. Overall, Tempe's combination of safety grades, housing costs, and urban amenities makes it a competitive choice in the Phoenix metro for 2026.

How does Tempe's safety compare across income levels?

Tempe's data reveals an interesting relationship between income and safety grades — but it is not absolute. The highest-income neighborhoods do cluster at the top: Warner Ranch ($154,064 median income, A+) and the four Optimist Park quadrants ($92,992–$110,432, all grading A or A+) illustrate a clear correlation. However, the Arizona State University neighborhood achieves an A grade with a median income of just $47,415 — the lowest among the A-tier — suggesting that dense, community-oriented environments can maintain strong safety outcomes regardless of income. Maple Ash (A, $58,306) similarly punches above its economic weight. On the other end, the C+-rated neighborhoods — Sunset, Alegre Community, and Riverside — tend to have lower median incomes, consistent with national patterns linking economic stress to property crime. For prospective residents, this means that budget-friendly options like Maple Ash and the ASU corridor can offer genuine safety without requiring top-tier incomes.