San Antonio, Texas, is experiencing heightened scrutiny over its crime rates, prompting debate among city officials and residents considering relocation. A recent study by SmartAsset, a financial technology company, identified San Antonio as the most dangerous large city in Texas, though it ranked 28th nationally among the 50 largest cities in the United States.
The SmartAsset analysis, which examined 2023 FBI crime statistics alongside data from NeighborhoodScout and county health data, considered factors including violent crime, property crime, excessive drinking, drug overdoses, and traffic fatalities per 100,000 people. While San Antonio recorded the highest rate of property crime per capita among Texas’s six largest cities, the study’s overall ranking suggests a more nuanced picture.
Data released in October 2025, reflecting the 2024 calendar year, indicates that San Antonio’s crime rates are a key concern for potential residents. According to NeighborhoodScout, the chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in San Antonio is 1 in 168, while the probability of experiencing property crime is 1 in 22. The city’s crime rate, as measured by City-Data.com’s crime index, is 433, which is 1.8 times higher than the national average.
During a recent San Antonio city council budget meeting, District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte cited the SmartAsset study to advocate for increased police funding within the city’s $4 billion budget. Whyte argued that public safety was the city’s “highest priority,” asserting that other civic improvements were secondary to ensuring residents’ safety. But, his proposal to increase police funding was ultimately rejected by the council.
Despite concerns about crime, San Antonio’s ranking in the SmartAsset study places it around the middle of the pack among large U.S. Cities. Fort Worth, Texas, was identified as the safest large city in the state, ranking third nationally in the same analysis. The study’s methodology relies on a meta-analysis of data from 18,000 local law enforcement agencies across the U.S., incorporating over 2 million geocoded crime locations to address potential reporting inconsistencies.
NeighborhoodScout data, based on areas within the legal city boundary, identifies several neighborhoods as comparatively safer, including State Hwy 211 / Santa Loma, US Hwy 281 / Sendero Verde, Timberwood Park, and Stone Oak West. However, the overall trend in crime statistics continues to fuel debate about public safety priorities within the city.
