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Property Crime Trends in Iowa Falls: A Decade of 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
Iowa Falls, a city in Iowa with a population of 5,623 as of 2022, has experienced notable changes in its property crime landscape over the past decade. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased significantly from 126 to 80, representing a 36.5% reduction. This decline occurred against a backdrop of population decrease, with the city's population falling by 7.2% from 6,058 in 2010 to 5,623 in 2022.
Burglary rates in the city have shown considerable fluctuation over the years. In 2010, there were 15 burglaries, which decreased to 5 in 2022, a 66.7% reduction. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate dropped from 2.48 per 1,000 residents in 2010 to 0.89 per 1,000 in 2022. The city's share of state burglaries remained relatively stable, moving from 0.12% in 2010 to 0.1% in 2022. This trend suggests that while burglaries have decreased overall, the city's contribution to state burglary figures has not changed significantly, indicating a potential improvement in local crime prevention strategies.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in the city, also saw a substantial decrease. In 2010, there were 106 larceny-theft incidents, which dropped to 72 in 2022, a 32.1% decrease. The rate per 1,000 residents fell from 17.5 in 2010 to 12.8 in 2022. Interestingly, despite this decrease, the city's share of state larceny-theft incidents increased from 0.26% in 2010 to 0.3% in 2022. This could indicate that while the city has made progress in reducing larceny-theft, the reduction rate may be slower compared to other parts of the state.
Motor vehicle theft in the city has shown a slight decrease over the years, from 5 incidents in 2010 to 3 in 2022, a 40% reduction. The rate per 1,000 residents decreased from 0.83 in 2010 to 0.53 in 2022. However, the city's share of state motor vehicle thefts decreased from 0.17% in 2010 to 0.09% in 2022, suggesting that the city has made relatively more progress in this area compared to the state average.
Arson incidents in the city have been sporadic and infrequent. There was one reported case in 2010, representing 0.25% of state arsons, but no reported cases in 2022. The inconsistent nature of arson incidents makes it difficult to establish a clear trend or draw significant conclusions about its impact on overall property crime rates in the city.
Examining correlations between property crime trends and demographic factors reveals some interesting patterns. There appears to be a moderate negative correlation between median income and property crime rates. As the median income increased from $47,102 in 2013 to $49,165 in 2022, property crime rates generally decreased. This suggests that improving economic conditions may have contributed to the reduction in property crimes.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) suggests a continued gradual decrease in overall property crime rates. Based on the current trends, it's projected that by 2029, the total number of property crimes could potentially drop to around 60-65 per year, with larceny-theft remaining the most common type of property crime.
In summary, Iowa Falls has seen a significant reduction in property crimes over the past decade, with improvements across all categories. The most substantial decreases were observed in burglary and larceny-theft, while motor vehicle theft showed more modest improvements. These positive trends, coupled with the correlation between rising median income and decreasing crime rates, suggest that the city has made effective strides in enhancing public safety and reducing property crime. As the city continues to address these issues, maintaining focus on economic development and community-based crime prevention strategies could further reinforce these positive trends in the coming years.
