Charlottetown is about as safe as an average Canadian city on crime severity, but it records more incidents per person: the Charlottetown Police Services area had a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 80.09 in 2025, down 7% from 2024 and about 7% above Canada’s 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. Its crime rate was 7,022 incidents per 100,000 people, 11% lower than in 2024 but about 26% above the national 5,585.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Table 35-10-0186-01 (Crime Severity Index, police services in Atlantic Canada) and Table 35-10-0178-01 (incidents by violation, Atlantic police services), row “Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, municipal”. Comparisons and percentages that are not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 28 October 2026.
All figures are for calendar year 2025, the latest full year Statistics Canada has published. They cover the area policed by Charlottetown Police Services, the municipal police of the City of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Key facts
- Charlottetown’s Crime Severity Index was 80.09 in 2025, down from 85.84 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0186-01).
- That is about 7% above the national CSI of 75.0 and about 17% above Prince Edward Island’s 68.4 (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
- Charlottetown Police Services recorded 3,379 Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) in 2025, a rate of 7,022 per 100,000 people.
- Charlottetown’s violent Crime Severity Index fell about 17% in 2025, from 92.10 to 76.38, about 21% below the national violent CSI of 97.19.
- Motor vehicle theft doubled from 18 to 37 vehicles in 2025, but the rate (77 per 100,000) was still about 62% below Canada’s 201.
- Charlottetown’s weighted clearance rate was 36.82 in 2025, almost the same as the national 36.64.
Is Charlottetown safe compared with other Atlantic cities?
Charlottetown sits in the middle of Atlantic Canada’s cities on crime severity: its 2025 CSI of 80.09 was close to Fredericton (80.5) and St. John’s (79.2), above Halifax (68.6) and Saint John (70.0), and well below Moncton (105.6). The Crime Severity Index is a Statistics Canada measure that weights each police-reported crime by its seriousness (Canada 2006 = 100), so a few serious offences count for more than many minor ones. Our Crime Severity Index explainer covers the method.
| Area (2025) | Crime Severity Index (2025) | CSI change vs 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottetown (police service) | 80.1 | −7% | 7,022 |
| Halifax (CMA) | 68.6 | −6% | 6,094 |
| Moncton (CMA) | 105.6 | +11% | 7,561 |
| Fredericton (CMA) | 80.5 | +7% | 5,734 |
| Saint John (CMA) | 70.0 | +20% | 4,556 |
| St. John’s (CMA) | 79.2 | −2% | 6,163 |
| Prince Edward Island (province) | 68.4 | −6% | 5,492 |
| Canada (all police services) | 75.0 | −5% | 5,585 |
Charlottetown is a police-service figure; the other cities are census metropolitan areas (CMAs), which include surrounding suburbs. Source: Statistics Canada Tables 35-10-0186-01 and 35-10-0026-01.
Charlottetown is not a census metropolitan area, so Statistics Canada does not publish a metro figure for it; the police-service figure is the closest official measure for the city. Comparing a city police service with whole metro areas is useful as a guide, but city cores usually record more incidents per resident than metros that include quieter suburbs. For the regional picture, see crime in Atlantic Canada and the crime rate by province.
Is crime in Charlottetown going up or down?
Crime severity in Charlottetown went down in 2025 for the second year in a row: the CSI fell from a recent peak of 92.38 in 2023 to 85.84 in 2024 and 80.09 in 2025, about 13% below the peak (Statistics Canada; our calculation). Over a longer period it is still higher than a decade ago: the 2025 value is about 31% above the 61.03 recorded in 2015.
| Year | Charlottetown CSI | Violent CSI | Non-violent CSI | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 61.0 | 47.3 | 65.9 | 70.4 |
| 2016 | 57.3 | 49.8 | 59.8 | 72.0 |
| 2017 | 57.2 | 60.7 | 55.8 | 73.6 |
| 2018 | 61.9 | 52.4 | 65.2 | 75.6 |
| 2019 | 89.8 | 90.2 | 89.4 | 79.7 |
| 2020 | 70.7 | 68.0 | 71.4 | 73.9 |
| 2021 | 62.3 | 64.5 | 62.0 | 74.9 |
| 2022 | 77.9 | 84.0 | 76.1 | 78.7 |
| 2023 | 92.4 | 92.7 | 93.0 | 81.3 |
| 2024 | 85.8 | 92.1 | 84.1 | 78.8 |
| 2025 | 80.1 | 76.4 | 82.3 | 75.0 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0186-01 (Charlottetown, municipal) and Table 35-10-0026-01 (Canada).
The 2025 improvement came mainly from violent crime: Charlottetown’s violent CSI dropped about 17%, while the non-violent CSI fell only about 2%, from 84.07 to 82.26. Non-violent crime, such as theft and mischief, is now the main reason Charlottetown sits above the national average: its non-violent CSI was about 23% above Canada’s 66.78 (our calculation). Because Charlottetown is a small city, a handful of serious cases can move the index sharply, as in 2019.
What kind of crime is most common in Charlottetown?
