Alberta is safe for most residents, but its police-reported crime is above the Canadian average: Alberta’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) was 90.6 in 2025, down 7% from 2024 and the lowest since at least 2015, yet about 21% above the national 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. Its crime rate was 7,390 incidents per 100,000 people, about 32% above Canada’s 5,585. Where you live inside Alberta matters more than the provincial average.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026): Crime Severity Index by province and census metropolitan area (Table 35-10-0026-01), incidents by violation (Table 35-10-0177-01) and Crime Severity Index for police services in Alberta (Table 35-10-0190-01). Rankings, population estimates and percentage differences are our own calculations from Statistics Canada data. Updated 25 October 2026.
Key facts
- Alberta’s Crime Severity Index was 90.6 in 2025, down 7% from 97.0 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, released 22 July 2026).
- Alberta’s CSI was 13% lower in 2025 than in 2015; it is the only province whose CSI fell over the decade (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
- Alberta’s crime rate was 7,390 per 100,000 in 2025, the 3rd highest of the 10 provinces, after Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
- Motor vehicle theft in Alberta was 317 per 100,000 in 2025, about 58% above the national 201 (our calculation).
- The Calgary metro area’s CSI was 61.7, about 35% lower than the Edmonton metro area’s 95.6 (our calculation).
- Alberta recorded 89 homicide victims in 2025, a rate of 1.77 per 100,000 (Canada: 1.61).
Is Alberta a safe place to live?
Alberta is a safe place to live for most people, but it has more police-reported crime than the Canadian average: its 2025 Crime Severity Index of 90.6 ranked 4th highest of the 10 provinces, behind Saskatchewan (146.6), Manitoba (130.0) and British Columbia (92.4), according to Statistics Canada. The Crime Severity Index is Statistics Canada’s measure of police-reported crime that weights each offence by its seriousness, with Canada in 2006 set at 100. Our Crime Severity Index explainer shows how it works.
| Province (2025) | Crime Severity Index 2025 | CSI change 2024–2025 | CSI change 2015–2025 | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saskatchewan | 146.6 | −5% | +6% | 11,938 |
| Manitoba | 130.0 | −9% | +22% | 9,812 |
| British Columbia | 92.4 | −2% | 0% | 6,943 |
| Alberta | 90.6 | −7% | −13% | 7,390 |
| New Brunswick | 90.4 | +6% | +45% | 6,200 |
| Quebec | 61.6 | −5% | +8% | 3,673 |
| Ontario | 57.2 | −6% | +12% | 4,296 |
| Canada | 75.0 | −5% | +7% | 5,585 |
Alberta’s crime is high by Canadian standards but moving in the right direction: it fell faster than the national average in 2025, and Alberta was the only province with a lower CSI in 2025 than in 2015. For all provinces and territories see crime rate by province, and for a side-by-side with its western neighbour, Alberta vs BC crime.
Is crime in Alberta going up or down?
Crime severity in Alberta is going down: the provincial CSI fell from 104.5 in 2015 and 97.0 in 2024 to 90.6 in 2025, its lowest value in the 2015–2025 series, according to Statistics Canada. The crime rate fell only 1% in 2025, because lower-severity offences such as shoplifting kept rising while more serious crime declined. Both of Alberta’s large metro areas also reached their lowest CSI of the decade in 2025: Calgary at 61.7 and Edmonton at 95.6.
What are the safest places to live in Alberta?
The safest places to live in Alberta, by 2025 Crime Severity Index among municipal police services with at least 10,000 residents, are Beaumont (26.54), Cochrane (36.70), Chestermere (41.05), Airdrie (42.67) and Okotoks (45.78), according to Statistics Canada Table 35-10-0190-01. All five are commuter communities near Calgary or Edmonton.
| Area (2025) | Type of area | Crime Severity Index 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Beaumont | Town near Edmonton (police service) | 26.54 |
| Cochrane | Town near Calgary (police service) | 36.70 |
| Chestermere | City near Calgary (police service) | 41.05 |
| Airdrie | City near Calgary (police service) | 42.67 |
| Okotoks | Town near Calgary (police service) | 45.78 |
| St. Albert | City near Edmonton (police service) | 52.27 |
| Calgary (metro area) | CMA | 61.7 |
| Edmonton (metro area) | CMA | 95.6 |
| Lethbridge (metro area) | CMA | 107.7 |
| Red Deer (metro area) | CMA | 114.4 |
| Alberta | Province | 90.6 |
Our calculation: Beaumont’s CSI was about 71% below the provincial value. Of the 34 Alberta municipal police services with at least 10,000 residents and 2025 data, 17 had a CSI below the national 75.0. The full list is in our ranking of the safest towns in Alberta, and the metro view in safest places to live in Alberta.
