Crime in Des Moines, Iowa

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Des Moines, property crimes also account for about 85% of all offenses.

Property crime is more prevalent in Des Moines than it is nationwide. There were 8,933 property crimes in Des Moines in 2019, or 4,091 for every 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, the national property crime rate is 2,110 incidents per 100,000 people.

Larceny

Larceny is by far the most common type of property crime in the U.S. It is also the most commonly committed type of property crime in Des Moines. There were 5,336 larcenies reported in Des Moines in 2019, or 2,443 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 2,284 break-ins reported in Des Moines in 2019, or 1,046 for every 100,000 residents. For reference, there were 341 reported burglaries for every 100,000 people nationwide in 2019.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Across the United States, the annual motor vehicle theft rate is 220 for every 100,000 people. In Des Moines, meanwhile, there were 1,313 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 601 for every 100,000 people.

Violent crime

Violent crime accounts for a relatively small share of crimes nationwide. These offenses, which are generally more egregious than property crimes, account for about 15% of the nearly 8.2 million offenses reported across the U.S. in 2019. In Des Moines, violent offenses also account for a 15% share of all reported crime.

At 712 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Des Moines is well above the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Des Moines reported a total of 1,555 violent crimes in 2019.

Aggravated Assault

Aggravated assault is by far the most common type of violent crime reported in the U.S. It is also the most commonly reported violent offense in Des Moines. There were 1,141 aggravated assaults reported in Des Moines in 2019, or 523 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the rate is far lower, standing at 250 aggravated assaults per 100,000 people.

Robbery

Robbery is the second most common type of violent crime in America. There were 283 robberies reported in Des Moines in 2019, a rate of 130 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 117 rapes reported in Des Moines in 2019, or 54 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 14 homicides committed in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Des Moines is 6.4 murders for every 100,000 people, higher than the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.