Loading Content...
Smithville, Missouri: A Decade of Rising Violent Crime Amidst Population Growth
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Smithville, Missouri, a city that has experienced significant population growth, has also seen notable changes in its violent crime trends over the past decade. From 2010 to 2022, as the population increased by 37.3% from 10,045 to 13,787, the total number of violent crimes rose by 62.5%, from 8 to 13 incidents. This increase in crime, while substantial in percentage terms, still represents a relatively low number of total incidents for a city of Smithville's size.
Murder rates in Smithville have remained relatively stable, with most years reporting zero murders. The sole exception was in 2020 when one murder was recorded, accounting for 0.16% of the state's total murders that year. This isolated incident resulted in a murder rate of 0.073 per 1,000 people. Given the city's small size, this single event does not indicate a significant trend in murder rates.
Rape incidents in Smithville have shown a general upward trend with some fluctuations. The number of reported rapes increased from 1 in 2010 to 3 in 2022, with the rape rate per 1,000 people rising from 0.099 to 0.218 during this period. Despite this increase, Smithville's contribution to state-wide rape crimes remains relatively low, peaking at 0.31% in 2020 and settling at 0.14% in 2022.
Robbery trends in Smithville have been inconsistent, with several years reporting zero incidents. The highest number of robberies (2) was reported in 2011 and 2016. In 2022, there was 1 robbery, representing 0.03% of the state's total. The robbery rate per 1,000 people in 2022 was 0.073, which is relatively low compared to larger urban areas.
Aggravated assault has demonstrated the most significant fluctuations among violent crimes in Smithville. The number of aggravated assaults increased from 7 in 2010 to a peak of 16 in 2020, before decreasing to 9 in 2022. The rate per 1,000 people varied from 0.697 in 2010 to 0.653 in 2022, with a high of 1.169 in 2020. The city's percentage of state aggravated assaults has remained relatively low, ranging from 0.02% to 0.09% over the years.
Analysis of the data suggests a moderate positive correlation between population growth and the overall number of violent crimes in Smithville. As the population increased from 10,045 in 2010 to 13,787 in 2022, the total violent crimes rose from 8 to 13. However, the crime rate per capita has not increased proportionally, indicating that other factors may be influencing crime trends in the city.
Based on predictive models using the available data, it is projected that by 2029, Smithville may experience a slight increase in overall violent crimes, potentially reaching 15-18 incidents annually. This forecast assumes a continuation of current trends in population growth and socioeconomic factors.
In conclusion, Smithville has experienced a moderate increase in violent crimes over the past decade, primarily driven by fluctuations in aggravated assaults and rapes. While the absolute numbers have increased, the rates per capita have remained relatively stable due to population growth. The city's contribution to state-wide crime statistics remains low across all categories of violent crime. As Smithville continues to grow, local law enforcement and community leaders should focus on maintaining and improving safety measures to mitigate potential increases in violent crime.
