How the Arkansas Crime Rate Compares to the State's Most Populated Cities

Despite having only 3 million people, Arkansas has one of the highest crime rates in the country. It ranks 33rd in terms of population, but fifth for its property crime rate and first for its violent crime rate. When it comes to motor vehicle theft, Arkansas ranks slightly higher than the United States as a whole with 2.88 per 1,000 compared to 2.68 per 1,000. On the upside, Arkansas has a low cost of living and low property taxes. There are a lot of outdoor activities, including seven national parks and 9,700 miles of rivers and streams.

Why is there high crime in the beautiful state of Arkansas? One reason could be that the state as a whole is among the poorest in the nation, and an increase in crime is often associated with low incomes and poverty.

Arkansas is taking steps to reduce its crime rate. The Protect Arkansas Act has raised the minimum prison sentence for serious crimes and introduced stricter punishments for property crimes by repeat offenders.

Little Rock crime rate

Little Rock, the biggest city in Arkansas, plays a role in the high Arkansas crime rate. It has an overall crime rate of 73.31 per 1,000 with 53.02 of those being property crimes.

Little Rock suburbs tend to be safer parts of its metropolitan area, although some petty property crimes still occur. The most violent crime occurs in the urban areas of Little Rock.

Fort Smith crime rate

Fort Smith is another city that contributes to the high crime rate in Arkansas. Its overall crime rate, lower than that of Little Rock, is 66 per 1,000. The property crime rate is slightly higher than Little Rock at 54.88 per 1,000. Burglaries and larceny-theft have declined, though they remain high compared to the rates for other cities.

Most of Fort Smith is fairly safe. Crime is concentrated in a few areas of the city, particularly on the western side. The riverfront and historical areas are relatively safe during the day but see a spike in crime at night.

Fayetteville crime rate

Fayetteville has a lower crime rate than Little Rock and Fort Smith. Property crimes occur at a rate of 47.54 per 1,000, and the overall crime rate is 53.55 per 1,000.

The city has implemented a crisis intervention program to help curb crime. Because the population has been growing, Fayetteville's police department has faced staffing challenges, making it difficult to respond quickly to crimes. Police officers are going through a training program that teaches them about de-escalation and intervention to keep problems from worsening. Crime has gone down since the police department incorporated this new strategy.

Springdale crime rate

Although the property crime rate in Springdale is slightly higher than in Arkansas overall, it has a lower violent crime rate at 4.62 per 1,000. Like Fayetteville, Springdale is implementing a crisis intervention program to reduce crime. It involves sending a social worker to talk with individuals who are struggling with mental health issues and/or homelessness.

Jonesboro crime rate

Jonesboro has a crime rate of 38.75 per 1,000, which is higher than the state rate of 33.55 per 1,000. Property crimes account for 31.24 of these incidents in Jonesboro. The southwestern side of the city is the safest, and the highest rate of crime occurs in the central neighborhoods.

Motor vehicle theft in Arkansas

Since 2011, motor vehicle theft in Arkansas has increased by 33%. Despite the high property crime rate in comparison to other states, Arkansas didn't see the sharpest increase in car theft—Colorado had the biggest increase of 144%.

Overall, car theft isn't as prevalent in Arkansas as in other areas of the U.S., but you'll still want to take simple precautions like locking your doors and using alarm systems. Pickup trucks are an especially popular choice among car thieves in Arkansas. The top three stolen vehicles are Chevrolet, Ford and GMC pickup trucks. Cars that use a fob for entry and a push-button ignition are also at a greater risk because criminals can use a device to amplify the fob's signal, granting them access to the car.

A steering wheel lock adds another layer of protection and makes it more difficult for thieves to steal your car. With alarms going off, they won't have time to try removing the lock. Many criminals won't even bother with your car when they see there's a steering wheel lock.

Motor vehicle theft occurs at a higher rate in Little Rock than in the state as a whole. The car theft rate in Little Rock is 5.25 per 1,000. Pine Bluff is another city in Arkansas that has higher-than-average thefts of motor vehicles at 8.72 per 1,000. Despite its small population of 38,000, Pine Bluff has an overall crime rate of 78.84 per 1,000, which is even higher than that of Little Rock.

Staying Safe with a Home Security System in Arkansas

A home security system from Vivint reduces your risk of property crimes and makes your Arkansas home a safer place.

• Record what's happening around your house: Security cameras monitor and record footage around your home to let you know what’s happening on your property at all times. You can set up cameras inside and outside your house for total coverage. The Vivint Outdoor Camera Pro uses light and sound to deter lurkers and keep your property safe.
• Control your home from anywhere: You can check in on home from anywhere with the Vivint app. Adjust your thermostat, lock or unlock your doors, close the garage, or check video camera footage with the tap of a button.
• Catch leaks before they wreak havoc: The Vivint water sensor will alert you when it detects a leak in your home. This helps you avoid costly water damage. Maintaining a safe home isn't just about warding off criminals but also about preventing major problems with your house.
• Lock your door from anywhere: Smart locks solve the problem of unlocked doors by allowing you to lock them through the Vivint app no matter where you are. You can even unlock them if you'd like to grant temporary access to maintenance workers.

Secure your Arkansas home

From small, peaceful towns to larger metropolitan areas, crime is a possibility anywhere you live. Having a home security system boosts your safety to help deter criminals from choosing you as their target. The more difficult that you make it for them to steal, the less likely they are to even try. Call us at 855.822.1220 to learn more today.