Penticton has above-average crime but is improving: the Penticton RCMP municipal area had a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 144.8 in 2025, down about 14% from 167.8 in 2024 but about 1.9 times the national 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. Its crime rate was 13,595 incidents per 100,000 people, down 18%, and severity is about 36% below its 2019 peak.
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Table 35-10-0063-01 (Crime Severity Index by police service, British Columbia) and Table 35-10-0184-01 (incidents and rates by violation, British Columbia police services), checked on 29 October 2026. Figures are for the Penticton RCMP municipal police service area. Ratios, shares and the population estimate are our own calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 29 October 2026.
Key facts
- The Penticton RCMP municipal area’s Crime Severity Index was 144.79 in 2025, down from 167.80 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01).
- That is about 1.9 times Canada’s CSI of 75.0 and about 1.6 times British Columbia’s 92.4 (our calculation).
- Penticton recorded 5,321 Criminal Code incidents in 2025, a rate of 13,595 per 100,000 people, down 18% from 16,582 in 2024.
- Motor vehicle thefts fell about 40%, from 206 in 2024 to 124 in 2025 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0184-01).
- Penticton recorded 1 homicide in 2025, the same as in 2024.
- The CSI peaked at 225.86 in 2019; the 2025 value is about 36% lower (our calculation).
Is Penticton dangerous compared with other BC cities?
Penticton has a higher Crime Severity Index than most of the Okanagan: its 2025 value of 144.8 was above Vernon (133.9), the Kelowna RCMP municipal area (116.0) and British Columbia as a whole (92.4), but below Victoria’s police service area (161.2) and Prince George (193.8), according to Statistics Canada.
The Crime Severity Index is a Statistics Canada measure that weights each police-reported offence by its seriousness, with Canada in 2006 set at 100. Penticton is a census agglomeration rather than a census metropolitan area (CMA), so it does not appear in rankings of the 41 CMAs; the figures here cover the area policed by the Penticton RCMP municipal detachment. Our Crime Severity Index explainer covers the method.
| Police service area | Crime Severity Index (2025) | Crime Severity Index (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Prince George (RCMP, municipal) | 193.8 | 200.7 |
| Victoria (municipal police) | 161.2 | 152.2 |
| Penticton (RCMP, municipal) | 144.8 | 167.8 |
| Chilliwack (RCMP, municipal) | 134.4 | 138.5 |
| Vernon (RCMP, municipal) | 133.9 | 142.5 |
| Kelowna (RCMP, municipal) | 116.0 | 121.5 |
| Vancouver (municipal police) | 89.3 | 93.9 |
| Coldstream (RCMP, municipal) | 33.8 | 35.5 |
| British Columbia | 92.4 | 93.9 |
| Canada | 75.0 | 78.8 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01 (police services in British Columbia) and the 2025 release for Canada.
Penticton’s CSI is about 25% higher than Kelowna’s municipal figure (our calculation), although the gap narrowed sharply in 2025. For the wider picture see most dangerous cities in BC, our ranking of the safest towns in BC and the guide is Kelowna safe?
What is the crime rate in Penticton?
The crime rate in Penticton was 13,595 Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, about 2.4 times Canada’s 5,585 and about 2.0 times British Columbia’s 6,943 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0184-01; ratios are our calculation). The area recorded 5,321 incidents, down from 6,415 in 2024.
| Offence | Penticton incidents (2025) | Penticton rate per 100,000 (2025) | Penticton rate (2024) | BC rate (2025) | Canada rate (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Criminal Code offences (excl. traffic) | 5,321 | 13,595 | 16,582 | 6,943 | 5,585 |
| Violent crime | 922 | 2,356 | 2,986 | 1,531 | 1,443 |
| Property crime | 2,743 | 7,008 | 9,088 | 3,839 | 3,141 |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 405 | 1,035 | 1,248 | 733 | 502 |
| Breaking and entering | 253 | 646 | 734 | 280 | 262 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 124 | 317 | 532 | 138 | 201 |
| Homicide (victims) | 1 | 2.55 | 2.58 | 1.81 | 1.61 |
Rates are per 100,000 population. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0184-01 (Penticton RCMP municipal and British Columbia) and the 2025 release for Canada.
The crime rate is the number of police-reported Criminal Code incidents, excluding traffic offences, per 100,000 residents. Statistics Canada’s counts imply a population of about 39,000 for the Penticton municipal police area in 2025 (our calculation: incidents divided by rate). Penticton is a tourist and regional service centre, so visitors add to the number of incidents without adding to the resident population, which can make a per-resident rate look higher.
What kind of crime is most common in Penticton?
Property crime is the most common type of crime in Penticton: 2,743 of the 5,321 incidents recorded in 2025 (about 52%) were property crimes, at a rate of 7,008 per 100,000, about 2.2 times the national rate (Statistics Canada; our calculation).
