Loading Content...
Property Crime Trends in Pearland, Texas: A Decade of Suburban Growth and Shifting Crime Patterns
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Pearland, Texas, a rapidly growing suburb of Houston, has experienced significant changes in its property crime landscape over the past decade. From 2010 to 2022, the city saw a 24.1% increase in total property crimes, rising from 1,734 to 2,152 incidents. This increase occurred alongside substantial population growth, with the number of residents expanding by 40% from 90,811 in 2010 to 127,170 in 2022.
Burglary trends in the city have shown a notable decline over time. In 2010, there were 327 burglary incidents, which decreased to 164 by 2022, representing a 49.8% reduction. When adjusted for population growth, the burglary rate per 1,000 residents fell from 3.60 in 2010 to 1.29 in 2022, a 64.2% decrease. The city's share of state burglaries fluctuated, starting at 0.18% in 2010, peaking at 0.29% in 2019, and settling at 0.21% in 2022. This downward trend in burglaries suggests improved home security measures or more effective law enforcement strategies in preventing this type of crime.
Larceny-theft, the most common property crime in the city, showed an upward trend. Incidents increased from 1,324 in 2010 to 1,822 in 2022, a 37.6% rise. However, when accounting for population growth, the rate per 1,000 residents decreased slightly from 14.58 in 2010 to 14.33 in 2022. The city's contribution to state larceny-theft crimes grew significantly, from 0.24% in 2010 to 0.45% in 2022, indicating that this type of crime is growing faster in the city compared to the state average.
Motor vehicle theft exhibited a concerning upward trend. Incidents doubled from 83 in 2010 to 166 in 2022, a 100% increase. The rate per 1,000 residents rose from 0.91 in 2010 to 1.31 in 2022, a 44% increase. The city's share of state motor vehicle thefts increased from 0.15% to 0.20% over the same period, suggesting this crime is growing at a faster rate in the city compared to the state average.
Arson cases in the city have been relatively low and inconsistent. The highest number of incidents was 8 in 2012, while several years recorded zero or one case. Due to the low numbers, calculating meaningful trends or rates is challenging. The city's contribution to state arson cases fluctuated between 0% and 0.23% over the years, with no clear trend emerging.
Examining correlations between property crime trends and demographic factors reveals some interesting patterns. As population density increased from 1,865 per square mile in 2010 to 2,611 in 2022, property crimes also rose, suggesting a possible link between urbanization and crime rates. However, the relationship with median income is less clear, as income fluctuated over the years without a consistent correlation to crime rates.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) suggests a continuation of current patterns. Larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft are likely to see further increases, potentially reaching around 2,100 and 200 incidents respectively by 2029. Burglary rates may continue to decline, possibly dropping below 150 incidents annually. Overall property crime could reach approximately 2,450 incidents by 2029 if current trends persist.
In summary, Pearland has experienced a complex evolution in its property crime landscape. While burglaries have significantly decreased, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft have risen, both in absolute numbers and relative to state averages. These trends, occurring against a backdrop of rapid population growth, suggest that the city faces challenges in managing certain types of property crime as it expands. The diverging trends among different crime categories highlight the need for targeted strategies to address specific crime types, particularly larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft, which have shown the most concerning increases.
