McDowell County police area, North Carolina, United States: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 3 out of 10 Above average crime
3/10 in United States · 3/10 in the world
Compared with 10324 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime). 767 places were left out of the comparison (incomplete figures or very few residents).
Weighted crime: 5,534 per 100,000 people (2025)
Figures are for the police agency that covers McDowell County police area.
Crime by type, as recorded by FBI Crime Data Explorer (2025)
| Type | Count | Per 100,000 a year | All places this source covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | |||
| Murder and non-negligent manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 4.2 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 12 | 32.3 | 36 |
| Violence | |||
| Aggravated assault | 36 | 97 | 238.3 |
| FBI summary counts: only aggravated assault, not simple assault. | |||
| Robbery | |||
| Robbery | 1 | 2.7 | 50.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Burglary | 357 | 962.3 | 190.5 |
| Larceny-theft | 288 | 776.3 | 1,141 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 77 | 207.6 | 197.5 |
| Other | |||
| Arson | 1 | 2.7 | 9.1 |
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, updated 28 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (2025)
| Homicide | 0 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 12 |
| Violence | 36 |
| Robbery | 1 |
| Theft and burglary | 722 |
| Other | 1 |
Questions about crime in McDowell County police area
- Is McDowell County police area safe?
- McDowell County police area: Safety 3 out of 10 (Above average crime). Compared with 10324 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime). 767 places were left out of the comparison (incomplete figures or very few residents).
- What is the crime rate in McDowell County police area?
- McDowell County police area: Weighted crime: 5,534 per 100,000 people (2025).
- How many murders are there in McDowell County police area?
- Recorded homicides in McDowell County police area (2025): 0.
Other places nearby
Sheriffs of McDowell County since 2010
McDowell County: Sheriff Buck Buchanan (Republican). Governor: Josh Stein (Democrat)
Buck Buchanan · Republican
since 2022
McDowell County ▲ +2% · USA ▼ −20%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Buck Buchanan · Republican
2018 – 2022
McDowell County ▼ −16% · USA ▼ −3%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Dudley Greene · Republican
2014 – 2018
McDowell County ▼ −1% · USA ▼ −9%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
Dudley Greene · Republican
2010 – 2014
McDowell County ▲ +52% · USA ▼ −12%
Offences reported to the FBI per 1,000 people, the year before the term vs its latest year
In some cities an appointed manager or police chief, not the mayor, runs the police; in some counties the sheriff mainly runs the jail and the courts.
Mayors: Hilbig, Archived Campaign Websites of U.S. Mayoral Candidates (CC BY 4.0) and city sites. Sheriffs: Mavridis, US Sheriff Election Data (CC BY 4.0), MIT Election Data + Science Lab (CC0) and county election offices. Crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer.
