One of the reasons Amarillo gets a bad rap is because of the crime in the city. This isn’t unwarranted, unfortunately, and is a definite concern with many residents and one of the top things people ask about when relocating to the city.
There are obviously different types of crime, so looking at it as a whole isn’t the best way to go about it. Crimes such as burglary, car thefts, and theft in general are actually LOWER than the national average. Then there are violent crimes…and that is where Amarillo is falling short.
Assault, Murder, Rape All High
There are three categories you don’t want to be anywhere near the national average on, and here in Amarillo? We SAIL past the national average on two of the three. The one where we are close to the national average? Murder, where we experience 8.4 murders per 100,000 residents. The national average? That would be 6.1, so while we’re over, it’s not as bad as the next two.
Amarillo experiences 73.9 rapes per 100,000 residents, which is alarming considering the national average is 40.7. The fact that we are nearly double the national average is extremely concerning, and no doubt puts people on high alert and makes them stay away from things they may enjoy, like nighttime strolls in a park…