Ottumwa, IA Crime Statistics For 2025

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Crime Rate In Ottumwa, IA Summary

Crime in Ottumwa research summary. HomeSnacks has been using Saturday Night Science to report crime data in Ottumwa over the past eight years using the FBI Crime Explorer. Based on the most recently available data released on October 17, 2023, we found the following about crime in Ottumwa:

  • There were 759 total crimes committed in Ottumwa in the last reporting year.
  • On a rate basis, there were 3,013.7 total crimes per 100K people in Ottumwa.
  • The overall crime rate in Ottumwa is 42.21% above the national average.
  • Ottumwa ranks #141 safest out of 150 cities in Iowa.
  • Ottumwa ranks #8,596 safest out of 9,896 cities in the United States.

Because the crime rate is so low in America, we use "per 100,000 people" to make the number a bit easier to compare across locations visually. It's mathematically the same as per capita comparisons and isn't meant to convey that 100,000+ people live in a location.

Additional research about crime in Iowa

Ottumwa Vs Iowa And National Crime Rates

According to the most recent data from the FBI, the total crime rate in Ottumwa is 3,013.7 per 100,000 people. That's 42.21% higher than the national rate of 2,119.2 per 100,000 people and 95.69% higher than the Iowa total crime rate of 1,540.0 per 100,000 people.

Statistic Count
Raw
Ottumwa
/ 100k People
Iowa
/ 100k People
National
/ 100k People
Total Crimes Per 100K 759 3,013.7 1,540.0 2,119.2
Murder 2 7.9 2.1 5.0
Robbery 7 27.8 18.7 61.0
Aggravated Assault 70 277.9 187.2 256.0
Violent Crime 100 397.1 243.3 359.0
Burglary 108 428.8 199.1 229.0
Larceny 490 1,945.6 962.6 1,272.0
Car Theft 61 242.2 135.1 259.0
Property Crime 659 2,616.6 1,296.8 1,760.0

Ottumwa Crime Compared To Iowa Averages

Each category of crime indexed to the worst per capita in Iowa.
Data Source -- FBI UCR 2024.

Violent Crime Rates In Ottumwa

100
Violent Crimes
397.1
Violent Crimes / 100k People
10.60%
Above The National Average
  • There were 100 violent crimes in Ottumwa in the last reporting year.
  • The violent crime rate in Ottumwa is 397.1 per 100,000 people.
  • You have a 1 in 251.8 chance of being the victim of a violent crime in Ottumwa each year. That compares to a 1 in 411.1 chance statewide.
  • That's 10.60% higher than the national rate of 359.0 per 100,000 people.
  • And 63.23% higher than the Iowa violent crime rate of 243.3 per 100,000 people.

Property Crime Rates In Ottumwa

659
Property Crimes
2,616.6
Property Crimes / 100k People
48.67%
Above The National Average
  • There were 659 property crimes in Ottumwa in the last reporting year.
  • The property crime rate in Ottumwa is 2,616.6 per 100,000 people.
  • You have a 1 in 38.2 chance of being the victim of a property crime in Ottumwa each year. That compares to a 1 in 0.0 chance nationally.
  • That's 48.67% higher than the national rate of 1,760.0 per 100,000 people.
  • And 101.78% higher than the Iowa property crime rate of 1,296.8 per 100,000 people.

Crime In Cities Around Ottumwa

City Population Count
Raw
Total Crime
/ 100k People
Property Crime
/ 100k People
Violent Crime
/ 100k People
Oskaloosa, IA 11,419 119 1,042.1 902.0 140.1
Pella, IA 10,940 116 1,060.3 950.6 109.7
Fairfield, IA 9,251 58 627.0 486.4 140.5
Mount Pleasant, IA 8,371 93 1,111.0 1,063.2 47.8
Knoxville, IA 7,387 151 2,044.1 1,719.2 324.9
Washington, IA 7,221 151 2,091.1 1,869.5 221.6
Centerville, IA 5,323 70 1,315.0 1,052.0 263.0

Ottumwa SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
5
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
9.5
Enjoy The Snack?