How Lansing Crime Rates Compare to Other Michigan Cities

Crime in Lansing is out of control. Crime rates have grown over the past few years. How does Lansing compare to other Michigan cities?

When I moved go Lansing in 1996 I was much younger, I didn't really pay attetion to things like "crime rates" but I always felt safe in Lansing and have enjoyed calling Lansing my home. I used to live in the city of Lansing, I had my share of issues at my residence and that's why I moved out of the city limits.

Best Places did some research and the information is disappointing about Lansing. Here's what Best Places says about crime rates in Lansing:

The Crime Indices range from 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime). Our crime rates are based on FBI data. Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims.

Here's how Lansing compares to other cities in Mid Michigan, Grand Rapids and Detroit. Lansing has a violent crime index of 55.7 (1 being safest), compared to Detroit that has a index of 94.3. Sadly the national average is only 22.7. Lansing is crushing the national average and that's NOT a good thing.

When it comes to property crimes Lansing has an index of 45 (1 being safest), while Detroit is at 66.7. We're above the national average of 35.4.

Let's take a look and compare some mid Michigan cities from 2019, City Data put together some research and here are the results. City Data says this about their stats:

The 2019 crime rate in Lansing, MI is 469 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.7 times higher than the U.S. average. It was higher than in 94.7% U.S. cities. The 2019 Lansing crime rate fell by 3% compared to 2018. The number of homicides stood at 12 - an increase of 4 compared to 2018. In the last 5 years Lansing has seen decline of violent crime and decreasing property crime.

Although this info is older, it's pertinent. Lansing leads the way for crime in mid Michigan too. The lower the number the better.

Lansing's crime rating was 468.9 compared to East Lansing's 180.0. Surrounding communties fared well with DeWitt at 58.9, Bath 95.2, Grand Ledge 90.9, Mason 101.6, Potterville 4.4.

Williamston and Eaton Rapids had some issues themselves with Williamston at 98.2 and Eaton Rapids 297.5.

Grand Rapids is the second biggest city in Michigan and their crime rates are falling. Over the past few years their crime rating has dropped for the most part according to City Data, Grand Rapids rating in 2023 was 286.1 but in 2006 it was 537.9, that's a huge improvement. Considering Lansing has a rating of 468.9, Grand Rapids is a far safer city to live in.