West Plains, MO has safety grade D, a population of about 12,290, an overall crime rate near 1,212 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 West Plains, MO is a sound place to buy. See the investment overview for West Plains, MO for median prices, rental yield and Pulse Score, or run the numbers in the ROI analyzer.
West Plains, MO Crime Rate and Safety Report
West Plains, MO crime snapshot: safety grade D, violent crime rate 7.00 per 1,000 residents, property crime rate 5.00 per 1,000 residents. Compare nearby zip codes, hotspots, and safety recommendations below.
Safety Score
D
High Risk
Violent Crime Rate
7.00
per 1000 residents
Safety Analysis & Recommendations
View DetailsOverall Assessment
West Plains, MO demonstrates excellent safety with a A+ safety rating. The area maintains low crime rates and is considered very safe for residents and visitors.
Safety Recommendations
Given the higher rate of violent crimes (61.1% of total incidents), residents should prioritize personal safety measures, avoid walking alone at night, and stay informed about local safety alerts.
Trend Analysis
The relatively low crime count of 149 incidents suggests West Plains maintains good community safety standards.
Comparison Insights
West Plains demonstrates crime rates well below national averages, showcasing effective community safety initiatives.
West Plains, MO Crime Analysis
Based on the provided crime data for the area with GEOID 16000US2978928, a total of 149 crimes were reported. The most prevalent crime category is assault, accounting for 86 incidents, all classified as "Assault Offenses." Property crime is the second most frequent, with a total of 57 incidents. Within property crime, larceny/theft offenses are the most common (29 incidents), followed by destruction/damage/vandalism of property and burglary/breaking & entering, each with 10 incidents, and motor vehicle theft with 8 incidents. Robbery accounts for 4 incidents, all categorized as "Robbery." There is one reported incident of homicide ("Homicide Offenses") and one sex offense ("Kidnapping/Abduction"). To provide a more comprehensive analysis, additional information is needed. The GEOID 16000US2978928 corresponds to the city of **St. Louis, Missouri**. To calculate crime rates per 100k, we need the population of St. Louis. As of 2023, the estimated population of St. Louis is around **300,000**. The median household income in St. Louis is approximately **$50,000**. Using the population of 300,000 and the total crime count of 149, the overall crime rate is approximately 49.7 per 1,000 residents or 4,970 per 100,000 residents. To calculate the violent crime rate, we sum the incidents of sex offenses (1), assault (86), robbery (4), and homicide (1), resulting in 92 violent crimes. This yields a violent crime rate of approximately 30.7 per 1,000 residents or 3,070 per 100,000 residents. The property crime rate, based on 57 property crimes, is approximately 19 per 1,000 residents or 1,900 per 100,000 residents. Without a defined scoring system, assigning a safety score and grade is subjective. However, based on the crime rates, St. Louis faces significant challenges in terms of safety. *Insights:** Assault is a major concern, representing the largest portion of reported crimes. Property crime, particularly larceny/theft, is also a significant issue. The violent crime rate is notably high, driven by assault, robbery, and homicide incidents. The overall crime rate suggests a need for targeted interventions and crime prevention strategies. Further analysis would benefit from historical crime data to identify trends, geographic distribution of crimes within St. Louis (crime map data), and crime statistics for specific zip codes within the city. This would allow for a more granular understanding of crime patterns and the development of more effective safety initiatives.
County 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
64101
0
Safety216.7
Per 1K217
Total Crimes64102
0
Safety216.7
Per 1K217
Total Crimes64120
0
Safety148.9
Per 1K149
Total Crimes63042
0
Safety138.5
Per 1K139
Total CrimesRelated analysis for West Plains, MO
Explore related real estate, safety, and education data for West Plains, MO.
Explore more locations near West Plains, MO
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Nearby zip codes
FAQ about crime in West Plains, MO
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 West Plains, MO.
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 West Plains, MO 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.
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