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The Top Atlanta, GA Crime Statistics Businesses Should Know

Atlanta GA Crime Statistics

Atlanta, GA isn’t the worst city for crime, but businesses should be aware of the types of crimes commonly committed and which areas are most dangerous.

Knowing your risks as a business in Atlanta helps you to create better security strategies. For instance, if your business is in a high-risk neighborhood, you might want to consider hiring armed security guards.

The good news is the overall crime rates for Atlanta, GA are staying roughly the same and even declining in some areas versus getting worse. Some even argue that Atlanta has improved significantly over the last decade.

Among Top 30 Most Dangerous Cities

Crime statistics in Atlanta, GA have landed the city among the top 30 most dangerous cities for murder. The average number of murders in 2015 were 20.2 per 100K people while the rate for Georgia in general was only 6 per 100K.

However, Atlanta is only number 19 on the list and this list in particular only covers murders. It is important for businesses to note that better lighting, security cameras and guards are ideal for ensuring employees get to their vehicles safely.

What The FBI Discovered

The FBI’s annual crime report, released each September, shows how cities all over the United States stack up with various types of crimes. BizJournal pulled the stats for Atlanta, GA.

While the murder rate (111 total) increased by 18% from 2015 to 2016, overall violent crimes (5,121 total) decreased by 1.6%. Another drop came for motor vehicle thefts (3,993 total) with a 6.7% decrease in 2016. Property crimes (24,804 total) also experienced a decline of almost 3%.

This puts Atlanta, GA on par with other major metropolitan areas, such as Dallas, TX.

Comparing To Other Metro Areas

While seeing Atlanta, GA crime statistics gives you some insight into crime in your area, it’s still hard to see how Atlanta compares to similar metro areas.

US News calculates crime rates for various areas and gave Atlanta a 6.0 out of 10. This means the city has a higher than average crime rate, but as you might notice, it’s not as bad as it could be.

The violent crime rate for Atlanta is 403.7 per 100K people. However, Chicago and Houston both have higher rates with Houston having a rate of 577 per 100K.

Businesses are likely more interested in property crimes. Atlanta has a rate of 2998.7 per 100K people. Unlike with violent crimes, Atlanta is higher than similar metro areas with the closest being Houston at 2918 per 100K people.

Atlanta’s Safest Areas

According to Atlanta, GA crime statistics, some Atlanta areas are much safer than others. Generally speaking, areas north of Midtown and the eastern side of Atlanta are considered the safest.

On the other hand, there are a few standout suburbs where crime tends to be higher. These include Duluth, Smyrna, Norcross and Dunwoody / Perimeter Center.

Staying Updated On Crime

Crime statistics are constantly changing. The good news is it’s easy for businesses to keep track of crime in their area.

To see weekly crime reports, visit the Atlanta Police Department’s website. If you want to check for trends, download data from previous years to see how it compares to the current year. Weekly reports are available dating back to 2011.

Another great resource is SpotCrime. Zoom in on the map to see your exact area or even search by address. You’re able to filter by type of crime to see what’s most relevant to you.

CrimeReports works similar to SpotCrime to allow you to search the map to see the types and number of incidents in your area. You can also view data from specific police departments too.

Trulia gives an overall total for crime rates in different cities, including Atlanta, GA. The numbers are updated regularly. At the time of writing, Atlanta had over 18,000 counts of theft in the last year.

By staying current on crime rates, you’ll know exactly what to do to keep your business, employees and customers safer. Remember, even the safest areas still need security. After all, crime doesn’t always happen from the outside. Disgruntled employees and customers are always a recipe for disaster.

Contact BOS Security

Ready to start countering the biggest threats around your business? Contact our team today at 404-793-6965 to learn about our Atlanta, GA security guard services.

Take the first step towards learning more about your security risks with our free Security Needs Assessment.

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