Broadly speaking, yes. Lincoln’s overall reported crime levels are generally in line with or lower than many comparable suburban cities, though patterns vary across neighborhoods and over time. Growth in population and new commercial areas means some blocks see more calls for service than others, so a citywide average does not tell the whole story.

If you are looking at homes for sale in Lincoln CA and want a deeper read, this piece lays out exactly where the numbers come from, how Lincoln compares to national and nearby-city baselines, and the best ways to check safety at the block level before you decide to move, rent, or simply spend more time in a particular neighborhood.

What Are The Official Crime Rates in Lincoln, CA?

Official rates come from a mix of local, county, state, and federal sources, and recent multi-year summaries place Lincoln’s five-year totals (2019–2024) at about 836 violent crimes and 1,933 property crimes. Those aggregated counts, when normalized to population, typically show violent and property crime rates at or below many U.S. benchmarks, but differences in reporting and normalization mean those figures are directional rather than definitive.

• Lincoln Police Department. Weekly crime summaries and the city crime-mapping portal list reported incidents by date, type, and location; this is the best source for the most recent, block-level incident data.
• California Department of Justice. The state’s Crime in California report provides standardized, year-stamped per-capita baselines so you can compare Lincoln to statewide trends; the 2024 statewide tables are useful for context.
• FBI / Crime Data Explorer. Federal UCR-derived data offer national baselines (crimes per 100,000 residents) for apples-to-apples comparisons across cities and years.
• Placer County mapping and summaries. County tools help identify cross-jurisdiction patterns and incidents that affect Lincoln commuters and retail corridors.
• Third-party aggregators. Sites that compile local and FBI data often report Lincoln’s per-capita rates as lower than the national median; use these for a quick snapshot but verify with primary sources because methods differ.

How Does Crime In Lincoln Compare To U.S. Averages?

On a per-capita basis, Lincoln’s reported violent and property crime rates generally fall at or below recent U.S. averages in the city summaries and aggregated tables commonly used for quick comparisons. 

That means, when you convert counts to crimes per 100,000 residents, Lincoln usually looks similar to or safer than the national median for cities of comparable size; however, those aggregated snapshots rely on different collection and normalization methods, so treat them as directional rather than definitive.

How Does Crime In Lincoln Compare To Nearby Areas?

When you look around Placer County, Lincoln’s crime pattern is different from nearby Roseville, Rocklin, and Auburn in ways that reflect population, commercial activity, and commuter flows. Below are generalized comparisons drawn from the cities’ public reporting and recent annual summaries.

Roseville

Roseville is larger and reports more total incidents simply because it has more people and more commercial corridors. Roseville’s 2024 police summary shows decreases in both violent and property crime year over year, with theft accounting for a large share of property offenses; comparing per-capita rates is the fairest way to read the difference.

Rocklin

Rocklin’s police annual report for 2024 notes an overall drop in total crime compared with prior years, though some violent-crime categories moved differently than property crime. Rocklin often appears alongside Lincoln in “safer city” lists for Placer County, but the two cities are not identical—Rocklin’s pattern features different hot spots tied to shopping centers and older neighborhoods.

Auburn

Auburn is smaller and more rural in character; its police reporting emphasizes a lower total count but also focuses on specific property-crime issues tied to commuter corridors and tourist areas. Auburn’s year-to-year numbers can appear volatile because one or two incidents have proportionally larger effects in a small population base.

Who Provides Law Enforcement and Emergency Services in Lincoln, CA?

Law enforcement inside Lincoln city limits is handled by the Lincoln Police Department. They manage routine patrols, traffic enforcement, criminal investigations, and community-policing programs. For major incidents or specialized investigations the department coordinates with Placer County agencies through mutual-aid agreements and may work with regional task forces as needed.

Emergency medical response and fire protection are delivered by regional EMS providers and the local fire protection districts that serve Placer County. For in-progress crimes or medical emergencies call 911. For non-urgent police matters the Lincoln Police Department publishes non-emergency phone numbers and online reporting options on the city’s public safety pages.

Is There A Community Watch in Lincoln?

Yes. Lincoln supports multiple community safety initiatives, including neighborhood watch groups, business watch programs, and school-based safety partnerships. The police department regularly posts information about forming a neighborhood watch, tips for crime prevention, and how to report suspicious activity; those organized groups often work with officers on block-level problems like repeat vehicle burglaries or speed concerns.

Beyond formal neighborhood watch, Lincoln participates in county programs and crime-prevention outreach that include business crime-prevention workshops and community meetings where residents can ask about hotspots, traffic enforcement, and patrol patterns. If you want to start a neighborhood watch, the police department provides a packet and a contact person to coordinate an initial meeting.

FAQs

How likely is someone to be a victim of crime in Lincoln, CA?

Reported estimates from aggregated sources place Lincoln’s chance of victimization below the national average in recent summaries, but the precise odds depend on the type of crime and the time frame you use. For the most current local snapshot, consult Lincoln’s crime map and compare per-capita rates in the city’s annual summaries and the state DOJ tables for the same year.

Are car break-ins a major problem in Lincoln?

Vehicle theft and vehicle-related thefts are recurring issues in many suburban cities, and Lincoln has had incidents concentrated in certain commercial and parking areas; check the weekly crime summaries and the map to see if break-ins cluster near a specific shopping center or street. The city and county post prevention tips like removing valuables, locking doors, and reporting suspicious behavior to reduce the chance of repeat incidents.

Has violent crime been rising or falling recently in Lincoln?

Short-term trends can move up or down; aggregated city summaries over 2019–2024 show relatively low violent crime counts for Lincoln compared with many cities, and statewide 2024 data indicate an overall decline in violent crime compared with 2023. Use city weekly summaries together with state DOJ tables to confirm whether a local uptick for a particular offense type represents a trend or an isolated cluster.

How quickly does Lincoln PD respond to non-emergency reports?

Response times vary by call type and demand; for emergencies call 911. The police department publishes guidance about non-emergency reporting and online reporting options, and its annual and weekly reports discuss response performance metrics that give a sense of staffing and dispatch capacity.

Can I get a police report for a past incident near a property I’m buying?

Yes. The Lincoln Police Department provides procedures for obtaining incident reports and collision reports; some records are public and others are redacted for privacy or ongoing investigations. Contact records services through the department’s website or request the report in person as described on the city’s records page.