Crime & Safety in Salem, VA
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
0.39
per 1,000 residents
-91% vs national
Property Crime Rate
15.12
per 1,000 residents
-30% vs national
Total Crimes
401
2024
Violent Clearance
70%
cases solved
+65% vs national
Property Clearance
48%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
-86%
vs 25K-50K avg
-86% vs 25K-50K
YoY Change
-55.0%
violent crime rate
improving vs 2023
How Salem Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Salem vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 25,000 - 50,000 residents. Salem 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)Salem police solve 100% of rape cases but only 25% of aggravated assault 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 | 2 | 0.08 | 100.0% |
| Rape | Violent | 4 | 0.15 | 100.0% |
| Robbery | Violent | 0 | 0.00 | N/A |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 4 | 0.15 | 25.0% |
| Burglary | Property | 21 | 0.81 | 52.4% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 331 | 12.80 | 47.7% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 39 | 1.51 | 51.3% |
Salem, VA reported 10 violent crimes and 391 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 0.39 per 1,000 residents is 91.4% below the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 70% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 331 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 75.0% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (25,000 - 50,000 population), Salem's violent crime rate is 86% lower. Violent crime has been trending downward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10 | 391 | 0.39 | 15.12 |
| 2023 | 22 | 477 | 0.86 | 18.63 |
| 2022 | 32 | 440 | 1.26 | 17.28 |
| 2021 | 24 | 483 | 0.95 | 19.05 |
| 2020 | 13 | 482 | 0.51 | 19.03 |
| 2019 | 23 | 559 | 0.90 | 21.84 |
| 2018 | 23 | 507 | 0.89 | 19.54 |
| 2017 | 18 | 560 | 0.70 | 21.85 |
| 2016 | 24 | 528 | 0.95 | 20.79 |
| 2015 | 19 | 528 | 0.74 | 20.66 |