Crime & Safety in Des Moines, WA
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
2.97
per 1,000 residents
-34% vs national
Property Crime Rate
28.49
per 1,000 residents
+31% vs national
Total Crimes
997
2024
Violent Clearance
31%
cases solved
-27% vs national
Property Clearance
7%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+6%
vs 25K-50K avg
+6% vs 25K-50K
YoY Change
-5.5%
violent crime rate
improving vs 2023
How Des Moines Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Des Moines vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 25,000 - 50,000 residents. Des Moines 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)Des Moines police solve 100% of murder cases but only 1% 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 | 0.03 | 100.0% |
| Rape | Violent | 9 | 0.28 | 11.1% |
| Robbery | Violent | 33 | 1.04 | 24.2% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 51 | 1.61 | 35.3% |
| Burglary | Property | 68 | 2.15 | 16.2% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 611 | 19.28 | 8.0% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 224 | 7.07 | 1.3% |
Des Moines, WA reported 94 violent crimes and 903 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 2.97 per 1,000 residents is 33.8% below the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 31% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 611 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 47.1% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (25,000 - 50,000 population), Des Moines's violent crime rate is 6% higher. Violent crime has been trending downward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 94 | 903 | 2.97 | 28.49 |
| 2023 | 101 | 1,133 | 3.14 | 35.21 |
| 2022 | 101 | 1,137 | 3.10 | 34.94 |
| 2021 | 117 | 1,180 | 3.58 | 36.13 |
| 2020 | 112 | 1,159 | 3.43 | 35.50 |
| 2019 | 86 | 1,007 | 2.63 | 30.79 |
| 2018 | 111 | 1,092 | 3.53 | 34.71 |
| 2017 | 126 | 1,154 | 4.01 | 36.73 |
| 2016 | 118 | 1,295 | 3.74 | 41.08 |
| 2015 | 116 | 966 | 3.70 | 30.83 |