3,447

WHERE DO WE STAND?

The overall crime rate in Travis County increased by 3% from 2021 to 2022. Over the five years from 2018 through 2022, the overall crime rate in Travis County increased by 2%.  The increase in the overall crime rate is attributable to an increase in the violent crime rate from 2019 to 2022. This increase, which took place within the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, occurred in urban as well as rural communities.

These statistics include incidents of murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft and auto theft reported by 16 local law enforcement agencies to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

 A CLOSER LOOK

While local data is not available, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that African Americans are more likely than other racial or ethnic categories to be victims of violent crimes.

CRIME IN URBAN COUNTIES

In terms of the 5-year trend from 2018 to 2022, most of the largest urban counties in Texas saw an increase in the overall crime rates per 100,000 people. From 2020 to 2022, Bexar County saw the highest increase in the overall crime rate. Although Bexar County generally has the highest overall crime rate, in 2020 and 2021 Harris was the county with the highest overall crime rate among the six most populous Texas counties. El Paso County has the lowest crime rate among these counties.

VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME

There are far more property crimes (burglary, theft & auto theft) reported in Travis County each year than violent crimes (murder, robbery, aggravated assault and rape).

From 2021 to 2022, the property crime rate and the violent crime rate both increased:

• The property crime rate went from 2,915 offenses per 100,000 population in 2021 to 2,986 in 2022.

• The violent crime rate went from 440 offenses per 100,000 population in 2021 to 461 in 2022.

TRAVIS COUNTY PROPERTY CRIME

In 2022, Travis County experienced an increase in the total number of property crimes reported. Over the past 5 years, larcenies/thefts decreased by 5%, burglaries increased by 3%, and auto thefts increased by 109%. In Travis County, there were 5,678  burglaries, 29,113 larcenies, and 6,088 auto thefts reported by 18 law enforcement agencies in 2022.

TRAVIS COUNTY VIOLENT CRIME

The chart at left shows the number of incidents reported for each type of violent crime for 2018 through 2022. Assaults account for the largest share of violent crime offenses reported and have increased over the past 5 years. From 2021 to 2022, assaults increased by 9%,  rapes decreased by 6% and murders decreased by 10%. The number of robberies decreased by 2% over the same time period, to 1,049 in 2022.

Over the 5-year period from 2018 to 2022, the number of assaults increased by 65% and the number of murders increased by 116%.

PROPERTY CRIME IN TEXAS
URBAN COUNTIES

In 2022, Travis County experienced a slight increase in the property crime rate over the previous year. Property crime accounts for most reported crimes. In 2022, the property crime rate for Dallas County increased above the property crime rate of Travis County.

Bexar and Harris Counties have the highest property crime rates among Texas urban counties. El Paso County has consistently had the lowest property crime rate of the 6 most populous urban counties.

VIOLENT CRIME IN TEXAS
URBAN COUNTIES

In 2022 the Travis County violent crime rate increased to 461 per 100,000 from a rate of 440 per 100,000 in 2021. From 2012 to 2015, Travis County had the lowest violent crime rate per 100,000 residents among the six largest Texas urban counties. Click the graph to access this data.

Harris County, home to Houston, has consistently had the highest violent crime rate among these six urban counties.