Being a victim of crime hits different when you’re already worried about your neighborhood’s safety. You’re probably asking yourself about the Nassau County, NY crime rate and wondering if this incident means your area is getting more dangerous. The whole process of reporting and following up feels frustratingly slow (and nobody explains what’s actually happening).
But here’s the thing – understanding both the bigger picture and your specific situation can help you make smarter decisions about your safety. And there are concrete steps you can take right now to protect yourself and your family, regardless of what the statistics say about crime in your area.
Key Takeaways
- Nassau County consistently ranks among the safest counties in New York State, with violent crime rates well below both state and national averages.
- Property crimes, particularly larceny theft, drive most incidents but remain manageable compared to urban areas.
- Recent trends show relative stability with minor year-over-year fluctuations rather than dramatic increases.
- The county’s suburban geography creates significant variation between communities – from ultra-safe enclaves like Garden City to higher-incident areas like Hempstead village.
- Interactive crime mapping and precinct-level data help residents make informed decisions about neighborhood safety.
What this guide covers (and how to use it)
Here’s what we’re covering: current Nassau County crime statistics (the most recent available), five to ten-year trends, and how Nassau stacks up against Suffolk, Queens, New York State, and the entire country. When I say “crime rate per 100000 in Nassau,” I’m talking about the standard measurement that lets you compare apples to apples. That’s incidents per 100,000 residents – the only way to fairly compare a suburban county to anywhere else.
Is crime increasing in Nassau County? That’s the big question everyone asks first. We’ll break down year-over-year changes and longer trends so you can see what’s actually happening versus what makes headlines.
The data comes primarily from New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, which tracks all index crimes by county. For national context, we reference the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Fair warning – state and federal datasets always lag several months behind, so “current” usually means the most recent full year.
You’ll find precinct maps, neighborhood breakdowns, and practical resources throughout this guide. Some sections have charts, others just give you the straight facts.
At-a-glance: current crime rate per 100,000 and chance of being a victim
Nassau County NY crime rate for the most recent full year sits at approximately 1,100 incidents per 100,000 residents. That breaks down to roughly 150 violent crimes and 950 property crimes per 100,000 people.
Your chance of being a victim? About 1 in 91 for any index crime. For violent crime specifically, it’s closer to 1 in 667.
Violent crime rate Nassau County includes homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crime rate Nassau County covers burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. The crime index Nassau County refers to these Part I offenses that the FBI tracks nationwide.
Here’s the thing though – (and this matters) – these numbers vary wildly by neighborhood. Garden City’s rate looks nothing like Hempstead village’s rate. Population density, commercial activity, and socioeconomic factors create huge variations within the county.
Nassau County crime statistics show property crimes dominating the totals, with larceny-theft accounting for roughly 70% of all reported index offenses. That’s everything from shoplifting to grand larceny, package theft to employee embezzlement.
The New York State DCJS county index crimes data provides the authoritative source for these figures, updated annually with final counts and rates.
Violent crime in Nassau County
Alright, let’s dive into the violent crime rate Nassau County numbers that matter most. We’re looking at four categories here: homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.
Homicide rate Nassau County typically runs between 1-3 incidents per 100,000 residents annually. That’s well below the national average of around 6 per 100,000. Most years see fewer than 30 total homicides county-wide.
Robbery rate Nassau County shows more variation, usually ranging from 25-40 per 100,000. Commercial robberies cluster around shopping centers and transit hubs, while residential robberies remain relatively rare. Aggravated assault Nassau County incidents typically account for 60-70% of all violent crimes, ranging from domestic violence escalations to bar fights that cross the felony threshold.
Rape statistics Nassau County include both reported incidents to police and cases handled through special victim units. The numbers here reflect reporting improvements over the past decade as much as actual incident changes.
Gun violence in Nassau County remains limited compared to urban areas, though weapons recoveries during arrests show concerning trends in certain precincts. Domestic violence incidents Nassau account for a significant portion of aggravated assault cases, with specialized response protocols and victim services in place.
