Newport Beach Area Has Higher Crime Rate Than Most O.C. Cities

The Newport Beach area has a higher per-capita crime rate than most other Orange County cities, according to recently released statistics from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

The FBI's 2010 Uniform Crime Report shows that Newport Beach averages 28 crimes per 1,000 residents, a total that puts it near the tail end of the safety rankings for Orange County cities. Laguna Beach averages 22.8 crimes, while Costa Mesa averages 31.1. The worst performing city in Orange County, based on the statistics, is Brea at 39.9, a rate higher than larger cities such as Santa Ana (23.8) and Anaheim (28.5)

In Orange County, Laguna Woods was the safest city for populations of less than 20,000 with 6.5 crimes per 1,000 residents; a large portion of Laguna Woods is comprised of a Leisure World community.

Laguna Woods is actually seventh in the state, and directly behind it is Rancho Santa Margarita, which has the lowest rate of crime with populations more than 20,000. RSM, with its population of 49,665, has 7.9 crimes per 1,000.

Included in the crime report are murder, rape, robbery, assault, total property crimes, burglary, larceny-theft, auto theft and arson.

Here is a list of Orange County cities with population and crimes per 1,000:

1. Laguna Woods (18,286), 6.5)
2. Rancho Santa Margarita (49,665), 7.9
3. Laguna Niguel (64,812), 10.5
4. Aliso Viejo (41,989), 11.3
5. Villa Park (5,991), 12.7
6. Mission Viejo (94, 679), 12.7
7. Yorba Linda (66,813), 12.9
8. San Clemente (62,796), 13.4
9. Irvine (217,193), 13.4
10. Lake Forest (75,780), 13.9
11. La Palma (15,733), 14.4
12. San Juan Capistrano (35,241), 15.4
13. Laguna Hills (31,909), 17.3
14. Cypress (47,320), 18.0
15. Dana Point (35,888), 18.4
16. Placentia (50,237), 18.5
17. Orange (137,606), 19.8
18. Stanton (37,912), 21.1
19. Laguna Beach (24,147), 22.8
20. Tustin (72,982), 23.2
21. Seal Beach (24,225), 23.6
22. La Habra (59,355), 23.7
23. Santa Ana (340,240), 23.8
24. Garden Grove (166,287), 24.8
25. Fountain Valley (55,879), 25.0 (24.96)
26. Los Alamitos (11,698), 25.0 (25.04)
27. Huntington Beach (193,545), 26.5
28. Newport Beach (81,882), 28.0
29. Buena Park (79,929), 28.1
30. Anaheim (338,492), 28.5
31. Costa Mesa (110,424), 31.1
32. Westminster (89,604), 31.2
33. Fullerton (113,139), 32.1
34. Brea (38,725), 39.9