As the state capitol, Madison is the second largest city in the state. As one of the largest cities, the area sees high reports of crime. These high crime rates are scattered across a variety of neighborhoods. Crime maps and crime rates help us to determine which areas are safest.
What Is a Crime Map?
A crime map is an important tool that can be used to measure crime in a given area. The crime map will often color-code areas to show where crime occurs within a city or state. Within a city, there will be varying levels of crime; no city is entirely dangerous or entirely safe. According to the FBI Crime Reporting Statistics, most crime-ridden areas only span one to five blocks. These one-to-five block areas might pop up multiple times within a city, but it’s incorrect to assume that the entire city is as dangerous as the crime rate might suggest.
Some crime maps show specific crimes, allowing residents to know exactly which crimes are happening in their cities. These crime maps connect with police reports in order to provide accurate, precise information about neighborhood crime. Crime maps that allow residents to access to specific crime information can be found at either of these two sites:
SpotCrime.com CrimeMapping.com
Crime maps can be used to make residents more aware of crime, hopefully helping to prevent future crime from occurring in those same areas. To build crime maps, we use crime data provided by the FBI Crime Reports. The FBI Crime Reports publish crime rates for every city and state within the nation. These crime rates help residents of the United States know which areas have higher risks associated with crime.
What are Crime Rates?
Crime rates are recorded as “the number of crimes per 100,000 people.” To find the crime rate of a city or state, the FBI first records the total population in an area and divides the population by the total number of crimes. Then, the crime rate is multiplied by 100,000. This creates a uniform number that can be compared regardless of the actual population. For example, the crime rate from a small town in Wisconsin with a population of 2,000 people can be compared to the crime rates of a larger city like Milwaukee, with a population of over 600,000 people.
In order to compare crime rates, the FBI publishes the national average crime rates. The national crime rate stands as a median for crime. If a city has a higher crime rate than the national average, the city is considered to be more dangerous than average. The alternative is also true. If a city has a lower crime rate than the national average, the city is safer than average. This helps residents to better understand whether a crime rate is high or low.
The national crime rate is separated into two crimes: violent crime and property crime.
Violent crime is defined as murder and homicide, rape, sexual assault, aggravated assault, and robbery. In most cases, if a person is convicted of a violent crime, they will spend more than a year in prison, since most violent crimes are felonies. Violent crimes almost always physically or emotionally harm another person, resulting in years of therapy and counseling.
The national violent crime rate is 382 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The national violent crime rate can be broken down into the separate crime rates for murder, rape, robbery, and assault:
- National Murder Rate: 5 murders per 100,000 people
- National Rape Rate: 43 rapes per 100,000 people
- National Robbery Rate: 86 robberies per 100,000 people
- National Assault Rate: 247 assaults per 100,000 people
Property crime includes burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft. Typically, property crimes are misdemeanors and, if convicted, will be less than one year in prison. The national property crime rate is 2,362 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rates for burglary, theft, and car theft are:
- National Burglary Rate: 376 burglaries per 100,000 people
- National Theft Rate: 1,595 thefts per 100,000 people
- National Car Theft Rate: 229 car thefts per 100,000 people
The national crime rates help to better define what is “dangerous” and what is “safe.” When looking at the crime rates for Madison, WI, it’s important to remember that the entire city of Madison is not “safe” or “dangerous.” According to crime maps of Madison, some areas are incredibly dangerous, yet others are incredibly safe.
Crime Rates in Wisconsin
Before taking an in-depth look at Madison, it helps to compare Madison to the crime rates in Wisconsin. The violent crime rate in Wisconsin is 295 violent crimes per 100,000 people. There is a 1 in 338 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Wisconsin. The crime rates for murder, rape, robbery, and assault are:
- Wisconsin Murder Rate: 3 murders per 100,000 people
- Wisconsin Rape Rate: 39 rapes per 100,000 people
- Wisconsin Robbery Rate: 60 robberies per 100,000 people
- Wisconsin Assault Rate: 194 assaults per 100,000 people
The property crime rate in Wisconsin is 1,560 property crimes per 100,000 people. There is a 1 in 64 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Wisconsin. The property crime rate in Wisconsin is 151 percent lower than the national average. The property crimes rates for burglary, theft, and car theft are:
- Wisconsin Burglary Rate: 243 burglaries per 100,000 people
- Wisconsin Theft Rate: 1,169 thefts per 100,000 people
- Wisconsin Car Theft Rate: 149 car thefts per 100,000 people
Overall, Wisconsin is considered a safe state. The overall crime rate is 147 percent lower than the national average. However, crime is, on average, higher in larger cities. So, is Madison a dangerous city?
Crime Rates in Madison
The violent crime rate in Madison is 411 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The violent crime rate in Madison isn’t significantly higher than the national average; however, the Madison violent crime rate is 139 percent higher than the Wisconsin average. The violent crime rates for murder, rape, robbery, and assault are:
- Madison Murder Rate: 2 murders per 100,000 people
- Madison Rape Rate: 48 rapes per 100,000 people
- Madison Robbery Rate: 95 robberies per 100,000 people
- Madison Assault Rate: 267 assaults per 100,000 people
The property crime rate in Madison is 2,696 property crimes per 100,000 people. The chances of becoming a victim of property crime in Madison are 1 in 37. The property crime rates for burglary, theft, and car theft are:
- Madison Burglary Rate: 430 burglaries per 100,000 people
- Madison Theft Rate: 2,058 thefts per 100,000 people
- Madison Car Theft Rate: 208 car thefts per 100,000 people
On average, Madison is more dangerous than the Wisconsin average and the national average, though not significantly more dangerous. However, Madison has several dangerous neighborhoods that residents should avoid entering at night.
