How High Is Crime in Maryland?

Maryland offers a small-town living experience with proximity to numerous major cities, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. The state is home to its own major city: Baltimore. Some of the towns in Maryland have cobblestone main streets, colonial Baroque architecture, and enchanting canals. When you want to get out in nature, there are charming harbors, beautiful beaches and major state parks to visit.

As you know, crime occurs in all states, and some areas will be safer than others. Maryland has a lower crime rate than the United States as a whole. Property crimes affect 15.86 people per 1,000 in Maryland. Motor vehicle theft is low in this state at 1.84 per 1,000 capita. The theft rate is 11.79 per 1,000, which is still lower than the nation's rate.

Crime in Maryland

The majority of the most populated cities in Maryland are actually fairly safe places. Crime is lower in most of these areas than some of the smaller cities in the state.

How safe is Baltimore?

Baltimore is by far the largest city in Maryland with a population of 563,455. The second-largest city, Frederick, only has 82,407 people. Property crimes in Baltimore occur at a rate of 30.39 per 1,000 people. Cherry Hill, West Baltimore, and Greenmount East are some of the neighborhoods with higher crime.

A lot of homes in Baltimore don't have the traditional mailboxes at the end of their driveways. We recommend that you drop off outgoing mail at a US Postal Service mailbox or at the post office. Some thieves in the city steal outgoing mail that residents leave on top of their mailboxes. Promptly collect your mail every day to further reduce the risk of theft. When you're away from the house for more than a few days, you can ask a neighbor or a friend to collect your mail for you.

What is the crime rate in Frederick?

Frederick has a slightly lower property crime rate than Maryland's average. The city reported 58 motor vehicle thefts and 1,023 larceny thefts in 2022. Frederick's crime rate has been declining over the years. Among the safest neighborhoods are Urbana Highlands, Villages of Urbana, and Sugarloaf Estates.

Crime in Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg, the third-largest city in Maryland, has a lower violent and property crime rate than the state overall. This city doesn't rank among the most dangerous cities in Maryland. Although it has low crime rates, stay aware of your surroundings to further reduce your risk of becoming a target. If you're not distracted by your phone, criminals are more likely to leave you alone, which is true anywhere you go.

Ocean City: A hot tourist destination in Maryland

Although Ocean City is a small city of 6,905, it has the highest crime rate in Maryland. Crime is high here because 8 million people visit Ocean City every year, resulting in a higher-than-expected crime rate for a small city. The property crime rate is 81.3 per 1,000 people.

If you're planning a family summer vacation to Ocean City, July and August are the best months. June has the highest rate of incidents and more of a young adult party vibe during this month. Families tend to visit after June, making it a more optimal time for those who are going on a family vacation.

After the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city took steps to regain order. There is now a higher police presence throughout the city, especially on the boardwalk. You can relax and enjoy your vacation while also planning it for the safer months when possible. It's also important to note that the isolated incidents that got news coverage usually happened between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. These situations mostly involved young adults as well.

Vehicle theft in Maryland

Maryland has a population of 6,165,129 and 11,320 motor vehicle thefts per year, which is a rate of 1.84 per 1,000. It's very unlikely for you to have your car stolen. However, you may still want to take basic precautions. Half of the stolen vehicles in Maryland still had the keys inside of them, and 60% of them had been left unlocked. The rate of motor vehicle theft is far lower in Maryland than the U.S. Car theft occurs every 47 minutes in the state, compared to every 32 seconds in the country.

Anti-theft devices work well in Maryland as the statistics indicate. Ninety-five percent of the stolen vehicles didn't have anti-theft devices.

After a viral TikTok video on how to hotwire Hyundai and Kia cars, theft of these brands increased. The manufacturers rolled out a software update to prevent this problem. You should make sure that you have the software update.

Other steps that you can take to protect your car from theft include the following:

• Hide all valuables.
• Park in well-lit areas.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended while it's running.
• Close all windows when you park.
• Always lock the doors.

Installing an outdoor camera boosts the security of your home. Security cameras on your property deter criminals because they make your property a more difficult target. Our outdoor cameras can alert you to activity around your home and help keep your car safe.

Benefits of a home security system in Maryland

Having a home security system anywhere you live is helpful for deterring crime. Precautions are about taking a proactive approach to secure your property, not about living in fear.

• Scare off trespassers with smart security cameras: Our security cameras use light and sound to ward off potential criminals. When the camera detects a person, it sounds an alert to make it clear to them that they are on camera. You can receive alerts and view video footage on the Vivint app.
• See who's at your door: Doorbell cameras help give you a better look at who's at the door. You no longer need to get close to the door or peek through the curtains to check if you recognize them. The recordings are helpful to pass on to law enforcement as well.
• Remotely lock the door: Forgetting to lock the door happens to the best of us sometimes. Smart locks solve this problem by giving you the ability to check via a mobile app if you locked the door. You are also able to lock and unlock the door through the app.

Rest easy knowing that your property is secure

Having clarity of what's going on around your home and your car gives you more peace of mind. Staying on top of security's technological advances helps you deter criminals and maintain a secure home. Although the risk of becoming a victim of a crime is low in most areas, these rare situations can happen anywhere.

Contact our team at 855.822.1220 to discuss setting up a home security system that meets your needs and keeps your family safe.