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Property Crime Trends in Williams, California: A Decade of Resilience and Economic Growth
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
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Crime
Property Crime
Percent Owner Occupied
Median Income
Population
Williams, located in California, has experienced fluctuating property crime trends alongside population growth over the past decade. From 2010 to 2022, the total number of property crimes decreased by 10.75%, from 93 to 83 incidents. During this same period, the population grew by 8.49%, from 6,008 to 6,518 residents, indicating a relative improvement in property crime rates when adjusted for population growth.
Burglary trends in the city have shown significant variability. In 2010, there were 22 burglaries, which dropped to 11 in 2022, representing a 50% decrease. When adjusted for population, the burglary rate decreased from 3.66 to 1.69 per 1,000 residents. The city's share of state burglaries remained relatively stable, hovering around 0.01% throughout the period, with a slight increase to 0.02% in some years between 2017 and 2020. This suggests that while burglaries have decreased locally, the city's contribution to state-wide burglary figures has remained proportionally consistent.
Larceny theft, the most common property crime in the city, showed a slight increase over the years. In 2010, there were 58 larceny thefts, which rose to 60 in 2022, a 3.45% increase. However, when accounting for population growth, the rate per 1,000 residents actually decreased from 9.65 to 9.21. The city's share of state larceny thefts remained steady at 0.01% throughout the period, indicating that the local trend aligns with state-wide patterns.
Motor vehicle theft in the city has seen a slight decrease. In 2010, there were 13 motor vehicle thefts, which dropped to 12 in 2022, a 7.69% decrease. The rate per 1,000 residents decreased from 2.16 to 1.84. The city's contribution to state motor vehicle thefts remained consistently low at 0.01% of the state total, with a brief dip to 0.00% in some years.
Arson cases in the city have remained relatively low but fluctuated over the years. In 2010, there were 2 arson cases, which remained the same in 2022. However, there were years with no reported arson cases (2014 and 2016) and a peak of 4 cases in 2015. The rate per 1,000 residents decreased slightly from 0.33 to 0.31. Notably, the city's contribution to state arson cases has been disproportionately high, ranging from 0.03% to 0.07% of the state total, significantly higher than its contribution in other property crime categories.
Examining correlations, there appears to be a moderate inverse relationship between median income and property crime rates. As median income increased from $60,608 in 2013 to $72,366 in 2022, overall property crime rates tended to decrease. Additionally, there seems to be a slight positive correlation between population density and property crime, as both metrics increased over time, with population density rising from 1,214 per square mile in 2010 to 1,317 in 2022.
Applying predictive models to forecast property crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029), we anticipate a continuation of the overall decreasing trend in property crimes. Burglaries are expected to stabilize around 10-12 cases annually, larceny thefts may fluctuate between 55-65 cases, motor vehicle thefts could remain steady at 11-13 cases, and arson cases are likely to stay between 1-3 annually.
In summary, Williams has shown resilience in managing property crime rates despite population growth. The most significant improvements have been in burglary reduction, while larceny theft remains the predominant property crime concern. The city's disproportionate contribution to state arson figures, despite low absolute numbers, may warrant targeted prevention strategies. The inverse relationship between rising median incomes and decreasing crime rates suggests that economic factors play a role in the city's crime dynamics. As the city continues to grow, maintaining focus on community-based crime prevention and economic development could further enhance public safety outcomes.
