Kent, WA Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Crime in Kent, WA

Is Kent, WA safe to live in?

Kent earns a city-wide safety rating of Safe (B), and the neighborhood-level data backs that up strongly. Of the 16 neighborhoods analyzed, 11 (68.8%) received an A grade and 4 (25%) received a B grade, meaning 94% of Kent neighborhoods fall into the safe category. Only one neighborhood — O'Brien — grades as low as C+, and no neighborhood in Kent received a D or F. Top-rated areas like Meridian Heights (A+), Lake Morton / Berrydale (A+), and Cambridge & Kentwood (A+) anchor the city's strong safety profile, while even the lower-rated areas like North Park and South Kent grade no worse than B-. For most residents and families, Kent represents a genuinely safe place to put down roots.

What is the overall crime grade for Kent, WA?

Kent's overall crime grade is a C at the city level, which reflects the city's urban scale and density (1,487 residents per square mile) relative to national benchmarks. However, the neighborhood-level picture is considerably more encouraging: the city-wide safety rating resolves to a B (Safe) when neighborhoods are weighted by population and crime distribution. That distinction matters — 68.8% of neighborhoods grade A, meaning the majority of Kent's 130,038 residents live in areas with very low crime. The C city-level grade is influenced by concentrated activity in a small number of areas rather than widespread risk across the city.

Which neighborhoods in Kent have the lowest crime rates?

The safest neighborhoods in Kent are clustered primarily in the eastern and southern portions of the city, where incomes tend to be higher and population densities lower. The top performers are:

• Meridian Heights — A+: Median household income of $137,511; population of 4,384.
• Lake Morton / Berrydale — A+: Median income of $117,649; the second-largest safe neighborhood at 12,409 residents.
• Cambridge & Kentwood — A+: Median income of $102,904; a smaller community of 2,025.
• Timberlane — A: Home to 8,871 residents with a median income of $110,365.
• Meridian Valley Country Club — A: The highest median income in the dataset at $164,953, with a population of 1,454.
• Riverview — A and West Hill — A: Both grade A with median incomes around $92,000–$93,000.
• Kent East Hill — A-: The largest neighborhood in the analysis at 31,920 residents, earning an A- with a median income of $80,437.

The correlation between income and safety grade is consistent across these neighborhoods — every A-grade area carries a median income above $62,000, and the top three all exceed $100,000.

Which areas of Kent have higher crime rates?

While no Kent neighborhood grades below a C+, a handful of areas do show elevated crime relative to the city norm. O'Brien grades C+, making it the only neighborhood below a B in the entire analysis. North Park, Mill Creek / Kent, and South Kent all grade B-, indicating moderately higher crime levels compared to the city's A-dominant landscape. The Lakes grades A-, sitting just below the top tier. These neighborhoods are worth noting for residents considering relocation or commuting patterns, but it's important to keep perspective: a B- grade still represents a relatively safe environment — it simply means crime rates are higher than the city's exceptional A-grade majority.

How does Kent's crime compare to other cities in Washington State?

Kent's overall crime grade of C places it in a middle tier among Washington cities when measured against national benchmarks, which is typical for a city of its size and density. However, the 94% of neighborhoods grading A or B is a strong indicator that safety is broadly distributed rather than confined to a few enclaves. With a population of 130,038 and a median household income of $73,891, Kent sits in a competitive range for King County. Cities with similar population profiles often show wider grade dispersion — more D and F neighborhoods — so Kent's complete absence of D or F grades is a meaningful data point for anyone comparing metro-area cities.

Is Kent a good place to buy a home in 2026?

From a crime-data perspective, the answer is largely yes — particularly if you focus on the right neighborhoods. The median home value in Kent is $378,642, with a median rent of $1,495, offering relative affordability compared to Seattle and Bellevue. Neighborhoods like Lake Morton / Berrydale (A+, 12,409 residents) and Kent East Hill (A-, 31,920 residents) offer large, established communities with strong safety grades and median incomes in the $80,000–$118,000 range. Even mid-tier neighborhoods like South Kent (B-) and Mill Creek / Kent (B-) don't reach alarming crime levels. The city's 6.8% unemployment rate and 11.7% poverty rate are factors to weigh alongside crime data, but the overall picture supports Kent as a viable and reasonably safe homebuying market in 2026.

How many neighborhoods were analyzed in Kent's crime map?

16 neighborhoods were analyzed for Kent's 2026 crime map. The grade breakdown is as follows: 11 neighborhoods (68.8%) earned an A grade (including three A+ designations), 4 neighborhoods (25%) earned a B grade, and 1 neighborhood (6.3%) earned a C grade. Zero neighborhoods received a D or F. This distribution — with more than two-thirds of neighborhoods at the A level — is notably positive for a city of Kent's population density and urban complexity. The analysis covers neighborhoods ranging in population from under 1,500 (Meridian Valley Country Club, Riverview) to over 31,000 (Kent East Hill), ensuring the grades reflect diverse community contexts.