Yes — Markham is a relatively safe place by Canadian standards. York Regional Police, which polices Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill and the rest of York Region, recorded a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 50.3 in 2025, down about 6% from 2024 and about 33% below the national CSI of 75.0. York’s figure is lower than both the City of Toronto (60.0) and Peel Region (59.4), though higher than Durham (43.2) and Halton (30.6).
Data: Statistics Canada, police-reported crime statistics for 2025 (released 22 July 2026), Crime Severity Index for police services in Ontario. Statistics Canada does not publish separate figures for Markham: the numbers here cover the whole York Regional Police area, including Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill. Percentages and comparisons not in the release are our own arithmetic. Updated 5 October 2026.
Which crime figures cover Markham?
Markham is policed by York Regional Police, a regional service that also covers Vaughan, Richmond Hill and the other municipalities of York Region. Statistics Canada reports one set of figures for the whole service. So:
- There is no official Markham-only CSI, and the data cannot rank Markham against Vaughan or Richmond Hill.
- Statistics Canada’s police-service table gives the Crime Severity Index but not a crime rate per 100,000 people, so we use CSI for York Region.
- York Region sits inside the wider Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA), whose figures we use for context on crime types.
Is Markham safe compared with Toronto and the rest of the GTA?
York Region’s 2025 CSI places it in the middle of the GTA’s police services: below Toronto and Peel, above Durham and Halton, and below Ontario’s provincial CSI of 57.2.
| Police service (2025) | CSI | Violent CSI | Non-violent CSI | CSI change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York Regional Police (Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill) | 50.28 | 63.17 | 45.55 | -6% |
| Toronto Police Service (City of Toronto) | 59.98 | 81.11 | 52.04 | -13% |
| Peel Regional Police | 59.41 | 76.90 | 52.92 | +4% |
| Durham Regional Police | 43.18 | 59.20 | 37.14 | -8% |
| Halton Regional Police | 30.61 | 26.26 | 32.60 | -2% |
| Ontario (province) | 57.17 | — | — | -6% |
| Canada | 75.01 | 97.19 | 66.78 | -5% |
York’s violent CSI (63.2) is about 35% below the national violent CSI, and its non-violent CSI (45.6) is about 32% below the national non-violent figure. For a city-by-city view of the whole region, see safest places to live in the GTA.
Is crime in Markham going up or down?
Down for two years running, after a sharp rise. York’s CSI was below 39 in 2020 and 2021, jumped to 47.4 in 2022 and peaked at 54.6 in 2023 — an increase of about 42% in two years. It then eased to 53.6 in 2024 and 50.3 in 2025. Even after the recent decline, it is about 31% higher than in 2020.
| Year | York Regional Police CSI | Toronto CMA CSI | Canada CSI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 38.51 | 46.65 | 73.92 |
| 2021 | 38.82 | 45.91 | 74.87 |
| 2022 | 47.40 | 52.78 | 78.74 |
| 2023 | 54.55 | 59.05 | 81.27 |
| 2024 | 53.57 | 59.43 | 78.84 |
| 2025 | 50.28 | 54.99 | 75.01 |
York’s pattern closely tracks the wider Toronto region: a rise from 2021 to 2023 and a fall since. Peel, by contrast, kept rising through 2025 (see Is Brampton safe?).
What kind of crime is most common in the Markham area?
Counts by offence for York Region alone are not in the data we use. The Toronto CMA figures for 2025, which include York Region, show the general GTA pattern:
- Property crime made up most reported incidents: 2,566 per 100,000, down about 8%.
- Vehicle theft dropped about 27% to 238 per 100,000 (16,711 vehicles) — still above Canada’s 201 and Ontario’s 187.
- Break-ins: 169 per 100,000, down 8% and well below the national 262.
- Shoplifting ($5,000 or under): 386 per 100,000, up about 18%.
- Fraud: 417 per 100,000.
- Violent crime: 987 per 100,000, well below Canada’s 1,443.
- Homicide: 0.91 per 100,000 across the metro area, roughly half the 2024 rate.
For most York Region households, car theft and fraud are the crimes most worth preparing for. See how to protect your car from theft and fraud and scams in Canada.
Which parts of Markham record more crime?
We have no official neighbourhood figures and do not rank areas. Generally, reported crime clusters where many people and businesses are — large malls, commercial corridors, transit stations and busy plazas. Those counts reflect footfall and opportunity for theft, not the residents of nearby streets. York Regional Police’s own data is the right tool for street-level checks.
Is Markham safe to live in and walk around at night?
For most people, yes. York Region’s crime severity is about a third below the Canadian average and about a sixth below the City of Toronto’s. Everyday precautions still matter: lock vehicles and consider a steering-wheel lock, avoid leaving packages on doorsteps, be wary of phone and online scams, and take busy, well-lit routes at night.
Honest context: these figures count incidents reported to police, not people, and many incidents go unreported — only about 29% were reported in Statistics Canada’s 2019 victimization survey. The CSI weights serious crime more heavily, so a handful of serious cases can move it. And because the figures cover all of York Region, they cannot tell you whether Markham is safer or less safe than Vaughan or Richmond Hill.
How do I check crime near a specific address in Markham?
- Start with York Regional Police. The York Regional Police website publishes local crime information and maps for Markham and the rest of the region.
- Use our map. The Canada Crime Map and our York Region crime map guide explain how to read the official data.
- Compare two areas. Look at the address you are considering next to an area you know, for the same crime types and period.
- Read the limits. Locations are generalised, recent incidents may be missing, and unreported crime does not appear.
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Markham crime FAQ
What is Markham’s crime rate?
Statistics Canada does not publish a Markham-only figure. York Regional Police, which covers Markham, had a Crime Severity Index of 50.28 in 2025, down about 6% from 2024.
Is Markham safer than Toronto?
On the 2025 index, yes: York Region’s CSI (50.28) was about 16% lower than the Toronto Police Service’s (59.98).
Are Vaughan and Richmond Hill as safe as Markham?
The official data cannot separate them: Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill share the same York Regional Police figures.
Is crime in York Region going up?
Not lately. The CSI peaked at 54.55 in 2023 and has fallen in each of the last two years, to 50.28 in 2025.
Is car theft a problem in York Region?
York-only car theft figures are not in the data we use, but across the Toronto CMA vehicle theft fell about 27% in 2025 while remaining above the national rate.
Related: Is Toronto safe? · Is Mississauga safe? · Is Oakville safe? · Safest places in the GTA · York Region crime map. In an emergency call 911.