Is Reno safe? The honest starting point is the official record, not a reputation or a crime-score website. This guide reports what the Reno Police Department, the State of Nevada and the FBI published for 2025, says what each number counts, and shows you who to ask about a specific address.
We don't rate Reno's neighborhoods, and we don't advise anyone on where to live. The public record stops at the city level, the FBI warns against rankings, and fair housing guidance asks agents for objective facts. So you get the numbers and the agency's contact, and the judgment stays with you.
Updated November 2, 2026: This guide now rests on Nevada's 2025 records and the FBI's national summary. We could no longer open the FBI's agency tables, so their figures are gone, including the average for cities Reno's size. Earlier versions also named preferred neighborhoods and corridors and credited sources that don't publish that detail. Those claims are gone too.
On Nevada's crime statistics portal for 2025, Reno Police recorded 1,581 violent and 6,932 property crimes, about 557 and 2,438 per 100,000 residents using the Census estimate of 283,621 and leaving arson out to match the FBI's definition. That sits above the FBI's national estimates of 327.6 and 1,534.8. These are citywide totals, so they can't describe a street. For an address, ask Reno Police's records section what it can release.
- Nevada's 2025 figures put Reno Police at about 557 violent and 2,438 property crimes per 100,000.
- The state portal shows violent crime up 6.39% in 2025 and property crime down 3.51%.
- Aggravated assault made up 1,103 of Reno's 1,581 violent crimes in the state's 2025 report.
- Reno, Sparks, Washoe County and university police report separately, so confirm who covers an address.
- Reno Police's resources page points to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, not a local crime map.
Shopping the area? Browse live Reno homes for sale with prices, photos and filters.
Is Reno, Nevada Safe in 2026?
No official source answers that with a yes or a no, and the latest full year is 2025. Nevada's crime statistics portal shows 1,581 violent and 6,932 property crimes for Reno Police in 2025.
Those are the numbers a fair answer rests on. They say how many offenses one police department recorded across one city in one year. They don't say how likely a crime is for you, and they can't be split by neighborhood from the public reports.
We don't quote 2026 yet. On November 2, the state portal's 2026 pages showed 424 violent and 1,361 property crimes for Reno Police. Sparks, a much smaller agency, showed 289 and 1,901 for the same year, so Reno's 2026 submissions look far from complete. Treat any 2026 Reno total from a third-party site with care for the same reason, and wait for a full year.
For the rest of the decision, including jobs, costs and commutes, our moving to Reno guide and is Reno a good place to live cover what crime data can't.
What Do Reno's Crime Statistics Actually Say?
This guide uses Nevada's portal for Reno's 2025 totals. The FBI also publishes agency tables, but they sit in a download app we couldn't open on November 2, 2026, so we don't quote them. Expect small differences if you compare the two. The state's property theme adds arson, while the FBI's property estimates cover burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft. The FBI's summary gives a data cutoff of April 2, 2026, while the state portal can change. So quote one source, say which, and give the date you read it.
| Measure | Nevada portal |
|---|---|
| Violent crime | 1,581 |
| Murder | 14 |
| Rape | 170 |
| Robbery | 294 |
| Aggravated assault | 1,103 |
| Property crime | 6,932 |
| Burglary | 870 |
| Larceny | 5,172 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 872 |
| Arson | 18 (included) |
The portal counts one crime per victim for murder, rape and aggravated assault, and one per incident for robbery. A property incident can hold several offenses, and each counts. So these aren't counts of homes, victims or incidents, and a "crime" in one report isn't always the same unit as a "crime" in another.
A rate needs one more number. Using the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate of 283,621 residents, Reno works out to about 557.4 violent and 2,437.8 property crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025. That leaves out the 18 arsons, because the FBI's property estimate doesn't count arson, and the arithmetic is ours.
How Does Reno's Safety Compare to Other Cities?
Reno's 2025 rates sit above the national estimate. The FBI's national summary estimates 327.6 violent and 1,534.8 property crimes per 100,000 for the country as a whole, and its property estimate leaves out arson. We can't give you the average for cities Reno's size, because that figure is in the FBI tables we couldn't open.
