CLIPBOARD : Big-City Crime

If you have to live in one of Orange County’s largest cities, Irvine is your best bet if you’re concerned about crime. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Irvine had both the fewest serious crimes committed during 1990 and the lowest rate per thousand residents.

Breaking down those crimes into two broad categories, Irvine’s total of 148 person crimes (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) and its rate of 1.3 per 1,000 residents were far below any of the other six cities. It also had by far the fewest property crimes (burglary, larceny, car theft and arson). The property crime rate was lowest, but only marginally less than that of Huntington Beach.

The kicker: FBI statistics say that of the nearly 200 cities in the U.S. with populations exceeding 100,000, Irvine was one of two reporting no murders in 1990. The other: Scottsdale, Ariz.

Here are the Orange County comparisons:

Person Rate Per Property Rate Per Anaheim 1,802 6.8 17,380 65.2 Fullerton 750 6.6 7,536 66.0 Garden Grove 1,012 7.1 9,449 66.1 Huntington Beach 798 4.4 8,472 46.7 Irvine 148 1.3 4,949 44.9 Orange 526 4.8 6,859 61.9 Santa Ana 2,663 9.1 19,992 68.1 SEVEN-CITY TOTAL 7,699 6.3 74,637 61.2

Source: U.S. Department of Justice