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Wheaton, Missouri: A Decade of Minimal Violent Crime Amidst Population Decline
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
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Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Wheaton, Missouri, a small urban area with a population of 699 in 2022, presents an intriguing case study in violent crime trends. Over the past decade, the city has experienced minimal violent crime activity, with only one reported incident in 2011. This singular event occurred against a backdrop of population fluctuation, with the city's residents decreasing from 878 in 2010 to 699 in 2022, representing a 20.4% decline.
The analysis of murder trends in the city reveals a consistent absence of such crimes from 2010 to 2020. Throughout this period, there were no reported murders, resulting in a murder rate of 0 per 1,000 people and a 0% contribution to the state's murder statistics. This consistent lack of murders suggests a relatively safe environment in terms of the most severe form of violent crime.
Regarding rape incidents, the data shows no reported cases from 2010 to 2020. The rape rate remained at 0 per 1,000 people, and the city did not contribute to the state's rape statistics during this time. This absence of reported rapes may indicate effective prevention measures or potentially underreporting issues, which would require further investigation to confirm.
Robbery trends in the city are particularly noteworthy. In 2011, there was a single reported robbery, which stood out as the only violent crime incident in the entire dataset. This event resulted in a robbery rate of approximately 1.17 per 1,000 people for that year, based on the population of 855. Interestingly, this single robbery accounted for 0.02% of the state's total robberies in 2011. In all other years from 2010 to 2020, there were no reported robberies, maintaining a rate of 0 per 1,000 people and 0% contribution to state figures.
The trend for aggravated assaults mirrors that of other violent crimes in the city. From 2010 to 2020, there were no reported cases of aggravated assault. This resulted in a consistent rate of 0 per 1,000 people and no contribution to the state's aggravated assault statistics throughout the period.
When examining potential correlations between violent crime trends and other demographic factors, no strong correlations are evident due to the near-absence of violent crime. The single robbery in 2011 does not provide sufficient data to establish meaningful correlations with population density, median rent, or racial distribution changes over time.
Applying predictive models to forecast violent crime trends for the next five years (up to 2029) is challenging due to the limited historical data. However, based on the consistent lack of violent crime from 2012 to 2022, it is reasonable to predict that the city will likely continue to experience very low to zero violent crime rates in the coming years, assuming no significant changes in local conditions or external factors.
In summary, Wheaton presents a unique case of extremely low violent crime rates over an extended period. The most significant finding is the single robbery incident in 2011, which stands as an anomaly in an otherwise crime-free decade. This consistent absence of violent crime, coupled with a declining population, suggests a small community that has maintained a high level of safety for its residents. However, it's important to note that while these trends are positive, the small population size means that even a single incident can significantly impact crime rates and percentages.
