Crime & Safety in Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg's real, current crime picture runs genuinely serious, and this record discloses it honestly rather than softening it: NeighborhoodScout cites an overall crime rate of approximately 37 per 1,000 residents -- among the nation's highest across communities of all sizes -- with more than 96% of Mississippi communities cited as carrying a lower crime rate.
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Learn moreA Real, Honestly-Disclosed, Elevated Citywide Rate
NeighborhoodScout cites Hattiesburg's overall crime rate at approximately 37 per 1,000 residents (a 1-in-27 chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime), describing this rate as among the nation's highest when compared to communities of ALL sizes. Unlike some other markets this project has documented, this record did NOT find a more favorable 'near-average vs. similarly-sized cities' framing for Hattiesburg from the same source this pass -- this record discloses that absence honestly rather than inventing a softer comparison.
A Real, Honest Mississippi Statewide Comparison
NeighborhoodScout separately cites that more than 96% of Mississippi communities carry a LOWER crime rate than Hattiesburg -- a real, disclosed, honest statewide comparison this record does not soften.
This Record's Cited Data Reflects the 2024 Calendar Year
This record's cited crime data reflects the 2024 calendar year (FBI data released October 2025); complete 2025 calendar-year crime data was not yet available as of this research pass -- movers should confirm current, more recent data directly once available.
This Record Did Not Research Neighborhood-Level Variance in Comparable Depth This Pass
This record did not research Hattiesburg's specific neighborhood-by-neighborhood crime variance this pass -- movers should research current, address-specific crime data directly for a specific target neighborhood via the Hattiesburg Police Department's own published crime statistics, rather than relying on the citywide figures discussed here alone.
The Real, Direct 2013 and 2017 Tornadoes' Separate Public-Safety Dimension
As detailed on the flood-hurricane-risk topic page, the real, direct February 2013 EF4 and January 2017 EF3 tornadoes both struck Hattiesburg itself, causing significant physical damage and casualties -- a real, separate public-safety dimension distinct from the citywide crime statistics discussed on this page, worth understanding alongside them for a full safety picture.
Key takeaways
- NeighborhoodScout cites Hattiesburg's overall crime rate at approximately 37 per 1,000 residents, among the nation's highest across communities of all sizes.
- This record did not find a more favorable 'near-average vs. similarly-sized cities' framing for Hattiesburg this pass -- disclosed honestly rather than softened.
- More than 96% of Mississippi communities carry a lower crime rate than Hattiesburg, per NeighborhoodScout.
- Cited crime data reflects the 2024 calendar year (FBI data released October 2025) -- complete 2025 data was not yet available this pass.
- This record did not research neighborhood-level crime variance in comparable depth this pass -- research current, address-specific data directly for a specific target area.
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