Is Marietta GA safe? Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia. Founded in 1824, the beautiful city now boasts a population of over 60,000 residents as of the most recent census. With a booming economy, a slew of major employers, beautiful weather, and Atlanta only being 20 miles away, it’s an ideal place to live, work, and raise a family. With a major city only 20 miles away, we understand you’ll want to know about the Marietta crime rate.
You’ll find information about the safest neighborhoods in Marietta, as well as the dangerous areas of Marietta that you may want to avoid. Nobody wants to move to a wonderful, new abode only to find out they’ve purchased their family’s forever home in a less than desirable part of town, rich with crime! Marietta doesn’t have a high violent crime rate overall and is generally considered to be one of Georgia’s safer cities to live in, with several great neighborhoods.
Understanding the Marietta Crime Rate – How Crime Rates Are Calculated
Is Marietta GA safe? Before analyzing the Marietta GA crime rate, you’ll want to consider where the crime data comes from and how the rates are calculated. Most rates are based on FBI collected and analyzed crime data. The FBI collects the data from all the local law enforcement agencies in the country. From there, analysts break the data down into multiple categories. Non-violent crimes are frequently categorized as property crimes. Please understand that crime rates don’t always accurately depict crime in a city. Rates can vary, change, and evolve annually for a variety of reasons:
- Crime rates don’t include all offenses. Only index crimes are included.
- Crime rates don’t consider unique factors contributing to crime in the city, the accuracy of the agency’s reporting, or the crime reporting practices in the city.
- Many crimes don’t have a uniform definition across cities and states. Reporting of offenses is often left to the subjective opinion of law enforcement.
- Crime rates can be misleading, and they are city-wide. The city crime rates you see reported are for the entire city and give no insight into your risk of crime in one neighborhood compared to another. You need to dive deep to compare neighborhood to neighborhood.
- Most city and state crime rates are based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. This was phased out in 2021 and replaced with National Incident-Based Reporting Systems, or NIBRS. NIBRS collects data on more crimes, classifies 20 different categories, and differentiates between completed and attempted crimes. All of these are new and you should know the difference between the UCR and NIBRS when you’re looking at Marietta crime rate information and statistics.
Because of all these reasons, and likely more, the FBI very publicly discourages using crime rates and statistics to compare cities, metro areas, and states.
Crime rates are a useful tool to understand how safe a city is as a whole, but it’s not the sole way you should determine whether or not relocating to, or within, a city is right for you, your family, or your business. While it may be a good starting point, you really need to dig deeper once you’ve settled on a city to move to. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the Marietta GA crime rate
What Is the Marietta GA Crime Rate?
The crime rate in Marietta is 2,912 crimes per 100,000 people, which is about 25.3% higher than the US average of 2,324 crimes per 100,000 people. Over 80% of the crimes reported in Marietta come from neighborhoods that would classify as urban, while the suburbanite housing developments that stretch out all around the city are extremely safe, with very little reported crime. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation indicates Marietta crime statistics makes it safer than many of the cities in Georgia as the city tends to be about 15% lower in crime rate than most of the state.
Marietta, GA Crime Map & Crime Reports
One of the best ways to learn about the crime index in Marietta is to take a look at crime maps. Crime maps are used for assessing crime by neighborhood to see crime hot spots, the type of offenses by neighborhood, and help the general public be aware of the safe areas and the dangerous areas in a given city. You can compare and contrast the public sites like City-Data, Neighborhood Scout, and Crime Grade to get a good idea of which neighborhoods are safest and which are most dangerous. Don’t be afraid to look at local police crime reports either. Reviewing Marietta police reports can offer greater insight into crime in Marietta. You may also be able to break down the crimes into violent and non-violent crimes.
Violent Crime in Marietta
Violent crimes include murder, aggravated assault, and rape. To some, it would appear that violent crime in Marietta is on the rise. That’s not necessarily true. While crimes committed are certainly on the rise, it’s because the population is on the rise. More people mean more crime, and there is no way around that. BUT - the Marietta crime rate statistics show the percentage of crime is going down. Where there used to be nearly 10 violent crimes per 1000 people, there are now only 5. Your odds of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Marietta are actually improving favorably with every passing year - you’ll be less likely to experience crime next year than this year, and you’re less likely this year than you would have been last year.
- Marietta murder rate per 100k people: 5, which is down from nearly 9 the prior year
- Marietta total homicides over the past year: 3
- Marietta violent crime per 100k people: 440
These numbers rank 39% below the rest of the state!
Property Crime in Marietta, GA
Property crimes include motor vehicle theft, regular theft, arson, vandalism, and larceny. Not unlike violent crimes, property crime numbers are higher each year but that’s simply because the amount of people living in Marietta continues to grow. The property crime rate in Marietta GA is 2,472 crimes per 100,000 people. The percentage of property crime has stopped increasing, though it remains about 46.2% higher than the state average.
