Is San Carlos CA Safe from Scary Crime?

Is San Carlos CA Safe from Crime?

Is San Carlos CA safe? I guess that depends on what you mean by the word “safe?” According to the San Mateo County Sheriff, San Mateo County is the 2nd safest county in California. Within the county, San Carlos comes out as one of the safest cities in San Mateo County. https://www.smcsheriff.com/patrol-services/san-carlos-police-bureau.

If you want to see what crimes are occurring and their locations, visit the San Mateo County Sheriff’s crime map at https://smso.crimegraphics.com/2013/default.aspx. So is San Carlos CA safe? This is very subjective, each person may have a different level or tolerance for different types of crime. The map below offers a good visualization for crime in the area.

Crime in San Carlos CA from 11/1/2022 – 1/31/2023: Source San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office

What you see is that most of the crimes are larceny theft, burglary, and a few stolen vehicles. In reading sites like NextDoor you find many postings about stolen bicycles. So, what San Carlos has is mostly a theft problem, which is very frustrating for residents but residents we speak to feel safe overall. Violent crime is rare, it’s mostly limited to a few cases of domestic violence. Although in 2022 there was a grisly murder where a man killed his girlfriend.

You can also find most of the crimes committed in the City and better descriptions of what occurred in the City’s News Releases. According to the 2017 Census, 68% of San Carlos residents hold a BS or higher, so it’s mostly a professional neighborhood. When you do read arrest reports, you find that most of the crime is being committed by people that live outside San Carlos.

San Carlos CA is Relatively “Safe”

So, is San Carlos CA a safe place to live? It seems like it’s a relatively “safe” place for people, but maybe not their stuff? However, compared to many other communities in CA, your stuff is still pretty safe in San Carlos CA!