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Property Crime Trends in Mountain View, 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
Mountain View, located in Missouri, has experienced fluctuating property crime rates over the past decade, alongside modest population growth. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased significantly from 120 to 55, representing a 54.17% reduction. During this same period, the population increased from 3,671 to 4,162, a growth of 13.37%.
Burglary incidents in the city have shown a notable decline over time. In 2010, there were 38 burglaries, which decreased to 8 in 2022, marking a 78.95% reduction. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate fell from 10.35 per 1,000 people in 2010 to 1.92 per 1,000 in 2022. The city's share of state burglaries fluctuated, starting at 0.12% in 2010, dropping to a low of 0.02% in 2021, and then rising slightly to 0.06% in 2022. This trend suggests improved home security measures or more effective law enforcement strategies in preventing burglaries.
Larceny-theft incidents also decreased over the years, though less dramatically than burglaries. From 80 cases in 2010, the number dropped to 41 in 2022, a 48.75% decrease. The rate per 1,000 people fell from 21.79 in 2010 to 9.85 in 2022. The city's contribution to state larceny-theft cases remained relatively stable, ranging between 0.03% and 0.09% throughout the period. This consistent share suggests that the city's larceny-theft trends generally aligned with statewide patterns.
Motor vehicle theft showed more variability but an overall decreasing trend. From 2 incidents in 2010, it peaked at 8 in 2013 before settling at 6 in 2022. The rate per 1,000 people increased slightly from 0.54 in 2010 to 1.44 in 2022. Notably, the city's share of state motor vehicle thefts increased from 0.02% in 2010 to 0.02% in 2022, with a peak of 0.06% in 2013. This indicates that while the absolute number of thefts remained low, the city experienced a slight increase in its proportion of state vehicle thefts.
Arson cases in Mountain View were rare, with most years reporting zero incidents. However, there were single cases reported in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2022. The rate per 1,000 people for these years was consistently low at about 0.24. The city's share of state arson cases in years with incidents ranged from 0.13% to 0.16%, indicating that when arson did occur, it represented a small but noticeable portion of state cases.
A strong correlation exists between the decline in property crimes and the increase in median income. As the median income rose from $26,455 in 2013 to $41,166 in 2022, an increase of 55.61%, total property crimes decreased by 55.26% over the same period. This suggests that improving economic conditions may have contributed to reduced property crime rates.
Additionally, there's a notable correlation between the slight increase in homeownership rates and the decrease in property crimes. The percentage of owner-occupied homes increased from 64% in 2013 to 67% in 2022, coinciding with the overall reduction in property crimes. This trend may indicate that higher homeownership rates contribute to community stability and reduced property crime.
Applying predictive models based on these trends, it's forecasted that by 2029 (five years from now), Mountain View could see further reductions in property crimes. Burglaries may decrease to around 5-6 incidents per year, larceny-theft could drop to approximately 30-35 cases annually, and motor vehicle thefts might stabilize at 4-5 incidents per year. Arson cases are likely to remain rare, with 0-1 incidents annually.
In conclusion, Mountain View has demonstrated a significant improvement in its property crime rates over the past decade, particularly in burglaries and larceny-thefts. This positive trend, coupled with increasing median income and homeownership rates, suggests a strengthening community fabric and improved quality of life for residents. As the city continues to grow and develop, maintaining these positive trends will be crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of its population.