Juvenile violent crime Nassau patterns show concentration in specific school districts and communities. Gang activity Nassau County exists but doesn’t drive major statistical trends like in neighboring areas. Hate crime incidents Nassau County are tracked separately and reported annually to NYS DCJS through their hate crime data collection.
Is crime increasing in Nassau County? For violent offenses, we’re seeing relative stability with year-to-year fluctuations rather than clear directional trends.
Property crime in Nassau County
Property crimes. This is where Nassau County sees most of its action, and honestly, where residents feel the impact most directly.
Property crime rate Nassau County runs around 950 per 100,000 residents, dominated by larceny-theft at roughly 700 per 100,000. Larceny theft Nassau County includes everything from retail theft to grand larceny over $1,000, package theft, and various fraud schemes.
Burglary trend Nassau County has actually improved over the past five years. Residential burglaries dropped significantly, partly due to improved home security systems and partly due to demographic shifts. Commercial burglaries still cluster around certain corridor areas.
Motor vehicle theft Nassau County – here’s where things get interesting. Auto theft has ticked upward recently, following national patterns. Catalytic converter theft Nassau exploded during 2021-2022, targeting specific vehicle makes in shopping center parking lots and residential driveways.
Package theft in Nassau County isn’t separately tracked in index crime statistics (it falls under larceny), but local police reports suggest it’s a growing concern, especially during holiday seasons. Ring doorbells and package lockboxes have become standard responses.
Fraud and identity theft Nassau cases often get reported to federal agencies rather than local police, making county-level tracking incomplete. Cybercrime reports Nassau County face similar jurisdictional complications – victims might report to FBI, local police, or not at all.
The NYS DCJS property crime breakdown shows Nassau consistently outperforming state averages across all property crime categories.
Trends: year-over-year and five-year
Year over year crime trend Nassau for the most recent data period shows total index crimes down about 3% from the previous year. Violent crimes remained essentially flat (minor fluctuations within normal variation), while property crimes drove the overall decline.
Five year trends tell a more complete story.
Five year crime trend Nassau County reveals interesting patterns. Property crimes peaked around 2019, dropped significantly during 2020 (pandemic effect), then gradually returned toward pre-pandemic levels. Motor vehicle theft bucked this trend, climbing steadily since 2020.
Violent crimes showed less dramatic pandemic-related changes. Domestic violence incidents increased during lockdown periods, while stranger-on-stranger violent crimes decreased due to reduced social interaction.
Burglary rates have consistently declined over the five-year period, while larceny-theft fluctuated more with economic conditions and retail patterns. The shift toward online shopping changed theft patterns – fewer traditional retail thefts, more package and delivery-related incidents.
Nassau County crime statistics from NYS DCJS multi-year data show Nassau maintaining its relative position compared to other New York counties throughout this period.
What’s driving recent changes? Motor vehicle theft increases track with regional and national patterns. Catalytic converter theft surged then plateaued as awareness and countermeasures increased. Overall violent crime stability reflects successful community policing initiatives and demographic factors.
How Nassau compares to New York State and the nation
Compare to national average crime – Nassau County performs significantly better across all major categories. The national violent crime rate runs around 380 per 100,000; Nassau typically sees 150 per 100,000. Compare to New York State average crime – Nassau outperforms the state average as well, though the gap is smaller than the national comparison.
Crime rate per 100000 in Nassau of approximately 1,100 total index crimes compares favorably to the national rate of roughly 2,100 per 100,000. That’s nearly half the national average.
For violent crimes specifically, Nassau’s rate around 150 per 100,000 significantly undercuts both the state average (around 350) and national average (around 380). Property crime shows similar patterns – Nassau around 950, state around 1,400, national around 1,700.
Nassau County NY crime rate benefits from suburban demographics, higher median income, lower population density, and effective policing strategies. Nassau County crime statistics consistently place it among the top 10% of safest counties nationwide with comparable population sizes.