Which Alberta cities have the most crime?
Red Deer and Lethbridge have the highest Crime Severity Index of Alberta’s four census metropolitan areas (CMAs): Red Deer 114.4 and Lethbridge 107.7 in 2025, against Edmonton 95.6 and Calgary 61.7, according to Statistics Canada. A census metropolitan area (CMA) is a city and its surrounding commuter communities, as defined by Statistics Canada. Red Deer also had the highest motor vehicle theft rate of all 41 CMAs in Canada (361 per 100,000). See our ranking of the most dangerous cities in Alberta and the city guides is Red Deer safe? and is Lethbridge safe?
Is Calgary or Edmonton safer?
Calgary is safer than Edmonton on the official measures: the Calgary CMA’s 2025 CSI of 61.7 was about 35% lower than the Edmonton CMA’s 95.6, and Calgary’s crime rate (5,038 per 100,000) was lower than Edmonton’s (7,463), according to Statistics Canada. Calgary’s CSI was about 18% below the national 75.0; Edmonton’s was about 27% above it. Together the two metro areas hold about 70% of Alberta’s population (our estimate from Statistics Canada counts and rates). Read is Calgary safe?, is Edmonton safe? and the full Calgary vs Edmonton crime comparison.
What crimes should you watch for in Alberta?
Property crime, especially vehicle theft and break-ins, is the main crime risk for Alberta households: Alberta’s 2025 motor vehicle theft rate (317 per 100,000) and break-and-enter rate (410 per 100,000) were both about 56–58% above the national rates of 201 and 262, according to Statistics Canada (our calculation).
| Offence (2025) | Alberta rate per 100,000 | Canada rate per 100,000 | Alberta vs Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Criminal Code offences (excl. traffic) | 7,390 | 5,585 | +32% |
| Violent crime | 1,541 | 1,443 | +7% |
| Homicide (victims) | 1.77 | 1.61 | +10% |
| Breaking and entering | 410 | 262 | +56% |
| Motor vehicle theft | 317 | 201 | +58% |
Alberta’s violent crime rate was only about 7% above the national rate, so the gap with the rest of Canada is mostly about property crime. Alberta had the 3rd highest rates of both vehicle theft and break-ins among the provinces, after Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Practical steps: lock vehicles, never leave keys or fobs near the door, use a steering-wheel lock or garage, and secure sheds and garages. See car theft in Canada and break-ins in Canada.
How do I check crime near an address in Alberta?
- Start with the city’s police map. Calgary and Edmonton police publish neighbourhood-level data; our Calgary crime map and Edmonton crime map guides explain how to use them.
- Check the local police service’s CSI. Smaller cities and towns have their own figures in Statistics Canada Table 35-10-0190-01, summarised in our Alberta town ranking.
- Use our map. The Canada Crime Map compares official figures across Canada.
- Compare like with like. Compare the same offence types and periods, and remember that areas with malls, nightlife or transit hubs record more incidents.
How reliable are these numbers?
These numbers count crimes reported to police, not all crime: in Statistics Canada’s 2019 victimization survey, only about 29% of incidents were reported. The CSI is not a complete safety score, and small communities can swing sharply from year to year, so look at several years rather than one. Statistics Canada’s 2025 release explains the method.
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Alberta crime FAQ
Is Alberta dangerous?
No, but it has more reported crime than the national average. Alberta’s 2025 Crime Severity Index was 90.6, about 21% above Canada’s 75.0 and the lowest Alberta value since at least 2015.
What is the crime rate in Alberta?
Alberta recorded 7,390 Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, down 1% from 2024 and about 32% above the national rate of 5,585.
Is Alberta safer than BC?
On severity, slightly: Alberta’s 2025 CSI was 90.6 against British Columbia’s 92.4. Alberta’s crime rate was higher, 7,390 against 6,943 per 100,000.
What is the safest city in Alberta?
Among Alberta’s four metro areas, Calgary had the lowest 2025 CSI (61.7). Among police services with at least 10,000 residents, Beaumont had the lowest (26.54).
Is crime in Alberta going down?
Yes. Alberta’s CSI fell 7% in 2025 to 90.6 and is about 13% lower than in 2015.
Related: Safest towns in Alberta · Most dangerous cities in Alberta · Safest places to live in Alberta · Alberta vs BC crime · Safest cities for newcomers · Is Grande Prairie safe? · Is Medicine Hat safe? · Is Fort McMurray safe? · is Airdrie safe? · is St. Albert safe?. In an emergency call 911.