Crime & Safety in Portales, NM
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
7.82
per 1,000 residents
+74% vs national
Property Crime Rate
28.71
per 1,000 residents
+32% vs national
Total Crimes
430
2024
Violent Clearance
37%
cases solved
-13% vs national
Property Clearance
19%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+199%
vs 10K-25K avg
+199% vs 10K-25K
YoY Change
+17.0%
violent crime rate
worsening vs 2022
How Portales Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Portales vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 10,000 - 25,000 residents. Portales 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)Portales police solve 100% of murder cases but only 8% of motor vehicle theft 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 | 1 | 0.08 | 100.0% |
| Rape | Violent | 6 | 0.51 | 16.7% |
| Robbery | Violent | 5 | 0.42 | 20.0% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 80 | 6.80 | 38.8% |
| Burglary | Property | 176 | 14.95 | 8.5% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 126 | 10.70 | 37.3% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 36 | 3.06 | 8.3% |
Portales, NM reported 92 violent crimes and 338 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 7.82 per 1,000 residents is 74.4% above the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 37% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 126 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 43.8% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (10,000 - 25,000 population), Portales's violent crime rate is 199% higher. Violent crime has been trending upward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 92 | 338 | 7.82 | 28.71 |
| 2022 | 80 | 298 | 6.68 | 24.89 |
| 2019 | 55 | 305 | 4.71 | 26.12 |
| 2018 | 66 | 306 | 5.61 | 26.00 |
| 2017 | 24 | 442 | 2.01 | 37.06 |
| 2016 | 50 | 472 | 4.19 | 39.59 |
| 2015 | 68 | 413 | 5.57 | 33.86 |