Readers moving within the region often ask for nearby comparisons. The table uses one source, one year and one method, so the figures are at least comparable in form. It is not a ranking. Populations, boundaries, visitors and reporting all differ from place to place, and the FBI's caution against ranking says such lists "provide no insight into the many variables that mold the crime" in a place.
| Agency | Population | Violent rate | Property rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson City Sheriff's Office | 58,571 | 353.4 | 684.6 |
| Reno, Nevada | 283,621 | 557.4 | 2,437.8 |
| Sparks, Nevada | 111,902 | 366.4 | 2,235.9 |
Our separate posts on Sparks and Carson City read those agencies in more depth.
How Has Crime in Reno Changed Over Time?
Reno's counts have moved in a narrow band since 2021, and 2025 went in two directions. On the state portal, violent crime rose 6.39%, from 1,486 in 2024 to 1,581 in 2025, after falling the year before. Property crime fell 3.51%, from 7,184 to 6,932, and has declined in every year since 2023.
Within violent crime, the 2025 rise came from aggravated assault, up 9.86% to 1,103, and robbery, up 11.79% to 294. Murder fell from 23 to 14 and rape from 196 to 170. Within property crime, motor vehicle theft dropped 19.11% to 872, while larceny barely moved at 5,172.
Nationally, the FBI estimated that violent crime fell 9.3% and property crime fell 12.4% from 2024 to 2025. So Reno's 2025 change ran against the national direction on violent crime and in the same direction, more slowly, on property crime. One year doesn't establish a trend, and the portal doesn't explain the causes, so we won't guess at them. Compare years from 2021 forward, since that is when the national program moved to incident-based reporting, and keep to one source.
Population also changes the picture slowly. The Census Bureau's estimates show Reno going from 280,646 in 2024 to 283,621 in 2025, about 1.1%, which is too small to account for a 6.39% change in a count.
What About Property Crime in Reno?
Property crime is the larger number by far, and larceny drives it. The state's 2025 report counts 5,172 larcenies, 870 burglaries, 872 motor vehicle thefts and 18 arsons. Larceny alone is about 75% of the 6,932 property crimes. Violent crime is smaller and concentrated in one category: aggravated assault is about 70% of the 1,581 total.
| Offense | 2024 | 2025 | Cleared, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggravated assault | 1,004 | 1,103 | 54.67% |
| Robbery | 263 | 294 | 28.23% |
| Rape | 196 | 170 | 12.94% |
| Murder | 23 | 14 | 42.86% |
| Larceny | 5,176 | 5,172 | 12.03% |
| Burglary | 915 | 870 | 15.98% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 1,078 | 872 | 8.72% |
Clearance rates describe how many offenses the agency reported as cleared. They are about the agency's caseload and outcomes, not the odds of a crime at a home. Reno Police's crime prevention page lists concrete home measures, such as deadbolts that extend one inch past the door edge, strike plates fixed with 3-inch screws, changing the garage opener code from its standard setting, and motion-activated lights near entrances. Those are the agency's own suggestions, and they apply anywhere in the city.
Which Police Agency Covers a Reno Address?
A Reno mailing address doesn't guarantee Reno Police. The city's numbers include only what its department handles. Sparks has its own department, unincorporated Washoe County falls to the Sheriff's Office, and the state portal lists separate agencies for the University of Nevada, Reno, the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority and the Washoe County School District. Confirm the jurisdiction first, or you may read the wrong agency's figures.
| Agency | Violent crimes | Property crimes |
|---|---|---|
| Reno Police Department | 1,581 | 6,932 |
| Sparks Police Department | 410 | 2,511 |
| Washoe County Sheriff's Office | 318 | 691 |
The Sheriff's Office figures are its own agency's report, not a county total.
City limits decide this, not the mailing address. The state portal's agency list shows which agencies report, and the Reno Police Department's listed line, 775-334-2175, is one place to ask whether an address is inside its area. If you are comparing a home in Sparks or a Reno address outside city limits, pull each agency's figures the same way.
