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Wilkesboro's Violent Crime Trends: Population Growth and Low Murder Rates
CATEGORY
Crime
DATA
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Loading Content...
Crime
Violent Crime
Median Rent
Racial Distributions
Population
Wilkesboro, located in North Carolina, presents an interesting case study in violent crime trends. Over the years from 2010 to 2022, the city experienced fluctuations in its total violent crime incidents, with the population growing from 7,868 in 2010 to 9,790 in 2022, representing a 24.4% increase.
The murder rate in the city has remained relatively low and stable. There were only two recorded incidents of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, occurring in 2010 and 2015. This translates to an average rate of 0.25 murders per 1,000 residents in those years, compared to no murders in other years. The percentage of state murders attributed to the city was 0.79% in 2010 and 0.67% in 2015, indicating that these incidents were rare occurrences rather than a consistent trend.
Rape incidents have shown some variation over the years. In 2019, there were 4 reported cases, which was the highest in the available data, representing 0.24% of the state's total. This translates to a rate of approximately 0.5 rapes per 1,000 residents. However, data for several years is unavailable, making it challenging to establish a clear long-term trend.
Robbery rates in the city have fluctuated but generally remained low. The highest number of robberies was recorded in 2013 with 7 incidents, representing 0.1% of the state's total. This equates to about 0.9 robberies per 1,000 residents. By 2022, the number had decreased to 2 incidents, or 0.2 per 1,000 residents, accounting for 0.04% of the state's robberies. This suggests an overall improving trend in robbery rates relative to population growth.
Aggravated assault has been the most prevalent form of violent crime in the city. The number of incidents peaked in 2021 with 17 cases, representing 0.07% of the state's total and approximately 1.85 assaults per 1,000 residents. In 2022, there were 14 aggravated assaults, or about 1.43 per 1,000 residents, accounting for 0.06% of the state's total. Despite some fluctuations, the overall trend shows a slight increase in aggravated assaults over time, though not proportionate to population growth.
Examining correlations, there appears to be a relationship between population density and violent crime rates. As the population density increased from 1,224 people per square mile in 2010 to 1,523 in 2022, there was a general upward trend in violent crime incidents, particularly in aggravated assaults. However, this correlation is not perfectly linear, as crime rates fluctuated year to year.
Applying predictive models based on the available data, it's projected that by 2029, Wilkesboro may see a slight increase in overall violent crime incidents, primarily driven by aggravated assaults. The murder rate is expected to remain low, while robbery and rape incidents may show minor fluctuations but are not predicted to increase significantly.
In summary, Wilkesboro has experienced a notable population growth with a relatively stable violent crime rate. While aggravated assaults have shown an upward trend, other violent crimes have remained low or shown improvements. The city's violent crime rates generally represent a small percentage of North Carolina's total, indicating that Wilkesboro maintains a relatively safe environment compared to state averages, despite its growing population and increasing density.