The FBI Crime Data Explorer provides the methodological framework for these comparisons, ensuring we’re comparing equivalent offense definitions and reporting standards across jurisdictions.
But here’s the caveat – these comparisons reflect countywide averages. Specific Nassau communities might perform better or worse than these overall figures suggest.
Regional benchmarks: Suffolk, Queens, and the Long Island context
Nassau versus its neighbors. This comparison matters most for Long Island residents making housing and safety decisions.
Nassau vs Suffolk County crime rates show Nassau with lower overall rates across most categories. Suffolk’s larger geographic area and different demographic patterns contribute to slightly higher per-capita crime rates. Nassau vs NYC boroughs crime reveals the suburban versus urban divide clearly – Nassau’s rates typically run 30-50% lower than Queens North or South.
Safest part of Long Island depends on what you’re measuring, but Nassau consistently outperforms Suffolk in most safety metrics. However, Suffolk has improved significantly over the past decade, narrowing the gap.
Suburban vs urban crime Long Island patterns show expected differences. Nassau’s suburban density creates different crime patterns than NYC boroughs – less street crime, more property crimes in commercial areas, different drug trafficking patterns.
Long Island safety overview puts both Nassau and Suffolk among New York State’s safer regions, with Nassau holding a slight edge in most categories.
Motor vehicle theft shows interesting regional patterns – Nassau sees more opportunistic thefts from shopping centers and transit hubs, while Suffolk deals with more organized theft rings targeting specific vehicle types.
Suffolk County Police Department CompStat data andNYPD CompStat for Queens provide the comparison framework for these regional benchmarks.
The bottom line? Nassau maintains its position as the safer of the two Long Island counties, though both perform well compared to urban areas.
Crime map, precinct boundaries, and neighborhood risk
Nassau County crime map – this is where the rubber meets the road for practical safety planning. Interactive mapping shows incident concentrations by community, offense type, and time period.
Neighborhood crime risk Nassau varies dramatically across the county. Garden City, Great Neck, and Syosset show consistently low incident rates across all categories. Hempstead village, Freeport, and Uniondale typically show higher concentrations.
Precinct map Nassau County divides the county into eight patrol precincts, each covering multiple communities. Police patrol areas Nassau County don’t always align with municipal boundaries, which can confuse crime data interpretation.
How to check local crime in Nassau – start with the Nassau County Police Department precinct information. Each precinct publishes regular crime updates and community meeting schedules.
For specific addresses or neighborhoods, cross-reference multiple sources. Census tract data provides demographic context, while police incident reports show actual crime patterns. Property crime often clusters around commercial corridors, while violent crime shows different geographic patterns.
Commercial areas like Roosevelt Field, Sunrise Highway corridor, and Hempstead Turnpike see higher incident rates due to traffic volume and retail concentration. Residential neighborhoods show lower overall rates but different types of incidents.
Real estate professionals and residents use these maps to assess neighborhood crime risk Nassau before making housing decisions. Understanding precinct boundaries helps interpret response times and policing strategies.
Hotspots and safest places in Nassau County
Safest towns in Nassau County consistently include Garden City, Great Neck, Syosset, Jericho, and Roslyn. These communities show index crime rates well below county averages across all categories.
Garden City safety rating benefits from active community policing, high median income, and low population density. Great Neck safety record shows similar patterns with particularly low violent crime rates.
Now for the areas that need more attention.
Hempstead crime trend shows higher rates across most categories, particularly property crimes around commercial areas. Freeport safety outlook has improved over recent years but still runs above county averages. Long Beach NY crime stats fluctuate seasonally with tourism patterns and nightlife activity.
Glen Cove crime analysis shows mixed patterns – the downtown area sees more incidents while residential neighborhoods remain relatively quiet. Mineola crime overview centers around the courthouse and transit hub, with most incidents being property crimes.