- Break-ins: 253 incidents, 646 per 100,000, about 2.5 times the national rate of 262 and 2.3 times BC’s 280. This is Penticton’s biggest gap with the rest of Canada. See break-ins in Canada.
- Vehicle theft: 124 vehicles, down from 206. The rate of 317 per 100,000 is still about 58% above the national 201. See car theft in Canada.
- Shoplifting: 405 incidents, 1,035 per 100,000, down 17% but about 2.1 times the national rate. See shoplifting in Canada.
- Violent crime: 922 incidents (about 17% of the total), a rate of 2,356 per 100,000, down 21% but about 1.6 times the national 1,443.
Is crime in Penticton going up or down?
Crime severity in Penticton is going down: the Crime Severity Index fell from a peak of 225.86 in 2019 to 144.79 in 2025, a decline of about 36%, and it has dropped every year since 2021, according to Statistics Canada. The 2025 value is about 7% above the 2015 level of 135.89.
| Year | Penticton CSI | Violent CSI | Non-violent CSI | Weighted clearance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 135.9 | 101.2 | 148.2 | 29.7 |
| 2017 | 142.8 | 87.4 | 162.4 | 30.4 |
| 2019 | 225.9 | 177.5 | 242.7 | 25.7 |
| 2021 | 194.6 | 172.4 | 205.1 | 24.3 |
| 2023 | 179.5 | 132.0 | 200.0 | 20.7 |
| 2024 | 167.8 | 151.8 | 175.6 | 19.1 |
| 2025 | 144.8 | 144.8 | 146.0 | 23.6 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01, Penticton RCMP municipal.
The 2025 drop came mostly from non-violent crime, whose index fell about 17% (175.6 to 146.0); the violent index fell about 5% (151.8 to 144.8). The weighted clearance rate is the severity-weighted share of incidents solved by police; in Penticton it rose to 23.6 in 2025, in line with BC’s 23.0 but below Canada’s 36.6. More in how many crimes are solved in Canada.
Is Penticton safer than Kelowna?
No, on the official measure: in 2025 the Penticton RCMP municipal area’s Crime Severity Index was 144.8, compared with 116.0 for the Kelowna RCMP municipal area (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01). Penticton’s crime rate of 13,595 per 100,000 was also well above the Kelowna CMA’s 8,688. The Kelowna census metropolitan area, which also includes West Kelowna and Lake Country, had a CSI of 103.7. Our Kelowna crime map guide explains how to check streets there.
How do I check crime near an address in Penticton?
The Penticton RCMP and the City of Penticton do not publish a public crime map or neighbourhood statistics on their websites, so the best checks are the official statistics and the detachment itself (checked 29 October 2026).
- Start with the official numbers. Compare Penticton with other areas on our Canada crime map and in is BC safe?
- Contact the detachment. Penticton RCMP is at 1168 Main Street; non-emergency line 250-492-4300. Some crimes that have already happened can be reported online through the RCMP tool listed on the Penticton RCMP contact page.
- Visit at different times. Walk the street in the evening and on a weekend, and look at parking, lighting and building security.
- Follow our step-by-step guide on how to check crime in your neighbourhood.
Is Penticton safe to live in and visit?
Penticton is a city where most residents and visitors go about daily life without incident, but its police-reported crime is well above the BC and national averages, so practical precautions are worth taking. The most likely problems are property crimes: break-ins, vehicle theft and shoplifting. Lock cars and keep valuables out of sight, especially at beaches, trailheads and hotel parking lots, and secure sheds, garages and bikes. See our home security tips and car theft prevention guides. Statistics Canada notes that the CSI is not a complete safety score and that only about 29% of victimizations in Canada were reported to police in 2019.
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Penticton crime FAQ
Is Penticton, BC dangerous?
Penticton has above-average police-reported crime: its 2025 Crime Severity Index was 144.8, about 1.9 times the national 75.0. Most incidents are property crimes, and the index has fallen about 36% since 2019.
What is the crime rate in Penticton?
The Penticton RCMP municipal area recorded 13,595 Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, down 18% from 16,582 in 2024 and about 2.4 times Canada’s rate.
Is crime in Penticton getting better?
Yes. Penticton’s Crime Severity Index fell about 14% in 2025, the fourth yearly decline in a row, and motor vehicle thefts fell about 40%, from 206 to 124.
How many homicides were there in Penticton in 2025?
The Penticton RCMP municipal area recorded 1 homicide in 2025, a rate of 2.55 per 100,000, the same count as in 2024.
Is Penticton safer than Vernon?
Slightly less safe on the severity measure: in 2025 Penticton’s CSI was 144.8 against Vernon’s 133.9, while both had almost the same crime rate, about 13,600 incidents per 100,000 people (Statistics Canada).
Related: is BC safe? · most dangerous cities in BC · is Kelowna safe? · is Kamloops safe? · is Prince George safe? · is Chilliwack safe? · how to report a crime in Canada. In an emergency call 911.
