The crime rate in West Haven is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 22 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in West Haven is 1 in 45. Based on FBI crime data, West Haven is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Connecticut, West Haven has a crime rate that is higher than 89% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.

How does the crime rate in West Haven compare to similar sized communities across America? When NeighborhoodScout compared West Haven with other communities its size, we found that the crime rate was near the average for all other communities of similar size. So, whether West Haven's crime rate is high or low compared to all places in the US, when we control for population size and compare it to places that are similar in size, it is near the middle of the pack in crime rate; not much more or less dangerous, and about what we would expect from the statistics.

Now let us turn to take a look at how West Haven does for violent crimes specifically, and then how it does for property crimes. This is important because the overall crime rate can be further illuminated by understanding if violent crime or property crimes (or both) are the major contributors to the general rate of crime in West Haven.

NeighborhoodScout's research shows that West Haven's violent crime rate is 1 per one thousand inhabitants, which is about average for all communities in America, across all population sizes. Violent crimes that are tracked and included in this rate are armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape (not statutory), and murder and non-negligent manslaughter. Roughly similar to the national average, our analysis shows that your chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in West Haven is one in 821.

NeighborhoodScout's analysis also reveals that West Haven's rate for property crime is 21 per one thousand population. This makes West Haven a place where there is an above average chance of becoming a victim of a property crime, when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes. Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. Your chance of becoming a victim of any of these crimes in West Haven is one in 48.

Importantly, we found that West Haven has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle theft in the nation according to our analysis of FBI crime data. This is compared to communities of all sizes, from the smallest to the largest. In fact, your chance of getting your car stolen if you live in West Haven is one in 309.