How Can Buyers Evaluate a Reno Neighborhood's Safety Before Buying?
Start with what exists, and be honest about what doesn't. Reno Police's resources page lists the FBI Crime Data Explorer, a public records request link and the department's news blotter, and it doesn't list a local crime map. We don't point you to a third-party map because we couldn't confirm one that covers Reno, so check what area any map actually shows. The FBI explorer works at agency level, so neither it nor the state portal can give you a block-level picture.
That leaves a few practical routes, and they apply to every address in the same way.
| Step | Where | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm the agency | City or county staff; agency phone line | Which department's records apply |
| Read the agency totals | Nevada portal; FBI tables | Full-year counts for the whole agency |
| Ask for records | The public records link on the RPD resources page | Whatever the agency can release for that location and period |
| Read recent notices | RPD News Blotter | Media updates, not a complete incident list |
| Visit in person | Weekday, evening and weekend | Physical conditions: lighting, traffic, noise, parking |
Ask a narrow question: one address, one radius, one period. Note what the agency couldn't provide. Put the answers next to the inspection report and the HOA documents rather than treating them as a score. We can help you organize those requests for every home you are considering, and the conclusions stay yours.
Are Gated Communities in Reno Safer?
We could not find a figure that answers this. Reno Police, the state and the FBI don't publish crime by gate, HOA or master plan, and we found no local source that measures a "safety premium" in home prices. What remains is a list of things you can verify.
A gate is a feature of a property, and its details vary. Some are staffed, some use a code or remote, some are staffed only part of the day, and some communities have gates on only a few sub-villages. Check the community's documents rather than a listing's description. Under Nevada law, a resale buyer in a common-interest community generally receives a resale package under NRS 116.4109, which includes the declaration, bylaws, rules, operating budget and a financial statement.
Useful questions to put in writing:
- Is the gate staffed? During which hours? What is the guard's role?
- Does the association pay for patrols or cameras, and what do those contracts cover?
- How do emergency vehicles and deliveries get in?
- What did the association's budget spend on security last year?
Price is no substitute. A higher price reflects lot size, views, age of home and many other things at once, and nothing in the public record isolates crime from the rest. Our Reno neighborhood guide covers housing types, HOAs and prices without treating any of them as a measure of crime, and our new construction pages list current communities.
What Safety Resources Are Available to Reno Residents?
Reno Police publishes several programs that a new resident can use directly. The department's resources page lists Citizen Camera Registration, where residents can register their own cameras, a Crime Free Multi-Housing program, crime prevention guidance and community outreach. Its homepage also links Secret Witness, an online report form and a records request.
Registry information needs special care. The same page links the department's Regional Sex Offender Notification Unit and the state registry. Under NRS 179B.270, a person shall not use information from the community notification website for any purpose related to "housing or accommodations," except as a specific statute allows. If you intend to rely on it in a housing decision, ask a Nevada attorney first.
The Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated Washoe County, and the state portal reports its figures separately. If you buy outside the city, its programs and records apply to you rather than Reno's. For anything active, call 911; records desks and websites are for research, not emergencies.
For a move from out of state, make these requests early. Records can take time, and a contract's due diligence period won't wait. Our buyer resources explain the purchase timeline, and our Reno real estate agent page explains how to work with our Northern Nevada team.
What Can't Reno's Crime Numbers Tell You?
A citywide figure can't describe a block, and in Reno the public record doesn't let you go much lower than the city. It also leaves things out. The Bureau of Justice Statistics' Criminal Victimization, 2024 found that nationally 47.9% of violent victimizations and 30.5% of property crimes were reported to police that year. What isn't reported doesn't appear in any table here.
The denominator matters too. A per-resident rate counts people who live in Reno, while offenses are recorded where they happen, whoever was involved. The FBI lists commuting patterns, transience and a place's "economic dependence on nonresidents (such as tourists and convention attendees)" among the things a rate doesn't capture. A casino and visitor economy can raise reported counts without any change in what a resident experiences, and the public reports can't separate the two.
