Last Updated on: 25th July 2023, 02:19 am

As a city in Ector County (with a tiny section overlapping into Midland County), Odessa, TX, is best known for its cowboy culture and food and is a great place to live. It’s part of the Odessa Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the city got its name from the Ukrainian city, Odesa.

A couple of common questions asked before moving to Odessa, TX, are “How safe is Odessa?” and “What is the crime rate in Odessa?” Overall, Odessa is a safe and family-friendly community, but there are a few Odessa areas to avoid. Here’s everything you need to know about the Odessa crime rate.

Understanding the Odessa Crime Rate | How Crime Rates Are Calculated

Crime rates are only a piece of the puzzle when determining if a city is a safe place to live and shouldn’t be the only tool used to decide the safety of the area. When looking at crime rates, it’s important to know how the crime data is calculated, where it comes from, and the different factors that are included. While most crime rates come from the FBI, they receive the stats from local law enforcement agencies throughout the USA. Not everything is included in the FBI reports because each state has different requirements when it comes to reporting crimes.

After the FBI analyzes the data, each crime is put into categories like total crime rate, violent crimes, and property crimes. The rates can change year in and year out depending on the information given by the law enforcement agencies, so please keep this in mind. A few factors could include:

  • Targeted crimes are not random, and the two people involved (assailant and victim) often know each other
  • Police Departments don’t always report domestic abuse and sexual assault crimes
  • Shootings aren’t counted as offenses by the FBI because most local law enforcement agencies don’t include them in their report
  • The index crimes are only shown, so that can be confusing since not all the crime stats are available
  • You need the full context when using crime statistics to determine if a town or city is safe
  • Between all the cities and towns in the United States, there isn’t a seamless definition of crimes

Crime stats can be misleading, and CNN wrote an interesting article on this topic. The FBI doesn’t recommend and actually discourages using crime stats and rates to determine if a city is safe. While these can be beneficial, they can’t give you the full picture you need.

Back in 2021, the FBI phased out its Uniform Crime Reporting System (UCRS) and replaced it with the new National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). What makes the NIBRS beneficial and unique is that it collects the necessary data on 20+ index crime categories and makes it mandatory that local law enforcement agencies submit a detailed report. With law enforcement agencies reporting more crimes, it can make it seem like there’s more crime in a city when there hasn’t been a change from the year before.

What Is the Odessa Texas Crime Rate?

Regardless if you’re moving to a new city close by or the other side of the United States, being curious about the local crime rate in Odessa is a normal response. Doing your research is a great start, but also consider utilizing the crime stats as a starting point. Here’s a breakdown of the crime rate in Odessa, TX.

  • Odessa total crime rate: 3,312 total crimes per 100k people (1 in 30 chance of being a victim of a crime)
  • Odessa property crime rate: 2,505 property crimes per 100k people
  • Odessa violent crime rate: 808 violent crimes per 100k people

Here’s a breakdown comparing the Texas and national average crime rate:

  • Total crime compared to national average: 41.2% higher than the rest of the country
  • Property Crime compared to national average: 27.9% higher than the rest of the country
  • Violent crime compared to national average: 108.4% higher than the rest of the country
  • Total Odessa crime rate compared to the state of Texas: 23.1% higher than the state of Texas
  • Property crime rate compared to the state: 11.6% higher than the state of Texas
  • Violent crime rate compared to the state: 81% higher than the state of Texas

As you can see, yes, Odessa has a higher crime rate than the state of Texas and the national average, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a safe and family-friendly community. While every city, town, and state has areas with higher crime rates, there are still plenty of safe and secure neighborhoods in Odessa to call home.

Odessa Crime Map & Crime Report

Odessa Crime maps are helpful when trying to get a better sense of the local crimes in an area before deciding to move.

Through LexisNexis Risk Solutions, the Odessa Police Department has created an interactive Odessa crime map. This map allows you to type in an address or zip code and filter by types of crime to see what’s happening in your area.

Violent Crime in Odessa

Like any city and state in the United States, there are always areas to avoid. While the violent crime rate is higher than the national and state average, the majority of the crimes still come from property crimes. Here’s a breakdown of the Odessa violent crimes:

  • Odessa murder rate per 100k people: 10 per 100k people, which is 52.8% higher than the national average, and 51.5% higher than the state average
  • Odessa total number of homicides for the year: 13
  • Odessa total number of rape crimes for the year: 107
  • Odessa total number of robberies for the year: 106
  • Odessa total number of aggravated assaults for the year: 794
  • Odessa violent crime rate per 100k people: 808
  • Chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Odessa: 1 in 124 residents

While Odessa’s violent crime rate is 808 per 100k people, which is 108.4% higher than the national average, this Texas city still features many great neighborhoods to settle down in and raise a family. With plenty of fun things to do in the Odessa and Midland area, you will always find a place to explore!

