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Property Crime Trends in Cameron, Missouri: A Decade of Significant Decline
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Cameron, located in Missouri, has experienced notable changes in property crime rates over the past decade, alongside fluctuations in its population. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased significantly by 56%, from 218 to 96 incidents. During this same period, the city's population saw a slight decline of 4.5%, from 12,665 to 12,099 residents.
The burglary rate in the city has shown a substantial decline over the years. In 2010, there were 45 burglaries reported, which dropped to just 9 in 2022, representing an 80% decrease. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate fell from 3.55 per 1,000 residents in 2010 to 0.74 per 1,000 in 2022. The city's share of state burglaries fluctuated over the years, starting at 0.14% in 2010, peaking at 0.18% in 2021, and then dropping to 0.07% in 2022. This trend suggests that while burglaries have decreased overall, the city's contribution to state-wide burglaries has remained relatively small and variable.
Larceny-theft incidents also showed a downward trend, though less pronounced than burglaries. The number of larceny-thefts decreased from 168 in 2010 to 82 in 2022, a 51% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents dropped from 13.26 in 2010 to 6.78 in 2022. Interestingly, despite the decrease in absolute numbers, the city's percentage of state larceny-thefts actually decreased slightly from 0.15% in 2010 to 0.11% in 2022, indicating that the reduction in larceny-thefts may be part of a broader state-wide trend.
Motor vehicle theft trends have been more volatile. The number of incidents increased from 5 in 2010 to 23 in 2020, before decreasing to 5 again in 2022. The rate per 1,000 residents peaked at 1.89 in 2020 but returned to 0.41 in 2022, similar to the 2010 rate of 0.39. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts increased from 0.04% in 2010 to 0.13% in 2020, before dropping to 0.02% in 2022, suggesting periods of localized spikes in this type of crime.
Arson cases in the city have been relatively rare, with numbers fluctuating between 0 and 4 incidents per year. The highest number was recorded in 2014 and 2016 with 4 cases each, representing 0.48% and 0.47% of state arsons respectively. In recent years, arson cases have become even less frequent, with no incidents reported in 2020 and 2022.
A strong correlation appears to exist between the overall decrease in property crimes and the increase in median income. As the median income rose from $49,850 in 2013 to $62,570 in 2022, property crimes declined from 166 to 96 during the same period. Additionally, there's a notable correlation between the increase in homeownership rates (from 55% in 2013 to 64% in 2022) and the decrease in property crimes, suggesting that higher homeownership might contribute to lower crime rates.
Applying predictive models based on these trends, it's projected that by 2029, property crimes in the city could potentially decrease further to around 70-80 incidents annually. This forecast assumes that current socioeconomic trends, such as increasing median income and homeownership rates, continue their positive trajectory.
In summary, Cameron has experienced a significant reduction in property crimes over the past decade, with particularly notable decreases in burglaries and larceny-thefts. This positive trend coincides with improvements in economic indicators such as median income and homeownership rates. While motor vehicle thefts and arsons have shown more variability, their overall numbers remain low. These trends suggest an improving safety profile for the city, which could have positive implications for community well-being and economic development in the coming years.
