Crime & Safety in Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg's crime data shows a real, disclosed tension: violent crime (13.3 per 1,000) and property crime (33.1 per 1,000) both read below cited national averages, yet one source frames the city's overall crime rate as higher than 86% of Virginia's own cities and towns.
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Learn moreViolent and property crime read below national averages
Harrisonburg's violent crime rate of 13.3 per 1,000 runs meaningfully below the cited US average of 22.7, and its property crime rate of 33.1 per 1,000 runs slightly below the cited US average of 35.4 -- both genuinely favorable national comparisons.
A less-favorable in-state comparison -- a real, disclosed tension
Despite the favorable national comparisons above, one source frames Harrisonburg's overall crime rate as higher than 86% of Virginia's own cities and towns of all sizes -- a genuinely different picture depending on the comparison group used. Both readings are disclosed here rather than reconciled to one framing; Virginia as a whole tends to run below many national crime benchmarks, which can make an in-state comparison read less favorably even when a place beats the national average.
A general geographic note, not a specific-area claim
General coverage notes that Harrisonburg residents commonly consider the south part of the city the safest -- disclosed as a general perception citation rather than a specific, named-area safety claim, consistent with site policy against naming specific areas as unsafe.
Key takeaways
- Harrisonburg's violent crime rate (13.3/1,000) and property crime rate (33.1/1,000) both read below cited national averages.
- One source frames Harrisonburg's overall crime rate as higher than 86% of Virginia's own cities/towns -- a real, disclosed tension with the favorable national comparisons.
- General coverage cites the south part of the city as commonly considered safest by residents -- a general perception citation, not a specific safety claim.
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