D
40%
Total crime NAT. AVG.
3%
Violent crime NAT. AVG.
48%
Property crime NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects the 2022 calendar year and was released from the FBI in September, 2023; this is the most current data available.
StatisticReportedincidents/100k peopleHayward/100k peopleCalifornia/100k peopleNational/100k people
Total crime5,098n/a (estimate)3,2582,8432,324
Murder9n/a5.85.76.3
Rape55n/a35.237.440.0
Robbery241n/a154.0123.566.1
Assault254n/a162.3332.8268.2
Violent crime559n/a (estimate)357500370
Burglary502n/a320.9371.9269.8
Theft2,429n/a1,552.51,499.31,401.9
Vehicle theft1,608n/a1,027.8471.9282.7
Property crime4,539n/a (estimate)2,9012,3431,954

An Overview of Crime Rates in Hayward, CA

The Hayward crime rates are 40.2% higher than the national average. There are two main categories of crime - violent crime and property crime. Violent crime consists of murder, rape, robbery and assault, while property crimes include burglary, theft and vehicle theft. There were a total of 559 violent crimes in Hayward (357 per 100,000 people), which is 3.4% lower than the national average and there were a total of 4539 property crimes (2901 per 100,000 residents) which is 48.4% higher than average.

For violent crimes per 100,000 people, Hayward has a rate of violent crime that is very close to the national average. There were a total of 357 violent crimes, while the national average reported 370. This is an indication that the level of crime is essentially on par with all other cities.

Recently, vehicle thefts have seen an upward trend across the United States, and Hayward ranks among the cities with the highest vehicle theft rates in the country. Last year, there were 1608 vehicle thefts, amounting to 1028 stolen vehicles per 100,000 residents. This places Hayward within the worst 10% of all cities, indicating that 90% of cities fare better in terms of vehicle theft rates. The likelihood of your vehicle being stolen stands at 1 in 98.

What Do the Locals Say About Crime in Hayward?

AreaVibes conducted surveys inquiring about the safety perception of Hayward residents. Out of the respondents (59 in total), 29% expressed a strong sense of security, believing that crime rates in Hayward were low, and they felt comfortable walking alone at night. Conversely, 71% held a contrasting viewpoint, expressing concerns about safety in the area and feeling uncomfortable walking alone during the nighttime hours.

Is Hayward a Safe Place to Live?

Is Hayward a safe place to live? While the answer may not be straightforward due to variations in safety levels across the city, gaining an understanding of the overall crime rate can prove to be advantageous. In general, Hayward has a crime rate that is higher than the national average by 40%. Breaking this down on a daily basis, it translates to 13.97 daily incidents, encompassing 1.53 violent crimes and 12.44 property crimes. Evaluating these statistics can aid in forming a more informed perspective on the safety of Hayward as a potential place to call home.

Has Crime in Hayward Increased Since Last Year?

Year-over-year crime rates in Hayward has decreased by 13.3% in the last reported crime report. Comparing crime rates from one year to another offers some insight into whether or not Hayward is becoming a safer or more dangerous place to live. Crime rates are categorized by violent and property crime. Year-over-year violent crime has increased by 5.9%, while property crime has decreased by 15.2%. This analysis equips individuals with crucial information for making informed decisions about living in Hayward.

Hayward Neighborhood Crime Rates

Hayward is a large urban city with at least 16 distinct neighborhoods. As a result, crime rates will differ dramatically from one neighborhood to the next. Typically, high density neighborhoods that are located close to the city center, experience more crime than neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Some of the safest neighborhoods in Hayward include: Southgate, Upper B Street and Hayward Highland. Some neighborhoods that have a higher number of reported crime that you might want to avoid include: Longwood-Winton Grove, Santa Clara and Mission-Foothill.

Potential Causes for Crime in Hayward

Limited employment opportunities or a prevalence of low-wage jobs can result in higher rates of unemployment and underemployment. Regions where individuals grapple with joblessness or meager wages may exhibit greater vulnerability to an uptick in crime due to financial instability. While areas that have strong employment rates, often will see a reduction in overall crime. Hayward, for instance, reports an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which differs from the national average of 4.7%.

The educational level achieved in any given city can influence crime rates significantly. Greater educational achievement is frequently associated with decreased crime rates, as it offers individuals improved job prospects and alternatives to engaging in crime related activities. Conversely, lower educational attainment rates tend to coincide with elevated crime rates. In Hayward, 78.3% of residents have successfully graduated from high school, in contrast to the national average where 83% have achieved high school graduation.

In areas where housing affordability is an issue, crime can become a significant concern. Some individuals and families may be forced to live in overcrowded or substandard housing conditions, which can increase stress and potentially contribute to domestic disputes and related crimes. The median home price in Hayward is $622,700, compared to a national average of $184,700.

