The FBI's crime report for 2003 named Virginia Beach as the safest big US city
Introducing Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, where English colonists first settled in 1607, has been a popular resort destination since 1880s. Railroad service to the beach began in 1883, transporting visitors from Norfolk to the ocean beach. In 1888, the modernized Princess Anne Hotel was described in a local newspaper as a magnificent hotel, with electric lights, bath houses with a veranda, and a good ballroom. Holidaymakers and tourists are still a vital part of life in Virginia Beach, even after 120 years!
Since the merger of Princess Anne County and the resort town of Virginia Beach in 1963, the City of Virginia Beach has enjoyed a steady rate of growth in population as well as visitors. The 2000 Census indicates a Virginia Beach population of 425,257.
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This archived article was published 9 June 2004
Safest US cities:
Virginia Beach named
the safest big US city
America has become a less violent society, with big cities seeing an above average fall in reported violent crime. The FBI’s crime report for 2003 shows that across the US violent crime fell by 1.3 per cent. In cities with populations above one million the fall was 6.5 per cent, while in cities with populations of 250,000 to one million people the reduction in violent crime in 2003 amounted to more than 4.8 per cent.On a regional basis, in the Midwest the fall in violent crime was greatest (-7.0 per cent), while violent crime level in the West fell by only 1.2 per cent. The respective figures for the Northeast and the South are -3.2 per cent and -2.7 per cent.
Property crimes remained more or less static. Nationally, the number of reported property, including burglary, larceny and car theft, fell by an insignificant 0.1 per cent. In cities with populations of more than one million property crime decreased by 0.8 per cent, while cities with populations of less than 100,000 saw property related offences all rise. The largest increase, according to the FBI report, was in communities with populations of fewer than 10,000 people. Property crime increased in the South and West but fell in the Northeast and Midwest.
New York City recorded more violent crimes than any other US city, but it is actually one of the safest big cities in the country. City Mayors used data from the FBI and the US Census Bureau to devise league tables of America’s safest big cities. (The tables include data for the 50 largest US cities. However, there are no figures for Indianapolis and Washington DC.) According to City Mayors’ calculations, Virginia Beach is the country’s safest big city with 224 reported violent crimes per 100,000 citizens. Atlanta, the most dangerous big city in the US, is credited with 2,065 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Detroit, Miami, Las Vegas and Baltimore complete the top five of most violent big cities. New York City recorded 750 violent crimes per 100,000 during 2003.
In 2003, more people were murdered in Chicago than in any other US city. However, based on a ratio of murders per population, the Illinois city is only in tenth place. City Mayors calculated that people in New Orleans are more likely to be murdered than in any other big US city. Per 100,000 citizens, New Orleans recorded 57 reported murders. The figure for second-placed Baltimore was 41 murders per 100,000. San Jose, Colorado Springs, Mesa, El Paso, Austin and Honolulu all have fewer than five murders per 100,000 people.
All violent crime: The safest big US cities
(Total number of reported violent crimes and violent crimes per 100,000 citizens)
|
Rank
|
City
|
Population
|
Total no
of violent crimes |
Crimes per 100,000 citizens
|
|
1
|
Virginia Beach |
425,257
|
951
|
224
|
|
2
|
San Jose |
894,943
|
3,407
|
381
|
|
3
|
Colorado Springs |
360,890
|
1,741
|
482
|
|
4
|
Austin |
656,562
|
3,180
|
484
|
|
5