Property crime is the most common type of crime in Charlottetown: 1,757 of the 3,379 Criminal Code incidents recorded by Charlottetown Police Services in 2025 (about 52%, our calculation) were property crimes, and 851 (about 25%) were violent incidents.
| Offence | Charlottetown incidents (2025) | Charlottetown rate per 100,000 (2025) | Charlottetown rate per 100,000 (2024) | Canada rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Criminal Code offences (excl. traffic) | 3,379 | 7,022 | 7,908 | 5,585 |
| Violent crime | 851 | 1,769 | 1,993 | 1,443 |
| Homicide | 1 | 2.08 | 0 | 1.61 |
| Property crime | 1,757 | 3,651 | 4,139 | 3,141 |
| Breaking and entering | 134 | 278 | 313 | 262 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 37 | 77 | 38 | 201 |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 171 | 355 | 526 | 502 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0178-01 (Charlottetown, municipal) and the 2025 national release. Homicide is incidents for Charlottetown and victims for Canada.
- Violent crime is above average but falling. The violent crime rate of 1,769 per 100,000 was about 23% above Canada’s 1,443, but about 11% lower than in 2024. See violent crime in Canada by city.
- Homicide is rare. Charlottetown recorded one homicide in 2025 and none in 2024; with such small numbers, the rate per 100,000 is not a meaningful trend.
- Break-ins are close to the national level. 134 incidents, a rate of 278 per 100,000, about 6% above Canada’s 262 and 11% lower than in 2024. See break-ins in Canada.
- Car theft is low. The number of stolen vehicles doubled from 18 to 37, but the rate of 77 per 100,000 is still about 62% below the national 201. See car theft in Canada.
- Shoplifting fell. Shoplifting dropped from 249 to 171 incidents, a rate about 29% below Canada’s, while it rose 11% nationally. See shoplifting in Canada.
The remaining 771 incidents (about 23%, our calculation) were “other Criminal Code” offences, such as breaches of court orders and weapons offences. Based on the incident count and the rate, the population covered by Charlottetown Police Services was about 48,100 people in 2025 (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
Is Charlottetown safe to live in and visit?
Charlottetown is safe to live in and visit for most people: serious violence is rare, the violent crime severity index fell 17% in 2025, and car theft is far below the national rate. The higher overall crime rate is driven mostly by property and lower-severity offences, so the practical risks are things like theft from vehicles, break-ins and mischief. Lock cars and bikes, keep valuables out of sight, and use basic home security tips. Visitors can follow our safety tips for tourists in Canada.
Charlottetown solved crime at about the national rate: its weighted clearance rate (the severity-weighted share of incidents solved by police) was 36.82 in 2025, up from 35.16 in 2024, against 36.64 for Canada. Read more in how many crimes are solved in Canada.
How reliable are these figures?
- They are police-reported incidents only. In 2019 only about 29% of victimizations in Canada were reported to police.
- Small cities swing more. With about 3,400 incidents a year, a few serious cases can change Charlottetown’s CSI by several points.
- The CSI is not a complete safety score, as Statistics Canada notes. See the official 2025 release and the Atlantic police services CSI table.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Charlottetown?
- Read the police monthly statistics. Charlottetown Police Services publishes monthly crime statistics (calls for service by type, with year-to-date totals). It does not publish a public street-level crime map.
- Use our map. The Canada Crime Map gathers official figures by city; our crime rate in Canada by city ranking puts Charlottetown in context.
- Compare two areas the same way. Use the same offence types and period, and follow the steps in how to check crime in your neighbourhood.
- Visit at different times. Downtown streets with bars and shops always record more incidents than residential streets.
Want this on your phone?
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Charlottetown crime FAQ
What is the crime rate in Charlottetown?
Charlottetown Police Services recorded 7,022 Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, down 11% from 7,908 in 2024 but about 26% above the national rate of 5,585 (Statistics Canada).
Is Charlottetown safer than Halifax?
Not on the official measures. Charlottetown’s 2025 CSI was 80.1 against 68.6 for the Halifax CMA, and its crime rate was 7,022 against 6,094 per 100,000. See is Halifax safe?
Is Charlottetown safer than Moncton?
Yes, on crime severity. Charlottetown’s CSI of 80.1 was about 24% lower than Moncton’s 105.6 in 2025, and its crime rate was slightly lower too (7,022 vs 7,561). See is Moncton safe?
Is crime in Charlottetown going down?
Yes. The CSI fell 7% in 2025 to 80.09, after 85.84 in 2024 and a peak of 92.38 in 2023, though it remains above the 2015 level of 61.03.
How do I report a non-emergency crime in Charlottetown?
Call Charlottetown Police Services at (902) 629-4172 for non-emergencies; anonymous tips go to PEI Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Our guide on how to report a crime in Canada explains the options.
Related: crime in Atlantic Canada · is Fredericton safe? · is Saint John safe? · is St. John’s safe? · crime rate by province · Canada Crime Map · is Cape Breton safe?. In an emergency call 911.