Hayward crime map



The Hayward crime map provides a detailed overview of all crimes in Hayward as reported by the local law enforcement agencies. Based on the color coded legend above, the crime map outlines the areas with lower crime compared to the areas with higher crime. The Hayward crime heat map offers insight into the total crimes on a block group level. Please note that the red areas on the Hayward crime map does not always indicate that it is a dangerous area for its residents. Areas on the heat map could be inflated if they are located in high traffic areas like airports, sports centers or large parks. Other areas on the heat map could see increased crime rates if they are located in major tourist areas like the downtown core.
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Compare Hayward, CA Crime

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      Crime Quick Facts

      • Hayward crime rates are 40% higher than the national average
      • Violent crimes in Hayward are 3% lower than the national average
      • In Hayward you have a 1 in 31 chance of becoming a victim of crime
      • Hayward is safer than 22% of the cities in the United States
      • Year over year crime in Hayward has decreased by 11%

      Hayward, CA Crime Quiz

         

        Safest Places to Live in and Around Hayward

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        Daily Crime In Hayward (per 100,000 people)

        The graph above looks at the comparison of crimes committed in Hayward on a daily basis (per 100,000 people) to crimes committed throughout the state of California and the USA. According to the latest crime statistics, daily crimes in Hayward (which include property crimes as well as violent crimes), when compared to California, are 1.15 times more than the state average and 1.40 times more than than national average. Violent crimes committed in Hayward on a daily basis are 1.40 times less than than California average and 1.04 times less than the average nationwide. Daily property crime rates in Hayward are 1.24 times more than the daily state average and 1.48 times more than the daily national numbers.

        How Safe is Hayward (higher is better)

        How safe is Hayward, California compared to other cities in California and the rest of the cities across the United States? The graphs above show that Hayward is safer than 36% of the cities in California and 22% of the cities in the United States. These results are calculated by analyzing all cities in California and across the US as a whole and determining how many areas have a lower crime rate than Hayward. Overall, Hayward is ranked below average compared to all other cities across the United States.

        Chance of Being A Victim of Crime in Hayward

        The chance of being a victim of violent crime in Hayward is 1 in 280
        The chance of being a victim of property crime in Hayward is 1 in 35
        The chance of being a victim of crime in Hayward is 1 in 31
        Are you at risk of becoming a victim of crime in Hayward, California? If you reside in Hayward, then there is a 1 in 280 chance that you will experience a violent crime. These types of crimes may include homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault. Your risk of being a victim of property crime is 1 in 35. These types of crime include burglary, petty theft, and theft of motor vehicles. Altogether, there is a 1 in 31 risk that you will become a victim of crime in Hayward.

        Year Over Year Crime In Hayward (per 100,000 people)

        An ideal indicator of whether Hayward is becoming a safer or more dangerous place to live can be done by analyzing the year over year crime rates per 100,000 people. Year over year violent crime in Hayward has increased by 9% and the rate of property crime in Hayward has decreased by 13%. The total crime rate in Hayward has decreased by 11% year to year.

        Hayward police department

        Item Hayward California National
        Law enforcement employees (officers & civilians)28251,506558,732
        Police officers & civilians /1000 residents1.93.63.3
        There are a total of 282 Hayward police officers. This results in 1.9 police officers per 1,000 residents which is 47% less than the California average and 41.2% less than the National average.

        Sex offenders in California

        State Total offenders California /100K National /100K
        California79,891232266
        There are a total of 79,891 sex offenders in California. This yields a total of 232 sex offenders in California per 100,000 residents which is 13% less than the national average.

        Nearby Cities With Low Crime Rates

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Norris Canyon, CA79070329399
        Castle Hill, CA1,16470329399
        Sunol, CA83570329399
        Camino Tassajara, CA5,87095446542
        Orinda, CA19,46157643700
        Danville, CA44,93333678710
        Emerald Lake Hills, CA4,893130609738
        Hayward, CA158,8173572,9013,258

        Cities with similar population

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Alexandria, VA158,3091861,9522,138
        Lancaster, CA157,6978681,8762,744
        Salinas, CA156,1775211,6772,198
        Clarksville, TN156,0924981,9992,497
        Lakewood, CO155,7338145,3246,137
        Hayward, CA158,8173572,9013,258
        Source: The Hayward, CA crime data displayed above is derived from the FBI's uniform crime reports for the year of 2022. The crime report encompasses more than 18,000 city and state law enforcement agencies reporting data on property and violent crimes. The uniform crime reports program represents approximately 309 million American residents, which results in 98% coverage of metropolitan statistical areas.