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United States · Safety report last updated
As of October 2026, San Jose scores 73/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: yes — generally safe. San Jose is a safe city for travelers, with normal precautions advised. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (moderate risk).
Safety Report
IsMyTripSafe.com
United States · Assessed 13 October 2026
73
/ 100
What drives this score
01 · Official Guidance
No advisory against travel
“This travel advice also covers American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands. Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe.”
Updated 2026-10-07T10:48:24Z
Full advisory →Exercise normal security precautions
“Canada's official risk level for United States: exercise normal security precautions.”
Updated 2026-10-10T19:41:02.6992267-04:00
Full advisory →02 · Evidence Signals
Mugging & robbery risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Pickpocketing & theft risk
City SignalCity Web Research
Visitor safety sentiment
City SignalCity Web Research
Urban scale factor
City SignalCity Geocoding
Homicide rate
Robbery / mugging
ModerateWhile overall crime is moderate, specific incidents like cryptocurrency-targeted robbery attempts have been reported.
Pickpocketing
ModerateNo specific hotspots are mentioned, but standard precautions against pickpocketing in urban areas are recommended.
03 · Environment
04 · Institutions
05 · Field Research
Traveller sentiment score
Cautiously optimistic
65/100
A majority of people feel safe walking alone after dark, indicating a generally positive but not universally confident sentiment among residents and visitors.
San Jose is a safe city for travelers, with normal precautions advised.
The city has a low risk of terrorism and high scores for rule of law and government effectiveness. While violent crime rates are comparable to the US average, petty crime and specific incidents targeting visitors are not prominently reported.
Recent developments
Common scams
Full briefing
San Jose presents a generally safe environment for travelers, with official advisories from Canada and the UK recommending normal security precautions. The city's composite safety index is high, supported by strong scores in rule of law and government effectiveness, and a low risk of terrorism.
Recent incidents highlight areas of concern for visitors. In September 2026, two men were charged with hate crimes for an assault at San Jose State University involving anti-gay slurs, and separately, two men were arrested for an alleged cryptocurrency-targeted robbery attempt. While these are serious incidents, they appear to be isolated rather than indicative of widespread issues targeting tourists. It is worth noting that a U.S. Embassy security alert was issued in June 2026 for San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, which is a different location but may cause confusion.
Travelers should remain aware of their surroundings, especially after dark, and take standard precautions to protect personal belongings. Securing valuables and avoiding unnecessary displays of wealth are prudent measures. The city's air quality is moderate, and while there are no active disaster alerts, travelers should be aware of the global health notices for Polio, Dengue, and Measles issued by the CDC.
Was this San Jose, United States report helpful?
06 · Neighbourhoods
Our field research rated 6 San Jose districts for visitors: 2 safer, 4 needing caution. See them plotted on the San Jose safety map.
Downtown San JosecautionHigher crime rates, especially after dark; be aware of surroundings.
San Jose State University (SJSU) Campus AreacautionRecent hate crime incidents reported on or near campus; exercise vigilance.
East San JosecautionGenerally higher crime rates compared to other areas; stay alert.
Alum RockcautionSome areas may experience higher crime; be aware of your surroundings.
West San JosesaferConsidered a safer residential area with lower crime rates.
Willow GlensaferA generally safe and pleasant neighborhood.
07 · After Dark
60% of people in United States say they feel safe walking alone at night in their area (UN SDG survey, 2023).
While overall crime is moderate, specific incidents like cryptocurrency-targeted robbery attempts have been reported.
After dark, be most careful around Downtown San Jose, San Jose State University (SJSU) Campus Area, East San Jose, Alum Rock. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.
08 · Questions
San Jose is a safe city for travelers, with normal precautions advised. The city has a low risk of terrorism and high scores for rule of law and government effectiveness. While violent crime rates are comparable to the US average, petty crime and specific incidents targeting visitors are not prominently reported. (Assessed 13 October 2026.)
Safety is not one number, and this San Jose report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.
Areas with consistently high crime rates reported in local news or by law enforcement, particularly after dark.. See the district-by-district safety map.
San Jose ranks #9 of 9 United States destinations we've assessed, scoring 73/100. See the United States safety overview for the full list.
The score blends 12+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight (and U.S. reports lean more on the latest field research); the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.
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Raw data: san-jose.json (CC BY 4.0).