|
Mesa |
396,375
|
2,360
|
595
|
|
6
|
San Diego |
1,223,400
|
7,431
|
607
|
|
7
|
El Paso |
563,662
|
3,523
|
625
|
|
8
|
San Antonio |
1,144,646
|
7,337
|
641
|
|
9
|
Denver |
554,636
|
3,594
|
648
|
|
10
|
Wichita |
344,284
|
2,247
|
653
|
|
11
|
Omaha |
390,007
|
2,662
|
683
|
|
12
|
Honolulu |
371,657
|
2,621
|
705
|
|
13
|
Seattle |
563,374
|
3,980
|
706
|
|
14
|
Fort Worth |
534,694
|
3,808
|
712
|
|
15
|
San Francisco |
776,733
|
5,794
|
746
|
|
16
|
New York City |
8,008,278
|
60,045
|
750
|
|
17
|
Phoenix |
1,321,045
|
9,963
|
754
|
|
18
|
Long Beach |
461,522
|
3,628
|
786
|
|
19
|
Fresno |
427,652
|
3,542
|
828
|
|
20
|
Portland |
529,121
|
4,463
|
843
|
|
21
|
Sacramento |
407,018
|
3,463
|
851
|
|
22
|
Columbus |
711,470
|
6,324
|
889
|
|
23
|
Milwaukee |
596,974
|
5,398
|
904
|
|
24
|
Jacksonville |
735,617
|
6,821
|
927
|
|
25
|
Oklahoma City |
506,132
|
4,751
|
939
|
|
26
|
Tucson |
486,699
|
4,760
|
978
|
|
27
|
Albuquerque |
448,607
|
4,490
|
1,001
|
|
28
|
New Orleans |
484,674
|
4,870
|
1,005
|
|
29
|
Tulsa |
393,049
|
4,365
|
1,111
|
|
30
|
Minneapolis |
382,618
|
4,563
|
1,193
|
|
31
|
Boston |
589,141
|
7,212
|
1,224
|
|
32
|
Houston |
1,953,631
|
24,266
|
1,242
|
|
33
|
Cleveland |
478,403
|
6,273
|
1,311
|
|
34
|
Chicago |
2,896,016
|
38,282
|
1,322
|
|
35
|
Los Angeles |
3,694,820
|
49,337
|
1,335
|
|
36
|
Charlotte |
540,828
|
7,260
|
1,342
|
|
37
|
Philadelphia |
1,517,550
|
20,968
|
1,382
|
|
38
|
Kansas City |
441,545
|
6,233
|
1,412
|
|
39
|
Oakland |
399,484
|
5,722
|
1,432
|
|
40
|
Dallas |
1,188,580
|
17,091
|
1,438
|
|
41
|
Nashville |
569,891
|
8,381
|
1,471
|
|
42
|
Memphis |
650,100
|
10,423
|
1,603
|
|
43
|
St. Louis |
348,189
|
6,398
|
1,838
|
|
44
|
Baltimore |
651,154
|
12,370
|
1,900
|
|
45
|
Las Vegas |
478,434
|
9,305
|
1,945
|
|
46
|
Miami |
362,470
|
7,231
|
1,995
|
|
47
|
Detroit |
951,270
|
19,090
|
2,007
|
|
48
|
Atlanta |
416,474
|
8,600
|
2,065
|
Murder: The safest big US cities
(Total number murders and murders per 100,000 citizens)
|
Rank
|
City
|
Population
|
Total number of murders
|
Murders per 100,000 citizens
|
|
1
|
San Jose |
894,943
|
29
|
3
|
|
2
|
Colorado Springs |
360,890
|
12
|
3
|
|
3
|
Mesa |
396,375
|
14
|
4
|
|
4
|
El Paso |
563,662
|
21
|
4
|
|
5
|
Honolulu |
371,657
|
15
|
4
|
|
6
|
Austin |
656,562
|
27
|
4
|
|
7
|
Portland |
529,121
|
27
|
5
|
|
8
|
Wichita |
344,284
|
18
|
5
|
|
9
|
San Diego |
1,223,400
|
65
|
5
|
|
10
|
Virginia Beach |
425,257
|
24
|
6
|
|
11
|
Seattle |
563,374
|
34
|
6
|
|
12
|
Boston |
589,141
|
39
|
7
|
|
13
|
San Antonio |
1,144,646
|
85
|
7
|
|
14
|
New York City |
8,008,278
|
597
|
7
|
|
15
|
Fresno |
427,652
|
37
|
9
|
|
16
|
San Francisco |
776,733
|
69
|
9
|
|
17
|
Omaha |
390,007
|
35
|
9
|
|
18
|
Tucson |
486,699
|
49
|
10
|
|
19
|
Sacramento |
407,018
|
43
|
11
|
|
20
|
Long Beach |
461,522
|
49
|
11
|
|
21
|
Fort Worth |
534,694
|
57
|
11
|
|
22
|
Denver |
554,636
|
63
|
11
|
|
23
|
Albuquerque |
448,607
|
51
|
11
|
|
24
|
Minneapolis |
382,618
|
46
|
12
|
|
25
|
Charlotte |
540,828
|
66
|
12
|
|
26
|
Jacksonville |
735,617
|
92
|
13
|
|
27
|
Nashville |
569,891
|
72
|
13
|
|
28
|
Los Angeles |
3,694,820
|
514
|
14
|
|
29
|
Houston |
1,953,631
|
278
|
14
|
|
30
|
Cleveland |
478,403
|
73
|
15
|
|
31
|
Columbus |
711,470
|
109
|
15
|
|
32
|
Tulsa |
393,049
|
61
|
16
|
|
33
|
Phoenix |
1,321,045
|
241
|
18
|
|
34
|
Milwaukee |
596,974
|
109
|
18
|
|
35
|
Kansas City |
441,545
|
82
|
19
|
|
36
|
Dallas |
1,188,580
|
226
|
19
|
|
37
|
Memphis |
650,100
|
126
|
19
|
|
38
|
Miami |
362,470
|
74
|
20
|
|
39
|
Chicago |
2,896,016
|
598
|
21
|
|
40
|
St. Louis |
348,189
|
73
|
21
|
|
41
|
Oklahoma City |
506,132
|
109
|
22
|
|
42
|
Philadelphia |
1,517,550
|
348
|
23
|
|
43
|
Oakland |
399,484
|
109
|
27
|
|
44
|
Las Vegas |
478,434
|
144
|
30
|
|
45
|
Atlanta |
416,474
|
149
|
36
|
|
46
|
Detroit |
951,270
|
366
|
38
|
|
47
|
Baltimore |
651,154
|
270
|
41
|
|
48
|
New Orleans |
484,674
|
274
|
57
|