Levittown crime incidents, Hicksville crime snapshot, and Elmont safety assessment fall into the middle range – not the safest, not the most concerning. Uniondale crime data and Westbury crime trend show higher incident rates, particularly for property crimes.
Valley Stream safety index, Rockville Centre police reports, and Oceanside NY crime profile generally perform better than county averages. Baldwin NY safety guide shows improvement over recent years.
New Hyde Park crime summary, Syosset safety statistics, Plainview crime numbers, Jericho safety overview, Roslyn crime rate insight, and Port Washington safety trends all rank among the county’s safer communities.
Geographic patterns matter here. Northern Nassau communities typically show lower crime rates than southern areas. Areas near major highways and commercial corridors see more property crimes.
For detailed community information, check individual community pages: Hempstead village, Freeport, Long Beach, and Garden City provide demographic and historical context for understanding local crime patterns.
DUI/DWI and traffic fatalities
DUI and DWI arrests Nassau follow predictable seasonal patterns. Summer months and holiday periods see increased enforcement and arrest numbers. Recent years average around 3,000-4,000 DWI arrests annually countywide.
Traffic fatalities Nassau County typically range from 40-60 annually, with alcohol involvement in roughly 30% of fatal crashes. The NYS ITSMR Traffic Safety Statistical Repository tracks detailed crash data including location, contributing factors, and injury severity.
Holiday enforcement waves target known problem corridors – Hempstead Turnpike, Northern Boulevard, Sunrise Highway. DWI checkpoints rotate locations based on historical incident data and complaint patterns.
Nightlife corridors in Long Beach, Freeport, and parts of Hempstead see higher DWI arrest concentrations. Beach areas during summer months require increased enforcement presence.
Fatal crash patterns concentrate on major arterials during rush hour periods and weekend evenings. Weather conditions, particularly during winter months, contribute to serious injury crashes even when alcohol isn’t involved.
Police operations and how to engage
Nassau County Police Department initiatives include community policing programs, school resource officers, and specialized units for domestic violence, gang activity, and cybercrime.
Community policing Nassau County emphasizes neighborhood engagement through regular precinct meetings, youth programs, and business partnerships. Each precinct holds monthly community meetings where residents can raise concerns and get crime updates.
Crime Stoppers Nassau tips provide anonymous reporting options for ongoing criminal activity. Nassau County Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information leading to arrests in serious cases.
When to call 911 vs 311 Nassau County – 911 for emergencies and crimes in progress, regular police number for non-emergency reports and information requests. Each precinct maintains its own non-emergency line for routine matters.
CompStat Nassau County performance management helps deploy resources based on crime patterns and community needs. While full CompStat data isn’t always public, precinct commanders share relevant statistics at community meetings.
NCPD response times vary by call priority and location. Emergency calls typically receive response within 6-8 minutes countywide, while routine reports might take 30-45 minutes during busy periods.
Clearance rates Nassau County – the percentage of crimes solved through arrest or other means – generally exceed state and national averages, particularly for violent crimes.
NCPD precinct crime reports and Nassau County police blotter information are available through individual precinct contacts and community meeting presentations.
How to check local crime and protect your home
How to check local crime in Nassau starts with knowing your precinct and understanding available resources. Nassau County crime map provides incident locations and types, while Nassau County police blotter gives recent activity summaries.
NCPD precinct crime reports come out regularly during community meetings and through precinct social media accounts. Sign up for alerts through your precinct’s communication systems.
Home security tips for Long Island residents focus on suburban-specific concerns. Garage doors, package deliveries, and vehicle security matter more here than traditional urban security measures.
Porch pirates target packages left unattended. Invest in delivery boxes or doorbell cameras. Catalytic converter theft prevention means parking in garages when possible and installing anti-theft devices on vulnerable vehicles.
Neighborhood watch Nassau County programs exist in many communities. Contact your precinct community affairs officer to start or join existing programs. Reporting suspicious activity Nassau should include specific descriptions of people, vehicles, and activities rather than vague concerns.
