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Property Crime Decline in Port Isabel, Texas: A Decade of Progress
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Port Isabel, a small city in Texas, has experienced significant fluctuations in property crime rates over the past decade. From 2010 to 2022, total property crimes decreased by 71.6%, from 387 to 110 incidents. During this same period, the population decreased by 9.4%, from 6,627 to 6,007 residents.
Burglary rates in the city have shown a notable decline. In 2010, there were 100 burglaries, which decreased to 13 in 2022, representing an 87% reduction. When adjusted for population, the rate fell from 15.1 burglaries per 1,000 people in 2010 to 2.2 per 1,000 in 2022. The city's share of state burglaries also decreased from 0.06% in 2010 to 0.02% in 2022, indicating a faster decline in burglary rates compared to the state average.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in the city, also showed a downward trend. Incidents decreased from 276 in 2010 to 88 in 2022, a 68.1% reduction. The rate per 1,000 people dropped from 41.6 in 2010 to 14.6 in 2022. The city's contribution to state larceny-theft crimes decreased from 0.05% to 0.02% over the same period, suggesting a more rapid decline than the state average.
Motor vehicle theft rates fluctuated but ultimately decreased. From 11 incidents in 2010, it dropped to 9 in 2022, an 18.2% decrease. The rate per 1,000 people changed from 1.7 in 2010 to 1.5 in 2022. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts remained relatively stable, oscillating between 0.01% and 0.03% throughout the period.
Arson cases in the city were sporadic and low in number. The highest recorded incidents were in 2010 and 2021, with only one case each year. The rate per 1,000 people remained consistently below 0.2 throughout the period. The city's contribution to state arson cases fluctuated between 0% and 0.04%, indicating minimal impact on statewide arson statistics.
Examining correlations, a strong inverse relationship is observed between property crime rates and median income. As median income increased from $31,091 in 2013 to $32,922 in 2022, total property crimes decreased from 306 to 110. This suggests that improving economic conditions may have contributed to reduced crime rates.
Population density showed a moderate correlation with property crime rates. As density decreased from 1,115 people per square mile in 2019 to 885 in 2022, property crimes also fell from 148 to 110, indicating that lower population density might be associated with reduced crime rates.
Applying predictive models based on these trends, it's forecasted that by 2029 (five years from now), property crime rates in Port Isabel may continue to decrease, potentially reaching around 75-85 total incidents annually. This projection assumes that current socioeconomic trends and crime prevention efforts remain consistent.
In conclusion, Port Isabel has experienced a significant overall reduction in property crime rates across all categories from 2010 to 2022, outpacing both population decline and state averages in most areas. The correlation between rising median income and falling crime rates suggests that economic improvements may have played a role in enhancing public safety. These trends, if sustained, position the city for potentially lower crime rates in the coming years, contributing to an improved quality of life for its residents.
