Crime in Salem, Virginia

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Salem, however, property crimes account for about 96% of all offenses.

Property crime is slightly more prevalent in Salem than it is nationwide. There were 559 property crimes in Salem in 2019, or 2,184 for every 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, the national property crime rate is 2,110 incidents per 100,000 people.

Larceny

Larceny is by far the most common type of property crime in the U.S. It is also the most commonly committed type of property crime in Salem. There were 473 larcenies reported in Salem in 2019, or 1,848 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 46 break-ins reported in Salem in 2019, or 180 for every 100,000 residents. For reference, there were 341 reported burglaries for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2019.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Across the United States, the annual motor vehicle theft rate is 220 for every 100,000 people. In Salem, meanwhile, there were 40 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 156 for every 100,000 people.

Violent crime

Violent crime accounts for a relatively small share of crimes nationwide. These offenses, which are generally more egregious than property crimes, account for about 15% of the nearly 8.2 million offenses reported across the U.S. in 2019. In Salem, however, violent offenses account for a much smaller 4% share of all reported crime.

At 90 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Salem is well below the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Salem reported a total of 23 violent crimes in 2019.

Aggravated Assault

Aggravated assault is by far the most common type of violent crime reported in the U.S. It is also the most commonly reported violent offense in Salem. There were 14 aggravated assaults reported in Salem in 2019, or 55 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is far higher, standing at 250 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people.

Robbery

Robbery is the second most common type of violent crime in America. There were 5 robberies reported in Salem in 2019, a rate of 20 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 3 rapes reported in Salem in 2019, or 12 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There was one homicide reported in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Salem is 3.9 for every 100,000 people, lower than the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.