You’re no more likely to experience a property crime now than you were a few years ago, and as the local police department continues to grow to meet the demanding needs of a growing community, these numbers will continue to drop. The most common property crimes appear to be vandalism and motor vehicle theft - mostly from kids and young adults.
Bad/Dangerous/High Crime Areas of Marietta, GA
It won’t surprise you that the worst crime neighborhoods in Marietta all fall within the “downtown” areas. The more centralized, the more crime. The more suburban, the less crime. This is why metropolitan statistical areas almost always see more crime. Nearly all of the middle to upper class neighborhoods are borderline crime free, and the crimes that DO occur in these areas are nearly all property crimes.
Marietta Neighborhoods to Avoid Living In
- Forest Hills - Also known as Downtown Marietta. Perfect for working in one of the many large companies, banks, hospitals, or retailers during the day. Terrific for shopping trips and great food. Not so good for nightlife. Many of the violent crimes are committed downtown because of altercations after dark.
- Stoneoak Pointe - Attached to Downtown Marietta. Stoneoak Pointe is home to some of the city’s lowest income individuals, a number of homeless, and the second least desirable neighborhood to try to lay your head in. This area has some of the highest aggravated assault numbers in Cobb County.
- West Oak - Much like Stoneoak Pointe, West Oak is home to low to no income individuals, a shelter, and a number of homeless. Try to avoid the area when alone and avoid it entirely at night.
Safest Neighborhoods in Marietta, GA
The best neighborhoods in Marietta are almost all outside the reaches of downtown. The outer reaches of the city are all housing developments of varying cost, but nearly all of them are middle to upper class specific. In these neighborhoods, you can rest easy knowing you, your children, and your property are well protected.
Best Marietta Neighborhoods to Live In
- East Spring Lake - A subdivision consisting of 200 homes located on one of the most scenic and dramatic landscapes in metro Atlanta. The neighborhood is designed around three lakes, featuring an eight acre entry lake. Many residents are involved in our active tennis leagues, youth swim team programs, and community social events, and there is almost no crime to speak of.
- Oak Creek - The estates in Oak Creek are some of the most expensive in the city. Ranging from $250,000 to $2,000,000, the estates all come with a good bit of land, and many of the areas are gated. It’s rare to hear of anything other than the occasional attempted burglary or property vandalism.
- Princeton Lakes - The Lakes are a residential community perfect for the middle class. Check out their website to see all they have to offer, including the safe schools that fall in their area, and the HOA you’d be a part of. Police do a great job patrolling the community and keeping crime down to the minimum.
Marietta Safety Tips – How to Avoid Crime in Marietta, GA
Having provided services to hundreds of customers in the community, we know there are three separate things every family should do to avoid crime in Marietta:
- Get a security system. Most of the homes already come equipped with a security system, and all you have to do is transfer ownership or open an account. If you’re building a new home, a security system is key to keep property crime away.
- Don’t travel alone downtown, especially at night. While it’s perfectly fine to work in the city and to enjoy the restaurants and clubs, we don’t recommend anybody travel alone, by foot, at night. Stay in your cars, keep them locked, and make sure you have a safe route into your destinations.
- Live in the safest Marietta neighborhoods. Do your research and choose one of the safer Marietta neighborhoods to plant your roots.
Marietta Police Department
We’ve already alluded to the fact that the police department is growing to meet the demands of a booming population; there are 166 sworn officers. Recently, they built their own web page, which is attached to the city website. The department consists of three separate divisions; each have a number of sub-divisions:
- Investigations - The Investigative Services Division is responsible for investigating unsolved crimes, and handling long-term investigations related to gangs, narcotics, and other organized crimes.
- Support Services - The Support Services Division manages administrative functions that support Uniform Patrol and Investigative Services.
- Uniform - The Uniform Division is primarily responsible for responding to calls for service and patrolling the community.
As the police force is growing, Chief of Police David Beam is overseeing the build and development of the force. He and the team have made it a point to make police logs available on the website.
Marietta Police Department | 240 Lemon St NE, Marietta, GA 30060 | (770) 794-5300
Marietta GA Crime Rate FAQ
Is Marietta GA Safe?
Marietta, GA is a growing city with plenty of challenges - but it gets safer every single day.
Where are the Safest Marietta, GA Neighborhoods?
The further you get away from downtown, the safer the city is. Outskirts are filled with wonderful and safe neighborhoods.
Where Can I View Marietta, GA Police Reports?
Right on the police webpage!
So, is Marietta GA safe? Ultimately, this is an incredibly safe city. At Wirks Moving and Storage, we know how important it is to make sure your family and business are going to be safe in a new neighborhood. We know it’s one thing to safely move your personal belongings and your property, but it’s another thing to make sure they’re going to be safe in their new home. This is why it's important to be aware of the changes surrounding the Marietta GA crime rate.
Once you’ve decided where in Marietta is best for you and your family, give us a call at (404) 635-6683! We’ll be happy to help you relocate into your new, safe community. Or, fill out our online form to get a free quote to have Wirks Moving and Storage help you move into your new, safe Marietta, GA neighborhood.
