Amarillo Violent Crime Rates Far Exceed National Average

One of the reasons Amarillo gets a bad rap is because of the crime in the city. This isn't unwarranted, unfortunately, and is a definite concern with many residents and one of the top things people ask about when relocating to the city.

There are obviously different types of crime, so looking at it as a whole isn't the best way to go about it. Crimes such as burglary, car thefts, and theft in general are actually LOWER than the national average. Then there are violent crimes...and that is where Amarillo is falling short.

Assault, Murder, Rape All High

There are three categories you don't want to be anywhere near the national average on, and here in Amarillo? We SAIL past the national average on two of the three. The one where we are close to the national average? Murder, where we experience 8.4 murders per 100,000 residents. The national average? That would be 6.1, so while we're over, it's not as bad as the next two.

Amarillo experiences 73.9 rapes per 100,000 residents, which is alarming considering the national average is 40.7. The fact that we are nearly double the national average is extremely concerning, and no doubt puts people on high alert and makes them stay away from things they may enjoy, like nighttime strolls in a park.

The other category where Amarillo doesn't exactly shine? How about assault? Our number is a staggering 521.6 per 100,000 residents. The national average checks in at 282.7, which puts Amarillo at nearly double the average. I'd hate to say it, but I can see how we are so high. I get a feeling a lot of it happens from road rage, which I've seen a ton of here.

There Is A Silver Lining

It's hard to find a silver lining in numbers like that, especially in such violent crimes. However, there is one thing we can point to, and that is robberies, where we actually find ourselves below the national average.

Amarillo sits at 86.7 robberies per 100,000 residents, while the national average is 135.5. I don't know if that's due to police presence or robberies just not being something that people think of here, but it's nice to see there's something we can hang our hat on.