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Madison
According to AreaVibes, the most dangerous neighborhoods in Madison are:
1. Norman Acres
Norman Acres is the number one most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. The area has 480 percent more crime than the national average. There are 2,340 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in this area have a 1 in 42 chance of being a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Norman Acres is 11,610 property crimes per 100,000 people, which is 527 percent higher than the national average and 744 percent higher than the Wisconsin average. Residents living in this area have a 1 in 9 chance of experiencing property crime.
2. Wexford Ridge
Wexford Ridge has a population of 175 people and has a violent crime rate that is 380 percent higher than the Madison average. There are 1,536 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is significantly higher than the national average. Residents living in Wexford Ridge have a 1 in 73 chance of experiencing violent crime.
The property crime rate in Wexford Ridge is 7,958 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Wexford Ridge is 362 percent higher than the national average, and residents have a 1 in 12 chance of experiencing property crime.
3. North Lake Mendota
As the third most dangerous neighborhood in Madison, North Lake Mendota has a total crime rate of 2,900. The violent crime rate in North Lake Mendota is 1,481 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
The property crime rate is fairly low, with 1,419 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate is lower than the national average. Residents are more likely to become a victim of violent crime in North Lake Mendota than property crime—not necessarily a comforting thought. The high rate of violent crime and the low rate of property crime suggest that the area is dangerous due to the threat of gang activity.
4. Park Ridge
Park Ridge is the fourth most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. With a total crime rate of 11,550 crimes per 100,000 people, the area isn’t a safe place to walk around at night. The neighborhood has a violent crime rate of 1,315 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in Park Ridge have a 1 in 76 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Park Ridge is 10,235 property crimes per 100,000 people. The area sees a high number of criminal activities. The chance of becoming a victim of property crime in this neighborhood is 1 in 9.
5. Brentwood Village
Brentwood Village is a neighborhood in Madison with a population of 885 people. The violent crime rate in this area is 1,149 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents have a 1 in 87 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime. Brentwood Village’s violent crime rate is 301 times higher than the national average.
The property crime rate in Brentwood Village is 6,140 property crimes per 100,000 people. The property crime rate in Brentwood Village is 279 percent higher than the national average. Residents in Brentwood Village have a 1 in 16 chance of experiencing property crime.
6. Westchester Gardens
Westchester Gardens is the sixth most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. Westchester Gardens has a violent crime rate of 1,062 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in Westchester Gardens have a 1 in 94 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Westchester Gardens is 9,718 property crimes per 100,000 people. Those living in Westchester Gardens have a 1 in 10 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. Burglary is one of the most common crimes in this area, making it important that homeowners learn how to better protect their homes from the threat of burglary.
7. Emerson East
Emerson East is the seventh most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. For every 100,000 people, 18 crimes are committed in Emerson East. Emerson East has a total crime rate of 6,523 crimes per 100,000 people. The violent crime rate is 1,050 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents have a 1 in 95 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate is 5,473 property crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in Emerson East have a 1 in 18 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. Since the majority of the crimes committed in Emerson East involve theft, residents should protect their belonging while traveling in public.
8. Eken Park
Eken Park is the eighth most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. It has a population of 1,841, and residents have a 1 in 12 chance of becoming a victim of any crime. The violent crime rate in Eken Park is 1,036 violent crimes per 100,000 people. There is a 1 in 96 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Eken Park is 7,772 property crimes per 100,000 people. Residents have a 1 in 12 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. Although the total number of crimes per Eken Park has decreased by 2 percent in the past couple of years, the neighborhood is still considered to be a dangerous place to live. Residents should be careful and ensure that they are putting their safety and protection first while living in Eken Park.
9. Prairie Hills
Prairie Hills is the ninth most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. There are a total of 5,724 crimes per 100,000 people. The violent crime rate in Prairie Hills is 1,020 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Residents living in Prairie Hills have a 1 in 98 chance per 100,000 people of experiencing a crime.
The property crime rate in Prairie Hills is 4,704 property crimes per 100,000 people. Residents have a 1 in 21 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. Residents in Prairie Hills are most at risk for burglary, making it likely that residents will experience burglary while living in this area.
10. Mayfair Park
Mayfair Park is the tenth most dangerous neighborhood in Madison. The area has a total crime rate of 6,230 crimes per 100,000 people. The violent crime rate is 922 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which is 128 percent higher than the Madison average. Residents have a 1 in 108 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.
The property crime rate in Mayfair Park is 5,308 property crimes per 100,000 people. There is a 1 in 18 chance of becoming a victim of property crime. For every 100,000 people, there are 17 crimes.
How to Protect Your Home in a Dangerous Neighborhood
While living in a dangerous place, it’s important to learn how to protect yourself. The best way you can protect your home and family while living in an area with a high crime rate is to install a home security system.
Cove offers home security systems for homeowners and renters in Madison, Wisconsin. Homeowners can use Cove’s security systems to better protect their homes. The systems are completely wireless, making them perfect for homeowners, renters, and apartment dwellers. Cove’s systems are extremely affordable, only $15 a month. Those looking to protect their homes from burglary, theft, and home invasions in Madison should look for help from Cove.