Petersburg, VA has safety grade D, a population of about 30,791, an overall crime rate near 2,299 per 100k as of 2026. For real estate investors, safety is only half the picture: pair these crime statistics with rental demand and returns to judge whether Petersburg, VA is a sound place to buy. See the investment overview for Petersburg, VA for median prices, rental yield and Pulse Score, or run the numbers in the ROI analyzer.
Petersburg, VA Crime Rate and Safety Report
Petersburg, VA crime snapshot: safety grade D, violent crime rate 10.00 per 1,000 residents, property crime rate 11.00 per 1,000 residents. Compare nearby zip codes, hotspots, and safety recommendations below.
Safety Score
D
High Risk
Violent Crime Rate
10.00
per 1000 residents
Safety Analysis & Recommendations
View DetailsOverall Assessment
The area has very low safety standards with a D+ rating. Residents should be aware of their surroundings and take appropriate precautions.
Safety Recommendations
With property crimes being more prevalent (49.3% of total incidents), residents should secure their homes and vehicles, install security systems, and maintain good lighting around their properties.
Trend Analysis
With 708 total incidents, Petersburg shows moderate crime activity. The primary concern is property crime.
Comparison Insights
Petersburg demonstrates crime rates well below national averages, showcasing effective community safety initiatives.
Petersburg, VA Crime Analysis
Based on the provided crime data for the area identified by GEOID 16000US5161832, a total of 708 crimes were recorded. The most prevalent crime category is property crime, accounting for 349 incidents. Within property crime, larceny/theft offenses are the most frequent, with 276 incidents, followed by destruction/damage/vandalism of property at 50 incidents. Assault is the second most common crime category, with 297 incidents, all classified as assault offenses. Other notable categories include others (30 incidents), sex offenses (13 incidents), and robbery (12 incidents). Homicide is the least frequent category, with 7 incidents, divided into homicide offenses. Within the "others" category, fraud offenses are the most common, with 16 incidents, followed by embezzlement at 8 incidents. Sex offenses include a mix of sex offenses, non-forcible sex offenses, and kidnapping/abduction. Robbery consists entirely of robbery incidents. Given the total crime count of 708, further analysis would require population data for GEOID 16000US5161832 to calculate crime rates per 100,000 population. Without population data, it's impossible to determine the crime rate, safety score, safety grade, violent crime rate, or property crime rate. Additionally, median income, crime map data, and zip codes data are not provided in the JSON and would need to be sourced from external databases.
Petersburg, VA crime map
Crime Map
Green markers indicate safer areas, red markers indicate high crime areas. Blue markers show the currently selected zip code.
Safest Zip Codes
High Crime Zip Codes
23298
0
Safety246.7
Per 1K247
Total Crimes23440
0
Safety136.9
Per 1K137
Total Crimes24011
0
Safety119.8
Per 1K120
Total Crimes24016
0
Safety87.0
Per 1K87
Total CrimesRelated analysis for Petersburg, VA
Explore related real estate, safety, and education data for Petersburg, VA.
Explore more locations near Petersburg, VA
Browse data for nearby cities and zip codes.
Nearby zip codes
FAQ about crime in Petersburg, VA
Crime rates are normalized per 1,000 residents based on reported incidents in FBI UCR and local agency feeds. We split incidents into violent, property, and other categories so you can see where the risk concentrates.
The “Safest Zip Codes” section above ranks nearby zip codes by safety score, while the “High Crime Zip Codes” section highlights areas with elevated reported crime in Petersburg, VA.
Crime data is refreshed on a rolling basis as updated reports are published by the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer and partnering agencies.
Combine this crime report with the market overview for Petersburg, VA and the school report linked in the “Related analysis” section to assess both safety and investment fundamentals.
Data sources & further reading
PulseReal’s analysis is built on top of these public, authoritative datasets.
Official UCR crime statistics by state and agency from the FBI.
Population, demographics, housing, and income data from the US Census Bureau.
Encyclopedic overview of the city, history, and notable landmarks.
Housing affordability, fair-market rents, and market reports from HUD.
Local unemployment and employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Bureau of Justice Statistics publications on US crime victimization.
Get Complete Insights or Analytics
Access comprehensive real estate data, crime analysis, short term rental data, and detailed zip code reports across the United States.
✓ Analyze real estate data ✓ Neighborhood safety ratings ✓ Detailed crime statistics
Disclaimer: All investment decisions involve risks, and the information provided by Pulsereal is for informational purposes only. We do not guarantee any specific outcomes, returns, or profitability. Users are encouraged to conduct their own due diligence and consult with a financial advisor or real estate professional before making any investment decisions. Pulsereal is not responsible for any losses or damages arising from the use of the platform or reliance on the provided information.
Copyright © 2026 Pulse Real LLC.