All You Need to Know About the Crime Rate in Tennessee

Tennessee is known for great whiskey and incredible music, but it also has a crime rate that's high enough to concern some people who consider calling this state home. Tennessee ranks third in violent crime among the 50 states, according to the FBI. Fortunately, law enforcement is ramping up efforts to make the Volunteer State a safer place to live.

The latest statistics available show the violent crime rate in Tennessee as 675 incidents per 100,000 residents, significantly higher than the U.S. rate of 396 incidents per 100,000. In October 2022, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that police departments in the state would be receiving $100,000 in grants for proven crime-reduction programs at the local level.

In 2021, 47,055 violent crimes and 159,335 property crimes were reported to law enforcement in Tennessee. The chance of experiencing violent crime was 1 in 148, and the chance of losing property to a criminal was 1 in 44. This is why many Tennessee residents install sophisticated home and vehicle security systems.

More than 80% of the criminal offenses reported in Tennessee are property crimes like burglary and automobile theft. In 2021, 115,289 Tennessee residents were robbed, 21,111 reported their cars stolen, and 22,935 returned home to discover that their houses had been burgled. That works out to a theft rate of 16.53 per 100,000 residents, a car theft rate of 3.03, and a burglary rate of 3.29. These figures are all significantly higher than the national averages.

Crime rates are higher in Tennessee cities

Crime in Tennessee and around the country follows predictable patterns. Crime tends to be more common in urban areas and rarer in rural communities, and this trend is pronounced in Tennessee. Police officers in Memphis investigated 228 homicides in 2016, but dozens of smaller communities in Tennessee did not record even one. Burglaries, car thefts, and other property crimes are also reported far more often in cities and large towns. The four largest metropolitan areas in Tennessee are Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

Nashville, Tennessee, crime rate

Nashville is Tennessee’s most populous city, and also one of its most dangerous. Only 3% of the communities in the United States have higher crime rates than Nashville. In 2021, Nashville residents reported 24,943 property crimes and 8,057 violent crimes. One in 44 Tennessee residents was targeted for property crimes in 2021. In Nashville, that figure was one in 27.

Memphis, Tennessee, crime rate

The crime rate is even higher in Memphis. The Memphis Police Department investigated 15,798 violent crimes and 34,768 property crimes in 2021, which works out to 25.15 violent crimes and 55.35 property crimes per 1,000 city residents. Property crime is especially common in America’s Music City, where 5,419 burglaries, 24,310 thefts, and more than 5,000 car thefts were reported in 2021 alone.

Knoxville, Tennessee, crime rate

Knoxville residents worry more about vehicle thefts than burglaries. There were 976 burglaries reported in Knoxville in 2021, but the city’s police officers investigated 1,135 car thefts. The motor vehicle theft rate in Knoxville was 5.89 per 1,000 residents in 2021, which was more than twice the national average.

Chattanooga, Tennessee, crime rate

Chattanooga is another large metropolitan area in Tennessee with a serious crime problem. There were 10,914 property crimes and 2,541 violent crimes reported in Chattanooga in 2021, which works out to a property crime rate of 59.93 incidents per 1,000 city residents and a violent crime rate of 13.95. The burglary rate in Chattanooga is almost three times the national average, and the theft and motor vehicle theft rates are even higher.

Car theft in Tennessee

Tennessee residents who drive affordable vehicles often think that they don't have to worry about car theft, but they may be mistaken. Most stolen cars are broken up for parts, which means thieves choose popular rather than expensive vehicles. There were 20,142 vehicles reported stolen in Tennessee in 2022, and the models taken the most often were pickup trucks like the Ford F150 and Chevrolet Silverado and family sedans like the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata.

Car thieves prowl the city looking for popular vehicles parked in quiet areas, and they target cars and pickup trucks that do not have security systems. The majority of stolen vehicles are never recovered, but you can increase your chances of deterring car thieves by installing Vivint Car Guard. If you do, you will be able to track your vehicle using the Vivint smartphone app, and the app will also send you disturbance alerts if anyone bumps or moves your car.

The benefits of installing a home and vehicle security system in Tennessee

The Tennessee crime rate is rising, and many property crimes are never solved. If you want to increase your home’s security, it’s time to protect your home, vehicles, and family with a state-of-the-art security system from Vivint.

Vivint car and home security packages feature some of the most advanced technology on the market in Tennessee, and they’re supported by trained and experienced professionals. The benefits of protecting your car and home with Vivint include:

• Smart home security: Vivint smart security cameras help prevent crime with Smart Deter technology. The Doorbell Camera Pro can be monitored remotely and send you an alert when a package arrives. Since package thefts are usually crimes of opportunity, package notifications can alert you immediately so you can bring your packages inside. Vivint cameras also deter thieves and lurkers by flashing dazzling lights and emitting loud noises.
• Fire and toxic gas alerts: Carbon monoxide is a potentially deadly, odorless, and tasteless gas. A Vivint carbon monoxide and fire detector will protect your family from this toxic gas and warn you if a fire breaks out. Our detectors also notify first responders in case of an emergency.
• Convenience: Vivint Smart Locks allow you to assign up to 30 unique access codes for your family members and friends, and they also let you know how often each code is used. You can also use our app to lock and unlock your doors remotely. You'll never have to leave a spare key under your welcome mat again.
• Simple controls: The best technology is easy to use. You can use Vivint’s touchscreen control panel to operate your security and automation system when you are at home, and our smartphone app allows you to access your system’s features when you are out.

Protect your home, car, and loved ones with Vivint

A home and vehicle security system is a prudent investment whether you’re living in Nashville, Memphis, or anywhere else. However, taking steps to protect your assets and loved ones makes even more sense in areas where crime is common. If you would like to take steps to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime, contact us today to learn more about our home and vehicle monitoring and security technology. Call us at 855.822.1220 to learn more today.