A seller's paperwork won't settle it either. NRS 40.770 makes a past homicide, suicide or most felonies at a property immaterial to a sale, and it gives sellers and agents no duty to disclose that a sex offender lives in the community.
Most important, these numbers describe incidents, not the people who live nearby. NAR's fair housing FAQ tells agents to "share the same kind of neighborhood information with all clients," and notes a HUD letter of April 24, 2026 on sharing crime-rate information consistently. So this guide gives the same sources for every part of Reno and labels none of them.
To compare specific homes, call (775) 277-2120 or contact Nevada Real Estate Group. We can help you find the right agency and time your requests. We won't rate a neighborhood, and the choice of where to live is yours. If you are selling, our seller resources cover that side.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reno Safety
What is the crime rate in Reno, Nevada?
Nevada's 2025 figures work out to about 557 violent and 2,438 property crimes per 100,000 residents, based on 1,581 violent crimes, 6,914 property crimes without arson and a Census population of 283,621. FBI national estimates, which also leave out arson, were 327.6 and 1,534.8.
Is Reno dangerous?
The data can't support a label either way. Reno's 2025 rates are above the national estimates. Violent crime rose 6.39% on the state portal in 2025, while property crime fell 3.51%. Those are citywide figures and don't describe any neighborhood or person's risk.
Is Nevada safe?
The state portal shows 12,683 violent and 68,363 property crimes for Nevada in 2025, both down from 2024. On the Census Bureau's 2025 population of 3,282,188, and leaving out the 436 arsons, that works out to about 386 and 2,070 per 100,000 residents. National estimates, which also leave out arson, were 327.6 and 1,534.8. These are statewide totals across every reporting agency, and they don't describe any one place.
What part of Reno has the most crime?
No official source we could find publishes Reno crime by neighborhood, and we don't rank areas. The state reports stop at the agency level, so any neighborhood score you see online comes from a private estimate. Ask Reno Police's records staff what they can release for a specific location and period.
Is downtown Reno safe?
The public reports don't separate downtown from the rest of the city, so we can't give you a downtown figure. If you are considering a condo or loft there, ask Reno Police what records exist for that address, visit at several times of day, and compare any other address you are considering the same way.
How does Reno compare with Las Vegas?
Nevada's 2025 figures and Census population estimates work out to about 557 violent and 2,438 property crimes per 100,000 residents for Reno Police, and about 415 and 2,477 for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, both without arson. LVMPD also covers unincorporated Clark County and a much larger population, so the two aren't like-for-like, and the FBI cautions against ranking places.
How do I check crime rates for a specific Reno neighborhood?
Confirm which agency covers the address, read that agency's totals on the state portal, and ask its records staff what can be released for that location and period. Reno Police's resources page lists a public records request. Then visit at different times, and treat what you find the same way for every home.
Which Sources Inform This Reno Safety Guide?
We reread the data sources on November 2, 2026. Rates per 100,000 for individual agencies are our arithmetic for 2025: state portal counts, without arson, over Census populations. LVMPD's population is the City of Las Vegas plus the balance of Clark County.
- UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025: national estimates and the April 2, 2026 data cutoff.
- Nevada Crime Statistics portal: Reno Police violent and property reports, 2021 to 2025, plus the Sparks, Washoe County and statewide reports.
- Reno Police Department: resources, crime prevention and the news blotter.
- Census Bureau 2025 population estimates: Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Clark County and Nevada.
- FBI caution against ranking, from Crime in the United States, 2011, and BJS, Criminal Victimization, 2024: limits of the data and shares of crime reported to police.
- NRS 40.770, NRS 179B.270, NRS 116.4109 and the NAR fair housing FAQ: disclosure, registry use, resale packages and the April 24, 2026 HUD letter.
This guide reflects records read on November 2, 2026 and is for general information only. Crime figures change, so confirm current data with the agency before relying on it. Nevada Real Estate Group · Chris Nevada · License S.181401 · (702) 637-1759 · Northern Nevada office line (775) 277-2120.
