Vernon has above-average crime: the Vernon RCMP municipal area in British Columbia had a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 133.9 in 2025, down about 6% from 142.5 in 2024 but about 1.8 times the national 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. Its crime rate rose 9% to 13,582 incidents per 100,000 people, driven by more property crime, while violent crime severity fell about 15%.
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 Vernon RCMP municipal police service area (Vernon, BC). Ratios, shares and the population estimate are our own calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 29 October 2026.
Key facts
- The Vernon RCMP municipal area’s Crime Severity Index was 133.93 in 2025, down from 142.47 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01).
- That is about 1.8 times Canada’s CSI of 75.0 and about 1.45 times British Columbia’s 92.4 (our calculation).
- Vernon recorded 6,727 Criminal Code incidents in 2025, up 10% from 6,114, a rate of 13,582 per 100,000 people.
- Vernon’s violent Crime Severity Index fell about 15% in 2025, from 156.16 to 133.26.
- Vernon recorded 1 homicide in 2025, down from 4 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0184-01).
- The CSI peaked at 166.06 in 2019; the 2025 value is about 19% lower (our calculation).
Is Vernon dangerous compared with other BC cities?
Vernon has a higher Crime Severity Index than the Kelowna RCMP municipal area and British Columbia as a whole: its 2025 value of 133.9 was above Kelowna (116.0) and BC (92.4), about level with Chilliwack (134.4), and below Penticton (144.8), 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. Vernon 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 Vernon RCMP municipal unit. 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.
Vernon’s CSI is about 15% higher than Kelowna’s municipal figure (our calculation). For the wider picture see most dangerous cities in BC, the guides is Penticton safe? and is Kelowna safe?, and our ranking of the safest towns in BC.
What is the crime rate in Vernon?
The crime rate in Vernon was 13,582 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 6,727 incidents, up from 6,114 in 2024.
| Offence | Vernon incidents (2025) | Vernon rate per 100,000 (2025) | Vernon rate (2024) | BC rate (2025) | Canada rate (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Criminal Code offences (excl. traffic) | 6,727 | 13,582 | 12,498 | 6,943 | 5,585 |
| Violent crime | 1,205 | 2,433 | 2,439 | 1,531 | 1,443 |
| Property crime | 3,775 | 7,622 | 7,087 | 3,839 | 3,141 |
| Shoplifting ($5,000 or under) | 519 | 1,048 | 991 | 733 | 502 |
| Breaking and entering | 200 | 404 | 454 | 280 | 262 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 148 | 299 | 380 | 138 | 201 |
| Homicide (victims) | 1 | 2.02 | 8.18 | 1.81 | 1.61 |
Rates are per 100,000 population. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0184-01 (Vernon 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 49,500 for the Vernon municipal police area in 2025 (our calculation: incidents divided by rate). Vernon is the regional centre of the North Okanagan, so people from surrounding communities who shop, work and travel in the city add to its incident count.
What kind of crime is most common in Vernon?
Property crime is the most common type of crime in Vernon: 3,775 of the 6,727 incidents recorded in 2025 (about 56%) were property crimes, at a rate of 7,622 per 100,000, about 2.4 times the national rate and up about 8% from 2024 (Statistics Canada; our calculation).
- Shoplifting: 519 incidents, 1,048 per 100,000, up about 6% and about 2.1 times the national rate. See shoplifting in Canada.
- Break-ins: 200 incidents, 404 per 100,000, down 11% but about 54% above the national rate of 262. See break-ins in Canada.
- Vehicle theft: 148 vehicles, down from 186. The rate of 299 per 100,000 is about 49% above the national 201 and about 2.2 times BC’s 138. See car theft in Canada.
- Violent crime: 1,205 incidents (about 18% of the total), a rate of 2,433 per 100,000, unchanged from 2024 and about 1.7 times the national 1,443.
Is crime in Vernon going up or down?
Crime severity in Vernon is going down, but the number of incidents is not: the Crime Severity Index fell about 6% in 2025 and about 16% from 159.00 in 2023, while the crime rate rose about 9%, according to Statistics Canada. The 2025 CSI is about 5% above the 2015 level of 128.05.
| Year | Vernon CSI | Violent CSI | Non-violent CSI | Weighted clearance rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 128.1 | 94.1 | 140.1 | 32.1 |
| 2017 | 127.0 | 114.4 | 131.2 | 30.7 |
| 2019 | 166.1 | 134.7 | 177.0 | 26.1 |
| 2021 | 140.3 | 107.6 | 154.6 | 25.4 |
| 2023 | 159.0 | 134.2 | 170.3 | 21.5 |
| 2024 | 142.5 | 156.2 | 138.2 | 21.7 |
| 2025 | 133.9 | 133.3 | 135.3 | 21.3 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01, Vernon RCMP municipal.
A CSI can fall while the crime rate rises when there are more low-severity offences, such as shoplifting and other theft, and fewer serious ones; in Vernon the violent index fell about 15% while the non-violent index fell only about 2%. The weighted clearance rate is the severity-weighted share of incidents solved by police; in Vernon it was 21.3 in 2025, slightly below BC’s 23.0 and well below Canada’s 36.6. More in how many crimes are solved in Canada.
Is the area around Vernon safer than the city?
Yes, on the official measure: the neighbouring District of Coldstream, which Statistics Canada reports as a separate RCMP municipal area, had a Crime Severity Index of 33.81 in 2025, about 75% lower than Vernon’s 133.93 and among the lowest in British Columbia (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0063-01; our calculation). As in most places, incidents concentrate in the regional centre, where shops, services and transport routes are.
How do I check crime near an address in Vernon?
The Vernon North Okanagan RCMP and the City of Vernon 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 Vernon with other areas on our Canada crime map and in is BC safe?
- Contact the detachment. Vernon North Okanagan RCMP is at 3402 30th Street; general line 250-545-7171 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm). Some crimes that have already happened can be reported online through the RCMP tool listed on the Vernon North Okanagan 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 Vernon safe to live in and visit?
Vernon 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: shoplifting, theft, break-ins and vehicle theft. Lock cars and keep valuables out of sight, secure sheds, garages and bikes, and use well-lit routes at night. 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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Vernon crime FAQ
Is Vernon, BC dangerous?
Vernon has above-average police-reported crime: its 2025 Crime Severity Index was 133.9, about 1.8 times the national 75.0. Most incidents are property crimes, and the index is about 19% below its 2019 peak.
What is the crime rate in Vernon, BC?
The Vernon RCMP municipal area recorded 13,582 Criminal Code incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, up 9% from 12,498 in 2024 and about 2.4 times Canada’s rate.
Why did Vernon’s crime rate rise while the CSI fell?
In 2025 Vernon recorded more property incidents (3,775, up from 3,467), which carry low severity weights, while violent crime severity fell about 15%. More incidents raise the rate; less serious crime lowers the CSI.
How many homicides were there in Vernon in 2025?
The Vernon RCMP municipal area recorded 1 homicide in 2025, a rate of 2.02 per 100,000, down from 4 homicides in 2024.
Is Vernon safer than Kelowna?
No, on the official measure. In 2025 the Vernon RCMP municipal area’s CSI was 133.9, compared with 116.0 for the Kelowna RCMP municipal area. Read is Kelowna safe?
Related: is BC safe? · most dangerous cities in BC · is Penticton safe? · Kelowna crime map · is Kamloops safe? · is Prince George safe? · how to report a crime in Canada. In an emergency call 911.