Los Angeles is one of the world’s most popular and affluent cities, a large metropolitan area made up of many distinct suburbs and communities. Some neighborhoods are known for high levels of investment and low crime; others face economic challenges and higher rates of violent and property crime. The goal of this webpage is to show the difference in crime rates between South Los Angeles and the North‑West (Valley) areas. Hover a row to highlight it and click a neighborhood name to load a concise summary into the message box below.
| Neighborhood | Population | Murder | Rape | Robbery | Assault | Burglary | Theft | Motor Vehicle Theft | TotalRate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burbank | 103,533 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 282.1 | 94.7 | 2,436.5 | 293 | 3,127.3 |
| La Canada Flintridge | 20,573 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 360.3 | 850.80 | 100.1 | 1,381.2 |
| Pasadena | 138,000 | 0.8 | 33.3 | 119.7 | 326.6 | 557 | 1,864.9 | 275.1 | 3,177.4 |
| San Marino | 33,500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.9 | 465.5 | 643.2 | 67.7 | 1,473.9 |
| Glendale | 187,823 | 2.2 | 18.5 | 93.4 | 173.2 | 202 | 1,594.6 | 230.2 | 2,314.1 |
| Neighborhood | Population | Murder | Rape | Robbery | Assault | Burglary | Theft | Motor Vehicle Theft | TotalRate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inglewood | 100,462 | 6.9 | 45.4 | 264.3 | 358 | 296.9 | 2,451.7 | 865.9 | 4,289.1 |
| Anaheim | 343,000 | 3.6 | 50.2 | 105.2 | 437.2 | 348 | 1,432.8 | 351.3 | 2,728.3 |
| Compton | 93,500 | 20.1 | 38 | 350.6 | 863.1 | 387.4 | 1,611.1 | 1,146.7 | 4,417 |
| Downey | 107,000 | 0.9 | 28.7 | 154.7 | 255.6 | 294.5 | 1,490.2 | 1,101.2 | 3,325.8 |
| South Gate | 91,000 | 4.5 | 29.1 | 241 | 251.1 | 288 | 2,335.7 | 975.1 | 4,124.5 |
Los Angeles is often talked about as one big city, but the data shows that crime rates are very different depending on the neighborhood. When comparing North-West Los Angeles (areas like Burbank, Pasadena, Glendale, and San Marino) to South Los Angeles (including Inglewood, Compton, Downey, and South Gate), there are noticeable differences in both violent and property crime rates.
Overall, South Los Angeles neighborhoods tend to have higher total crime rates than North-West neighborhoods. For example, Compton has a total crime rate of 4,417 per 100,000 people, while Glendale in the North-West has a total rate of 2,314.1. Inglewood and South Gate also have total crime rates above 4,000, which is significantly higher than most of the North-West areas listed.
Looking at violent crimes like murder, robbery, and assault, South Los Angeles generally reports higher numbers. Compton has a murder rate of 20.1 per 100,000 people, compared to places like San Marino, which reported zero murders in the data. Assault and robbery rates are also much higher in South Los Angeles neighborhoods. For example, Compton’s assault rate is 863.1, while Burbank’s is 282.1.
Property crimes such as theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft are high in both areas, but they are still generally higher in South Los Angeles. Motor vehicle theft is especially notable. Compton reports a rate of 1,146.7, and South Gate reports 975.1, which are much higher than most North-West neighborhoods. However, theft is high in some North-West areas too, like Burbank and Pasadena, showing that property crime affects all regions.
Overall, the data shows a clear difference between the two regions. South Los Angeles neighborhoods tend to have higher crime rates across most categories, especially violent crimes. North-West Los Angeles neighborhoods generally report lower crime rates, particularly in serious crimes like murder and assault. This comparison highlights how crime is not evenly distributed across Los Angeles and varies significantly depending on the area.
- Murder
- Intentional homicide rate per 100,000 residents.
- Rape
- Reported sexual assault incidents per 100,000 residents.
- Robbery
- Theft involving force or threat per 100,000 residents.
- Assault
- Aggravated assault or violent injury incidents per 100,000 residents.
- TotalRate
- Sum of the listed violent crime categories per 100,000 residents (used as a simple comparative metric).
- Burglary
- Unlawful entry of a structure to commit theft or a felony, reported per 100,000 residents.
- Theft
- Non‑violent taking of property (larceny) reported per 100,000 residents.
- Motor Vehicle Theft
- Theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle, reported per 100,000 residents.
- Population
- Estimated resident population used to calculate rates.
Example 1: Highlight the highest total rate in the South — click Inglewood to load its summary and spotlight the core TotalRate column.
Example 2: Compare a lower-rate NW area — click San Marino to see the summary and contrast the TotalRate values.