Crime in Independence, Missouri

Property crime

The vast majority of crimes in America are property crimes, accounting for 85% of total crimes in 2019. In Independence, however, property crimes account for about 89% of all offenses.

Property crime is much more prevalent in Independence than it is nationwide. There were 5,443 property crimes in Independence in 2019, or 4,655 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 Independence. There were 3,877 larcenies reported in Independence in 2019, or 3,316 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, the larceny rate is 1,550 per 100,000.

Burglary

There were 559 break-ins reported in Independence in 2019, or 478 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 Independence, meanwhile, there were 1,007 motor vehicle thefts in 2019, or 861 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 Independence, however, violent offenses account for a smaller 11% share of all reported crime.

At 589 incidents for every 100,000 people, the violent crime rate in Independence is well above the national violent crime rate of 379 offenses per 100,000 people. Law enforcement in Independence reported a total of 689 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 Independence. There were 452 aggravated assaults reported in Independence in 2019, or 387 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 106 robberies reported in Independence in 2019, a rate of 91 robberies for every 100,000 residents. For comparison, the national robbery rate was 82 per 100,000 in 2019.

Rape

There were 125 rapes reported in Independence in 2019, or 107 for every 100,000 people. Nationwide, there were 139,815 rapes in 2019, a rate of 43 per 100,000 people.

Murder

There were 6 homicides committed in the city in 2019. Adjusted for population, the murder rate in Independence is 5.1 murders for every 100,000 people, similar to the national murder rate of 5 per 100,000 people.