CrimeStats

CrimeStats provide 30 variables that measure crime rates and risk, including historical values from 2010, current-year estimates and fiveyear projections.

The data are derived from CAP Index’s CRIMECAST^® methodology. They use statistics, demographics and modelling techniques to estimate the likelihood of crime for locations across the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

CRIMECAST^® correlates a wide range of demographic factors, including housing, economic and education data, with historical crime data, survey inputs and other known indicators. The model does not use race, religion or gender data.

The result is an index-based score ranging from zero to 2,000, where 100 represents the average risk. Scores are available at the census block group, tract, ZIP code and ZIP+4 level across the U.S. ZIP code and ZIP+4 values are calculated using CAP Index’s one- or three-mile radius methodology.

Methodology

The one-mile ZIP and ZIP+4 CrimeStats scores are based on either a one-mile radius or a population threshold of 25,000. This method is typically used for residential insurance, service planning and delivery analysis.

For the three-mile methodology, the inner radius contributes two-thirds of the total score, while the outer radius contributes one-third. This method is typically used to assess crime risk around commercial locations.

ZIP and ZIP+4 files are updated quarterly to reflect changes in the TomTom postal code file. New ZIP or ZIP+4 codes receive new scores, while retired codes are removed.

Block group and census tract indexes are created for crimes within each geography. These files include population counts for 2010, current-year estimates and projections to 2030. They are updated annually and align with the U.S. Census Bureau’s current geography definitions.