Crime & Safety in La Mesa, CA
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
4.16
per 1,000 residents
-7% vs national
Property Crime Rate
13.79
per 1,000 residents
-37% vs national
Total Crimes
1,083
2024
Violent Clearance
58%
cases solved
+37% vs national
Property Clearance
15%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+24%
vs 50K-100K avg
+24% vs 50K-100K
YoY Change
+9.9%
violent crime rate
worsening vs 2023
How La Mesa Compares
Source: FBI (2024)La Mesa vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 50,000 - 100,000 residents. La Mesa is highlighted in green.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Murder Rate (per 1,000)
Violent Crime Clearance Rate
Crime Rate Trends
Source: FBICrime Composition
Source: FBI (2024)Violent Crime Breakdown
Property Crime Breakdown
Crime Clearance (Solve) Rates
Source: FBI (2024)La Mesa police solve 65% of aggravated assault cases but only 0% of rape cases. The national violent crime clearance rate is 42%.
Weapon Used in Violent Crime
Source: FBI (2024)Crime Breakdown
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)| Crime Type | Category | Count | Rate per 1K | Clearance % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Violent | 4 | 0.07 | 0.0% |
| Rape | Violent | 8 | 0.13 | 0.0% |
| Robbery | Violent | 50 | 0.83 | 46.0% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 189 | 3.13 | 65.1% |
| Burglary | Property | 133 | 2.20 | 26.3% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 541 | 8.96 | 14.8% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 158 | 2.62 | 4.4% |
La Mesa, CA reported 251 violent crimes and 832 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 4.16 per 1,000 residents is 7.2% below the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 58% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 541 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 3.2% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (50,000 - 100,000 population), La Mesa's violent crime rate is 24% higher. Violent crime has been trending upward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 251 | 832 | 4.16 | 13.79 |
| 2023 | 227 | 996 | 3.78 | 16.60 |
| 2022 | 184 | 1,261 | 3.05 | 20.90 |
| 2021 | 181 | 1,170 | 3.02 | 19.51 |
| 2020 | 181 | 1,036 | 3.04 | 17.42 |
| 2019 | 174 | 1,000 | 2.91 | 16.70 |
| 2018 | 160 | 1,049 | 2.65 | 17.36 |
| 2017 | 160 | 1,193 | 2.65 | 19.74 |
| 2016 | 197 | 1,669 | 3.25 | 27.50 |
| 2015 | 196 | 1,740 | 3.28 | 29.16 |