Victim services Nassau County include counseling, legal advocacy, and emergency assistance through county social services and partner organizations. Domestic violence shelters Nassau provide 24/7 crisis intervention and long-term support services.
Emergency preparedness Nassau County resources help residents plan for natural disasters and other emergencies. Nassau County Office of Emergency Management provides preparation guides and alert systems.
Travel safety in Nassau County involves understanding parking security, beach safety protocols, and transit hub awareness. Tourist areas require extra attention to vehicle and personal property security.
Nassau County Crime Stoppers remains the best resource for anonymous reporting of ongoing criminal activity or providing tips about unsolved cases.
Is Nassau County the safest county in the U.S.?
Is Nassau County the safest county in the US? That’s the million-dollar question I get asked constantly. Rankings change depending on methodology, data sources, and what factors they include.
Various publications have ranked Nassau among the top 10-20 safest counties nationally, but “safest” depends on what you’re measuring. Crime rates? Traffic fatalities? Natural disaster risk? Emergency response times?
Safest part of Long Island usually refers to Nassau County overall, though specific Suffolk communities might outperform specific Nassau areas.
When national safety rankings come out, they typically use FBI crime data, but they weight categories differently. Some emphasize violent crime heavily, others factor in property crime equally. Some include traffic safety, others don’t.
Nassau County NY crime rate consistently places it among the safer large suburban counties nationwide. But peer counties in places like Connecticut, Northern Virginia, and suburban areas around major metropolitan areas often show similar performance levels.
The FBI Crime Data Explorer provides the only truly comparable national dataset, but even that has limitations. Reporting standards vary, some agencies don’t participate fully, and definitions change over time.
Bottom line? Nassau ranks very well nationally for public safety, but claiming “safest” depends on specific metrics and comparison groups. It’s definitely among the safest places to live in New York State and performs well compared to similar suburban counties nationwide.
Nassau County Crime FAQs
What is the current Nassau County NY crime rate per 100,000 residents?
Around 1,100 total index crimes per 100,000 – breaks down to roughly 150 violent, 950 property crimes.
How does Nassau County’s violent crime rate compare to the New York State and national averages?
Way better. Nassau runs about 150 per 100,000 while state averages around 350 and national hits 380. Not even close.
Which Nassau County towns are considered the safest, and which have the highest crime rates?
Safest? Garden City, Great Neck, Syosset, Jericho. Higher rates – Hempstead village, parts of Freeport, Uniondale. Though honestly, even the “high crime” areas here would be considered pretty safe most places.
Where can I view a Nassau County crime map and precinct-level crime reports?
Start with your local precinct – there are eight of them covering the county. NCPD website has precinct contacts and boundaries. Community meetings give you the real scoop on what’s happening locally, way better than any online map.
What are the most common offenses in Nassau?
Larceny theft. By a mile. Makes up like 70% of all reported crimes – everything from shoplifting to package theft to employee stealing.
How does Nassau compare to Suffolk County and Queens on crime?
Nassau wins. Lower rates than Suffolk across most categories, way lower than Queens. Suffolk’s been improving though, gap’s not as wide as it used to be.
How do I look up court records, orders of protection, and the sex offender registry for Nassau?
Sex offender registry – NYS DCJS website has public search. Court records through NY Courts WebCrims system. Orders of protection, you’ll need to go through the court system directly, usually with legal help.
Koch Law, PLLC: Your Criminal Defense Law Firm
Koch Law, PLLC handles crime cases Nassau County. The statistics you’re seeing? They don’t tell the whole story about what you’re facing. And honestly, every day you wait makes our job harder – evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, prosecutors get more entrenched in their position. Our experienced Nassau County criminal defense lawyer seen how quickly things can escalate in Nassau County’s system.
Don’t let yourself become another statistic. Contact our firm today if you experienced crime in this area.
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