Violent Crime
Arizona has 6% less violent crime
Arizona records 473.4 violent incidents per 100k residents versus 499.5 in California (FBI UCR 2022).
Violent Crime Rate Comparison
Safety
Arizona vs California: Violent Crime Rate
Arizona has a lower violent crime rate than California.
Arizona
AZ • West
473.4
Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).
California
CA • West
499.5
Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).
Visual Comparison
Arizona
473.4
California
499.5
Difference: 26.1 per 100k — Arizona leads.
Safety Context
Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.
Safety
Poverty
California has a lower poverty rate
Economic stress and crime are closely tied. California's poverty rate is 12.0%, compared with 12.4% in Arizona.
View detailed comparisonIncome
California has higher household income
States with stronger median incomes tend to have lower crime rates. California leads at $84,097 vs $72,581 in Arizona.
View detailed comparisonPopulation Density
California is more densely populated
Urban density often correlates with higher crime rates. California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi vs 62.7 in Arizona.
View detailed comparisonSafety Snapshot
Arizona
Safety
Violent crime rate / 100k
473.4
Contributing factors
Poverty rate
12.4%
Median household income
$72,581
Population density
62.7 / sq mi
Unemployment rate
4.3%
California
Safety
Violent crime rate / 100k
499.5
Contributing factors
Poverty rate
12.0%
Median household income
$84,097
Population density
241.5 / sq mi
Unemployment rate
5.5%
What Stands Out
- Arizona has the lower violent crime rate at 473.4 per 100k.
- California has the lower poverty rate.
- California has the higher median household income.
Related Pages
What This Means
Arizona vs California: Violent Crime Rate in context
Arizona has a violent crime rate of 473.4, compared with 499.5 in California. Violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI UCR 2022).
Arizona
473.4
California
499.5
Difference
26.1 per 100k
People Also Ask
Arizona vs California Violent Crime Rate — Common Questions
Q What is Arizona's violent crime rate?
Arizona's violent crime rate is 473.4.
Q What is California's violent crime rate?
California's violent crime rate is 499.5.
Q Which state has a lower violent crime rate — Arizona or California?
Arizona has a lower violent crime rate than California.
More Comparisons: Arizona vs California
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.