City Crime Score
Very low crime
Population
19,466
Median Income
$58,404
Home Value
$324,363
Median Age
33.0
Crime Statistics
Demographics
31.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher
Housing
Whitewater, WI Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Whitewater, WI Crime Overview — 2026
Whitewater earns an overall crime grade of B for 2026, a meaningful distinction for a Wisconsin college town of roughly 14,762 residents. That grade reflects a community that outperforms many comparably sized cities despite some real economic headwinds — a poverty rate of 33.3% and a median household income of $36,211 that sit well below state averages. Understanding where and why crime concentrates in Whitewater helps residents, students, and newcomers make genuinely informed decisions rather than relying on gut feeling.
What the Crime Data Actually Shows
Property crime dominates Whitewater's incident profile, as it does in most college towns. Theft — ranging from bicycle theft near the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater campus to retail incidents along Main Street — accounts for the largest share of reported offenses. Vehicle-related crimes, including auto theft and theft from vehicles, represent a secondary cluster, with parking lots near the downtown corridor and the university's peripheral lots appearing most frequently in incident reports.
Violent crime in Whitewater is comparatively limited, consistent with the city's B overall grade. Assault incidents, including those tied to late-night activity near the downtown bar district on Whitewater Street, are tracked closely by the Whitewater Police Department but remain a smaller proportion of total calls than property offenses. Drug-related incidents, often connected to the student population, add another layer to the city's crime picture without dramatically elevating its risk profile.
Neighborhood-Level Patterns
The area immediately surrounding the UW–Whitewater campus sees elevated theft and vandalism reports, largely driven by population density and the transient nature of student housing. The downtown core — particularly blocks along Main Street and Whitewater Street — generates a disproportionate share of nighttime disturbance and minor assault reports on weekends. Residential neighborhoods to the north and west of the campus, including quieter streets near Cravath Lake, tend to report fewer incidents and benefit from lower foot traffic and stronger neighborhood familiarity.
The city's population density of 644 people per square mile means that even a modest number of incidents can feel concentrated. Median rent of $783 and home values around $171,253 keep turnover relatively high in some rental-heavy blocks near campus, which historically correlates with slightly elevated property crime simply because fewer long-term residents know their neighbors well.
How Whitewater Compares
A B crime grade places Whitewater in a favorable tier relative to Wisconsin cities of similar size and economic profile. Cities with comparable poverty rates often score in the C or D range; Whitewater's active campus police presence, the Whitewater Police Department's community policing initiatives, and engaged neighborhood associations help the city punch above its weight. The 4.6% unemployment rate, while not exceptional, indicates a reasonably stable local economy anchored by the university and healthcare employment — factors that tend to moderate crime growth over time.
Using the Crime Map Effectively
The interactive crime map on this page lets you filter incidents by type and time window, so you can distinguish between a spike in bicycle thefts during the fall semester move-in period and a persistent pattern of vehicle break-ins in a specific parking area. Use the heat-map overlay to visualize density rather than fixating on individual pins. If you are evaluating a rental near campus or a home purchase in the Cravath Lake neighborhood, comparing a 90-day incident window against a 12-month window will reveal whether a cluster is seasonal or structural.
- Theft & Burglary: Filter to property crime to see which blocks near Main Street and the campus periphery generate the most reports.
- Assault & Disturbance: Nighttime filters on weekends reveal the downtown entertainment corridor's contribution to violent-incident counts.
- Drug Offenses: These incidents are distributed more broadly across the city but cluster in high-density student housing zones.
- Vandalism: Peaks during semester transitions; campus-adjacent streets see the highest concentration.
Practical Safety Takeaways
Whitewater's B grade is encouraging, but it is not a reason for complacency. Property crime remains the dominant risk, and simple precautions — locking vehicles, securing bicycles with quality locks, and not leaving valuables visible in parked cars — eliminate the majority of your exposure. Residents in high-density rental blocks near the university benefit most from knowing their immediate neighbors and participating in the city's neighborhood watch network. Downtown visitors on weekend evenings should stay aware of their surroundings, particularly in the Whitewater Street corridor after midnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Whitewater's overall crime grade for 2026?
Whitewater receives an overall crime grade of B for 2026. That places it among the safer communities in Wisconsin when adjusted for its economic profile — a notable achievement given a poverty rate of 33.3% and a median household income of $36,211, both of which are statistical risk factors for elevated crime. The grade reflects relatively controlled violent-crime numbers and a property-crime landscape that, while present, does not dominate daily life for most residents.
Is Whitewater, WI safe to live in?
For most residents, yes. The city's B crime grade signals a manageable safety environment. The greatest day-to-day risk for the average Whitewater resident is property crime — particularly theft — rather than violent crime. Neighborhoods away from the downtown bar corridor and the densest student housing blocks, such as the residential streets near Cravath Lake, report notably fewer incidents. Median home values around $171,253 and median rent of $783 keep the city accessible, and the UW–Whitewater campus brings consistent investment in public safety infrastructure that benefits the broader community.
Which parts of Whitewater have the most crime?
Incident data consistently points to two zones with elevated activity. First, the blocks immediately surrounding the UW–Whitewater campus account for a significant share of theft and vandalism reports, with bicycle theft and property crime peaking during fall and spring semesters. Second, the downtown corridor — particularly along Whitewater Street and portions of Main Street — generates a higher proportion of disturbance and assault reports on weekend evenings. Residential areas to the north and west of campus, and neighborhoods adjacent to Cravath Lake, tend to see fewer incidents and represent the city's lower-risk zones.
What types of crime are most common in Whitewater?
Property crime is the dominant category. Theft (including bicycle theft and retail theft), burglary, and theft from vehicles make up the largest share of reported incidents. Vandalism is a secondary concern, particularly in high-turnover student rental blocks near campus. Violent crime — assault and domestic disturbance — is present but represents a smaller proportion of total incidents, concentrated largely in the downtown entertainment district on weekend nights. Drug-related offenses contribute to the overall picture but are distributed broadly rather than clustered in a single neighborhood.
How does Whitewater's crime compare to other Wisconsin cities?
Whitewater's B grade puts it in a favorable position relative to Wisconsin cities with similar population sizes and economic profiles. Cities carrying poverty rates above 30% frequently score in the C-to-D range on comparable metrics. Whitewater benefits from the stabilizing effect of a major university employer, active community policing, and engaged neighborhood associations — factors that help offset the statistical risk associated with its income and poverty figures. It is not the safest city in Wisconsin, but it outperforms what its economic indicators alone would predict.
Is the area around UW–Whitewater campus safe for students?
Campus and its immediate surroundings carry a moderate risk profile driven almost entirely by property crime — particularly bicycle theft and theft from vehicles — rather than personal safety threats. UW–Whitewater maintains its own campus police department, and the Whitewater Police Department coordinates closely with university security. Students who secure their belongings, use quality bike locks, and stay aware of their surroundings on weekend evenings in the downtown corridor will significantly reduce their individual risk exposure. The overall B city grade reflects a campus environment that is safer than many comparable college towns nationally.
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