A Recent Year Saw a Spike in Crime in Mesa County Colorado

Each year, a new list of the most dangerous cities and towns in Colorado is released, and many of the same towns land on the list frequently.

Typically, these cities include the Denver suburb of Aurora, Pueblo, and Grand Junction, Colorado.

However, a quick look at the statistics shows that 2021 saw a spike in most types of crime in Mesa County, which is where Grand Junction is located.

Grand Junction Colorado Saw a Spike in Crime in 2021

If you look at the statistics of criminal activity in Grand Junction over the last five years, at least six categories of crime spiked in 2021. These types of crime included motor vehicle theft, violent crime, domestic violence, murder, aggravated assault, and robbery. Check out the spike between 2020 and 2022 regarding these categories:

Motor Vehicle Theft in Mesa County Colorado:

2020: 194 cases, 2021: 205 cases, 2022: 148 cases

Violent Crime in Mesa County Colorado:

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2020: 262 cases, 2021: 286 cases, 2022: 179 cases

Domestic Violence in Mesa County Colorado:

2020: 272 cases, 2021: 284 cases, 2022: 251 cases

Murder in Mesa County Colorado:

2020: 0 cases, 2021: 3 cases, 2022: 1 case

Aggravated Assault in Mesa County Colorado:

2020: 142 cases, 2021: 173 cases, 2022: 109 cases

Robbery in Mesa County Colorado:

2020: 10 cases, 2021: 12 cases, 2022: 8 cases

However, despite the curious spike in all of these types of crimes, non-violent crimes involving drugs and driving under the influence of alcohol were less frequent in 2021 than in adjacent years.

DUI in Mesa County:

2020: 87 cases, 2021:45 cases, 2022: 79 cases

Drug Offenses in Mesa County:

2020: 146 cases, 2021: 173 cases, 2022: 240 cases

Of course, it's important to keep in mind that when looking at statistics like these, correlation doesn't necessarily constitute causation, though it is interesting to think about.

Report Names the 10 Most Dangerous Colorado Cities

When it comes to the most unsafe cities in Colorado, here's how the rankings panned out. The violent crime and property crime rates were calculated per 1,000 residents.

According to Safewise, the crimes that Coloradans are most concerned with, are violent crimes, property crimes, package thefts, and gun violence. See the full list of Safewise's most dangerous and safest Colorado cities here.

Gallery Credit: Kelsey Nistel

See How the Most Dangerous Cities in Colorado Rank

Some of Colorado's most dangerous cities may not come as a total surprise, but the way they rank might. See the cities that made the list, along with the FBI data that goes with it.