Corpus Christi has a higher rate of violent and property crime than the national average. Violent crime in the city is 35% (compared to the national average of 22.7%), while the property crime rate is 56% (compared to the national average of 35.4%). This makes Corpus Christi one of the most dangerous cities in Texas, which highlights the need for more public safety initiatives from local law enforcement and the city government to bring these numbers down.
Historical Crime Statistics in Corpus Christi
In 2022, there were 2,512 violent crimes committed in Corpus Christi (791 per 100,000 people), which is 113.8% higher than the national average for that year. There were also 9,915 property crimes committed in 2022 (3,121 per 100,000 people), which is 59.7% higher than the national average for that year. The odds of falling victim to a violent crime in this area is 1 in every 127 residents, which has made Corpus Christi one of the most perilous cities in the United States.
While there has been a steady decline in murder rates in the United States since 1990, there has been an unfortunate uptick in recent years. Corpus Christi stands out as having one of the highest murder rates in the country. It even surpassed other cities that reported the same crime. In 2022, Corpus Christi had 41 murders, which translates to 13 for every 100,000 people. This statistic emphasizes the need for enhanced safety measures and community engagement to reduce the number of violent crimes being committed in this area.
Recent Crime Statistics in Corpus Christi
According to statistics from the FBI released in October 2023, the total crime rate in Corpus Christi is 3,911.6 per 100,000 people. This is 68.3% higher than the national rate of 2,324.2 per 100,000 people and 45.33% higher than the Texas total crime rate of 2,691.5 per 100,000 people. Individual crime rates for Corpus Christi were as follows:
- A murder rate of 12.9 per 100,000 (compared to 6.6 per 100,000 in Texas and 6.3 per 100,000 in the entire US).
- A robbery rate of 111.7 per 100,000 (compared to 91.4 per 100,000 in Texas and 66.1 per 100,000 in the entire US).
- The rate for aggravated assault was 590.7 per 100,000 (compared to 302.5 per 100,000 in Texas and 268.2 per 100,000 in the entire US).
- A violent crime rate of 790.7 per 100,000 (compared to 446.5 per 100,000 in Texas and 369.8 in the entire US).
- A burglary rate of 501.4 per 100,000 (compared to 370.4 per 100,000 in Texas and 269.8 per 100,000 in the entire US).
- A larceny rate of 2,358.8 per 100,000 (compared to 1,587.3 per 100,000 in Texas and 1,401.9 per 100,000 in the entire US).
- A car theft rate of 265.7 per 100,000 (compared to 287 per 100,000 in Texas and 282.7 per 100,000 in the entire US).
- A property crime rate 3,120.9 per 100,000 (compared to 2,245 per 100,000 in Texas and 1,954.4 in the entire US).
Corpus Christi reported 2,512 violent crimes (790.7 per 100,000 people), which was 113.82% higher than the national average. You also have a 1 in 126.5 chance of becoming the victim of a violent crime each year (compared to a 1 in 224 chance for the entire state). Corpus Christi reported 9,915 property crimes (3,120.9 per 100,000 people), which is 59.69% above the national average. You also have a 1 in 32 chance of becoming the victim of a property crime in this city each year, which is 39.01 higher than the Texas property crime rate of 2,245 per 100,000 people.
How Residents Feel About the Corpus Christi Crime Rate
According to a survey, 29% of Corpus Christi residents don’t believe there’s a great deal of crime in the area and that they feel safe walking alone at night. However, 71% of them believe it wasn’t a safe place to live and didn’t feel safe walking alone at night. The amount of crime in Corpus Christi also depends on the neighborhood, because each one has its own unique crime rate that’s influenced by a number of factors (such as location and socioeconomic conditions).
Neighborhoods that are near the downtown area tend to have higher crime rates because of their high population density, while neighborhoods located on the outskirts will often have lower population density as well as unemployment and poverty rates (which makes them safer environments). The city also has exemplars (such as Mustang-Padre Island, Callallen, and Bay Area) that tend to be safer, while other areas (such as Central City, Northwest, and Flour Bluff) deal with above-average crime rates.
If you’re facing charges and are looking for a criminal defense attorney in Corpus Christi, be sure to reach out to Gale Law Group.