Property Crime in Odessa

When you look at the breakdown of Odessa crimes, most are property crimes, but the Odessa Police Department works hard to decrease these numbers. Here’s a breakdown of the Odessa property crime:

  • Odessa property crime rate per 100k people: 2,505
  • Odessa total property crimes: 3,163: 586 for burglary, 2,113 for larceny (theft), 464 for motor vehicle theft, and 22 for arson
  • Chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Odessa: 1 in 40 chance of being a victim of a property crime

High Crime Areas Of Odessa

Everywhere in the United States, there are neighborhoods that have a higher crime rate. While there are plenty of safe places to live in Odessa, there are still some areas that you should avoid. Some of the high crime areas in Odessa that you will want to avoid include Southside/Cannondale, Crump Park, Downtown Odessa, Crestwood, and Royalty Heights. Based on data, these are some of the most dangerous areas of Odessa.

There are 137 sworn officers and 198 total law enforcement employees (or one sworn officer per 1,000 residents) in the Odessa Police Department that work hard to serve and protect the community of Odessa, TX.

Safest Neighborhoods In Odessa

Odessa is a family & kid-friendly city in Texas. The safest neighborhoods in Odessa include:

North Park

As a suburban area and one of the safest neighborhoods of Odessa, North Park is a secure Odessa neighborhood. The homes in North Park are affordable, with the median sale price of $250,000. North Park is known for having plenty of places to explore outside, and some of the top places to check out include Progressive Park and Lawndale Park. While the area of North Park might be small, it’s still considered one of the safest and best areas to settle down.

West Odessa

While West Odessa might still have crime, it’s considered one of the safest Odessa neighborhoods. If you’re planning on purchasing a piece of real estate, the median sale price is $400,000 in West Odessa, and West Odessa has plenty of available houses. Some of the popular nearby things to do include the Odessa Meteor Crater, McKinney Park, the Altitude Trampoline Park, the Stonehenge Replica, and Sherwood Park.

 

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Odessa Safety Tips | How To Avoid Crime In Odessa

Whether you’re moving to Odessa from out of state or another part of Texas, it’s always important to take the proper steps to help ensure your safety. Here are some of the best safety precautions to consider to help you avoid becoming a victim of a crime in Odessa:

  • Travel in groups when possible
  • Carry pepper spray on your keys
  • Use a video surveillance and home security system
  • Don’t go outside at night
  • Stay away from high-crime areas
  • Increase the lighting in and around your home
  • Always lock windows and lock doors

We always highly recommend implementing these tips and tricks when moving to a new neighborhood, regardless of the location. After all, it helps to keep you safe and aware of your surroundings. Of course, everyone is different, and you personally need to decide what makes you feel comfortable and safe.

Odessa Police Department

The Odessa Police Department was founded in 1947 and has a variety of departments, but the main ones include:

  • Administration: The departments under the administration category are the Records Unit, Supply, and the Community Relations.
  • Field Operations Bureau: The departments under the Field Operations are the Patrol Division, Command Post Trailer, Warrants, Bomb Unit, K-9 Unit, Special Weapons & Tactics, and Special Services Division.
  • Special Operations Bureau: The departments under the Special Operations include the Crime Scene Unit, Crime Victim’s Liaison, Criminal Investigation Division, Intelligence Division, Narcotics & Vice Unit, and the Animal Control Unit.
  • Office Of The Chief Of Police: Fiscal Affairs and the Training Division/Police Academy are the two departments that work in the Office of the Chief of Police.

The Chief of Police for the Odessa Police Department is Michael Gerke, and if you need to request a copy of police reports or any Odessa crime reports, you can do that by email or in person. There are daily Odessa police reports available to the public on the city’s website.

The mission statement for the Odessa Police Department, according to their website, is, “The Officers of the Odessa Police Department aspire to provide the highest quality police services to the citizens of Odessa to ensure a safe, peaceful, and productive community.”

There are 198 total law enforcement employees and 137 sworn officers that work with the Odessa Police Department, which equates to 1 sworn officer per 1,000 residents.

Odessa Police Department Address & Contact

Odessa Crime Rate FAQ

 

Is Odessa, TX Safe?

There will always be areas in cities with a higher crime rate, but that doesn’t mean the city isn’t safe. With that in mind, Odessa is a family-friendly, kid-friendly, and safe city to call home.

 

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What Are The Safest Neighborhoods In Odessa, TX?

The safest neighborhoods in Odessa, TX, include North Park and West Odessa.

Where Can I Find The Odessa Police Reports?

You can request an Odessa Police report here.

Are you ready to move to Odessa, TX? Brothers Moving & Storage is here to help make your relocation seamless! With 10+ years of experience, 10,000+ customers served, two locations, and 3.2 MILLION miles moved over the years, we have the necessary experience and training to give you peace of mind during this transition. Contact the best Odessa movers at (432) 219-2829 for a free estimate!