Alice Springs, in Australia's Northern Territory, consistently ranks as the most crime-affected city due to exceptionally high offence rates per capita, particularly for property crime, assaults, and general disorder, leading to it being called Australia's "crime capital" and even featuring in global danger rankings. While major cities like Melbourne also face significant issues (e.g., vehicle theft in the CBD) and some smaller towns like Walgett in NSW have high rates for specific offenses, Alice Springs' overall crime levels, driven by factors like youth crime and alcohol-related incidents, are unmatched in Australia.
1. Which city in Australia has the highest crime rate? Rockhampton has the highest crime rate in Australia, with 132 per 1000 people. Some of the sources have also pointed to Alice Springs as the city with the highest crime rate.
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Canberra consistently ranks as Australia's safest city with the lowest crime rate, often cited as having low violent and property crime, followed closely by Adelaide and Hobart, according to various 2024-2025 analyses using data from sources like Numbeo, highlighting its high safety index and liveability.
According to the latest National Homicide Monitoring Program report (July 2024 – June 2025), Australia saw a total of 277 homicides. Queensland had the highest number, with 111 victims, and Victoria wasn't far behind with 88 victims.
The worst performing states are Tasmania, with incomes 26% below the national income and wealth average, as well as South Australia which is 19% below the average household income and 20% below the national net wealth.
What Are the Top 10 Most Dangerous States in 2023?
Sydney is Australia's largest city and considered the best by many families and professionals. It boasts some of the best beaches, world-class dining, and cultural attractions like the Opera House and Harbour. Sydney is also an expensive city to live, yet it remains highly desirable.
Murder - NSW recorded the lowest murder rate in Australia over the three years from 2021 to 2023, 9% below the national average. Physical assault - NSW's assault rate is among the lowest nationally, 24% lower than the national average. Robbery - NSW has the lowest rate in Australia, 67% below the national average.
The Northern Territory (NT) consistently has Australia's highest per capita domestic and family violence rates, especially for Indigenous communities, with significantly higher homicide rates and assault rates against children compared to other states. While NSW and Victoria report higher total numbers due to population, the NT's rate per person is far worse, facing unique challenges with vast remote areas.
Mungallala Methodist Church was built in 1964. It has now closed. In 2016, the Australian Taxation Office listed Mungallala as having the lowest mean taxable income by postcode, making it the poorest town in Australia, which led the ABC to do a documentary on the town for their online "storyhunters" program.
Homicide rate: Australia's homicide rate hovers around 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. rate of approximately 6 per 100,000. Property crime: Both countries experience property crime, but Australia's rates are generally lower, and violent property crimes (like armed burglary) are less common.
Which is safer, Sydney or Melbourne? According to the reports, Sydney is safer than Melbourne because of its higher safety index and lower crime rate. Additionally, Sydney has some outer suburbs with a 90+ safety index.
Hobart, Tasmania, is widely recognized as the cheapest major city, but smaller regional towns in Queensland and South Australia can offer even lower living costs.
Low crime rates for your peace of mind
Canberra is officially Australia's #1 safest city, with a crime index rating of 26 out of 100. That places it as the 49th safest city in the world. This ranking comes from Compare the Market Australia, which analysed 6 years of public data from Numbeo's crime index.
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Adelaide has been ranked Australia's happiest city in the global Happy City Index, scoring highly across 82 measures of liveability and wellbeing. Our beloved South Australian capital seems to find itself on lists like these rather frequently, and we don't think it's by coincidence.
Yes, $70k is a fair salary in Australia, often near the median income, making it a decent living for a single person, especially outside major cities, but it can be tight in expensive areas or for those with high living costs like mortgages, with full-time averages now closer to $90k-$100k.
Toorak – The Undisputed Richest Suburb in Melbourne
From multi-million-dollar mansions to elite private schools and exclusive shopping strips, it has long been regarded as the richest area in Melbourne. Toorak is also home to Australia's wealthiest business leaders, celebrities, and international investors.
That is, Victoria is the most lawless state in Australia. Victoria has recorded increases of up to 58 per cent in the number of victims in eight out of 16 crime categories, including kidnapping/abduction, motor vehicle theft, armed robbery, and other offences including retail crime.
Other factors that affect crime rate include registration of complaint, cognisance of offence, which differs in different states. Among states, Kerala has the highest crime rate, and Nagaland has the lowest crime rate in 2022.
Key Takeaways