NWA crime rates - correct assessment? (Fayetteville, Springdale: 2015, low crime, hotel)

[surfing8]

Hello,

New to the forum and looking at a possible move to NWA from San Diego, CA.

I grew up in Southwest LR and left in '91, so I'm familiar with the cultural differences between the two places (and they are many).
My wife is SoCal born and raised, but over the years has enjoyed our time in Arkansas w/ family (Lake Ouachita, HSV, etc), and she's seen the cost/standard of living difference that can be realized by moving away from SD to a place like NWA.

My question regards the concerning data I've found on crime rates in NWA.
The crime rate info on city-data for Bentonville seems to only show up to 2005...

But there's some concerning data on other sites - https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ar/bentonville/crime/
Bentonville receives a rank of 20 out of possible 100 (100 being best), so by their metric Bentonville is only safer than 20% of US cities??
Similarly dismal ranks for Rogers, F-ville, Springdale... Fayetteville get a 7?

Anyone able to provide some insight into that? On the surface it seems a bit hard to believe, but it's been a few years since we've been in NWA, and things aren't always what they seem I guess.
We live in North County SD... in an area that has VERY low crime.

We get many of the other benefits a move to NWA could provide... but this is curious/concerning. I'm wondering if this is somehow faulty data, but then I don't look over these types of stats very often.

Thanks in advance.

[gunslinger256]

Maybe your high cost of living pretty much excludes those that might commit crimes.

I've never been to San Diego, but I've never felt safer than here in Arkansas.

What's that lower cost of living worth to you?

[surfing8]

Originally Posted by gunslinger256

Maybe your high cost of living pretty much excludes those that might commit crimes.

I've never been to San Diego, but I've never felt safer than here in Arkansas.

What's that lower cost of living worth to you?

Well, a lower cost of living isn't exactly 'low' if you become the victim of a burglary.
I grew up in Arkansas, so defending the state isn't necessary...

I'm questioning the data from the Neighborhood Scout site... when you tell me on one hand Fayetteville is only safer than 7% of US cities, but on the other hand US News & World Report thinks it's the #3 best place to live in the US... somethings doesn't add up.

Basically I'm looking at this - https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ar...teville/crime/

... and it doesn't match up with everything else being said about the area.

Frome the website -

Q. How current is your crime data?
A. NeighborhoodScout’s crime data are always the most recent 'Final, Non-Preliminary’ data available as classified by the FBI. It is the most up-to-date and fully-vetted data with complete national coverage that is available.
We insist on using Final, Non-Preliminary data for our analyses and analytics, rather than basing our research on preliminary data that may need to be updated or have errors in it.
Currently, the latest Final, Non-Preliminary crime data with complete national coverage available is the 2014 year total data, released in final form in November, 2015. At this time, the 2015 year total crime data is not complete. Because the FBI has to work through data and reporting issues, there is always an 8-10 month lag after the close of a calendar year before the data for that year can be released as Final, Non-Preliminary.
For instance, last year’s final, raw crime data will be released in the fall and processed, modeled and built into what you see on NeighborhoodScout within 60 days after its release.
The 2015 data will be considered Final, Non-Preliminary sometime in the fall of 2016.
As soon as fresh data is released, we re-run our analytics and update the crime reports for every neighborhood in the U.S. Until then, what we are using is the most recent Final Data with complete national coverage as per the FBI database.

[nmnita]

About a year ago a report came out rating Bentonville the safest town its size in the country. We all know these studies are not the final word but they are a guide line. Other than parts of Springdale I cant think of a single part of NWA I would not feel completely safe living in. Does that mean we have no crime? Of course not, but we have lived all over the country; this area has, by far the lowest crime rate.

[gunslinger256]

Originally Posted by surfing8

I grew up in Arkansas, so defending the state isn't necessary...

I'm questioning the data from the Neighborhood Scout site... when you tell me on one hand Fayetteville is only safer than 7% of US cities, but on the other hand US News & World Report thinks it's the #3 best place to live in the US... somethings doesn't add up.

Basically I'm looking at this - https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ar...teville/crime/

I didn't mean to sound like I was defending the state but I'm not sure what kind of statistics are being used to make those numbers.

Yes we have crime.

Having lived in a new york suburb that was ranked 'safer' than NWA, I still stand by my statement that it feels safer here.

The median income and median home prices are much lower than in San Diego (that's why the cost of living is lower) and I'm sure the income disparity plays some roles in the crime.

Let's not forget that just a few crimes can look much worse on a percentage basis when the population is so much lower than a large metro area.

I used to be a demographic analyst in another life, but I haven't looked at the stats in many many years.

[Wes59]

Those numbers can be misleading. If there is a higher police presence in the towns of NWA, than in some other cities, there may be more arrests and filings. In other locations, there may also be victims who don't care to report a crime due to their criminal problems or legal status. Finally, tourist areas tend to have higher crime- due to car and hotel break ins.

Just a thought...

[David A Stone]

Originally Posted by surfing8

Hello,

New to the forum and looking at a possible move to NWA from San Diego, CA.

I grew up in Southwest LR and left in '91, so I'm familiar with the cultural differences between the two places (and they are many).
My wife is SoCal born and raised, but over the years has enjoyed our time in Arkansas w/ family (Lake Ouachita, HSV, etc), and she's seen the cost/standard of living difference that can be realized by moving away from SD to a place like NWA.

My question regards the concerning data I've found on crime rates in NWA.
The crime rate info on city-data for Bentonville seems to only show up to 2005...

But there's some concerning data on other sites - https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ar/bentonville/crime/
Bentonville receives a rank of 20 out of possible 100 (100 being best), so by their metric Bentonville is only safer than 20% of US cities??
Similarly dismal ranks for Rogers, F-ville, Springdale... Fayetteville get a 7?

Anyone able to provide some insight into that? On the surface it seems a bit hard to believe, but it's been a few years since we've been in NWA, and things aren't always what they seem I guess.
We live in North County SD... in an area that has VERY low crime.

We get many of the other benefits a move to NWA could provide... but this is curious/concerning. I'm wondering if this is somehow faulty data, but then I don't look over these types of stats very often.

Thanks in advance.

puzzled why both Harrison and Fayetteville can have their crime indexes for every year from 2002-2014 and Bentonville only lists their 2002-2005

[David A Stone]

Originally Posted by Wes59

Those numbers can be misleading. If there is a higher police presence in the towns of NWA, than in some other cities, there may be more arrests and filings. In other locations, there may also be victims who don't care to report a crime due to their criminal problems or legal status. Finally, tourist areas tend to have higher crime- due to car and hotel break ins.

Just a thought...

crime statistics are similar to school test scores.


If a city/school district has great scores they use them to promote their city/school


If they have bad scores they downplay the results and say the method was flawed.


same old, same old

[DC at the Ridge]

They put Centerton in the 60's, and Bella Vista in the 80's, but Bentonville in the 20's? Something is screwy with their ratings system.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

They put Centerton in the 60's, and Bella Vista in the 80's, but Bentonville in the 20's? Something is screwy with their ratings system.

I think we all should realize these charts are usually flawed. There are too many scenarios that have to be considered. You are right, something very wrong with these stats. OP I think all you have to do is look at the two examples you give: one is telling you how unsafe a place is, while the other tell you how safe it is.