Hermosa Beach crime: the official numbers
Every California police agency reports crimes to the Department of Justice (DOJ), which publishes them on OpenJustice in its Crimes and Clearances file. The table shows what the Hermosa Beach Police Department reported for the last seven years. Violent crime covers homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property crime covers burglary, motor vehicle theft and larceny-theft.
| Year | Violent crimes | Property crimes | Burglary | Motor vehicle theft | Larceny-theft |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 51 | 449 | 97 | 26 | 326 |
| 2020 | 47 | 475 | 123 | 54 | 298 |
| 2021 | 52 | 502 | 96 | 45 | 361 |
| 2022 | 55 | 535 | 106 | 66 | 363 |
| 2023 | 53 | 537 | 123 | 36 | 378 |
| 2024 | 72 | 450 | 97 | 47 | 306 |
| 2025 | 76 | 437 | 82 | 23 | 332 |
What made up Hermosa Beach's 2025 figures
Of the 76 violent crimes in 2025, 55 were aggravated assaults, 16 robberies and 5 rapes, and there were no homicides. Aggravated assaults were 34 in 2023 and 57 in 2024, which explains most of the rise in violent crime since 2023. Of the 332 larceny-thefts, the DOJ file lists 85 bicycle thefts, 48 thefts from vehicles, 30 thefts of vehicle parts, 24 shoplifting cases, 12 thefts from buildings and 133 other thefts. Of the 82 burglaries, 51 were of homes and 31 of other buildings.
The Hermosa Beach trend since 2019
Property crime rose from 449 in 2019 to a peak of 537 in 2023, then fell to 450 in 2024 and 437 in 2025, 19% below the peak. Violent crime stayed between 47 and 55 a year from 2019 to 2023 before rising to 72 in 2024 and 76 in 2025. In a city of about 19,000 people, a change of 20 cases moves the rate by about one per 1,000, so watch the direction over several years rather than one. Motor vehicle thefts peaked at 66 in 2022 and were 23 in 2025. Home burglaries ranged from 50 to 78 a year over the seven years, and bicycle thefts from 54 to 104.
Hermosa Beach crime rates against nearby cities
To compare places of different sizes, we divided each agency's 2025 counts by the population in the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey and multiplied by 1,000. These are our calculations from the DOJ file, not official rates.
| Area (2025) | Violent crimes | Violent per 1,000 | Property crimes | Property per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermosa Beach | 76 | 4.0 | 437 | 22.9 |
| Manhattan Beach | 40 | 1.2 | 727 | 21.3 |
| Redondo Beach | 161 | 2.3 | 1,533 | 22.1 |
| El Segundo | 67 | 4.0 | 570 | 34.0 |
| Los Angeles County (all agencies) | 53,447 | 5.4 | 221,486 | 22.6 |
| California | 170,397 | 4.3 | 705,925 | 18.0 |
Hermosa Beach's property crime rate sits close to Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and the county. Its violent crime rate is higher than both neighbors, about level with El Segundo, and below the county and the state.
What the Hermosa Beach crime numbers do and do not tell you
- Visitors are not in the denominator. Los Angeles County calls Hermosa one of its most popular beaches, and crimes involving visitors count against a population of about 19,000 residents. That raises per-resident rates in a small beach city.
- The counts are citywide. The DOJ file has no breakdown by street or neighborhood, so it cannot tell you about a particular block.
- Reporting varies. Not every crime is reported, and a bike theft is counted the same way in the totals as a car theft.
- Clearances are low for property crime. In 2025, Hermosa Beach police cleared 36 of 76 violent crimes (47%) and 44 of 437 property crimes (10%). Statewide, 46% of violent and 11% of property crimes were cleared.
How to check crime near a Hermosa Beach address
Community Crime Map for Hermosa Beach
The LexisNexis Community Crime Map shows recent incidents reported by participating agencies on a map. Search the address, set a date range of at least six months and compare it with nearby blocks.
Hermosa Beach Police Department reports
Look for the police department's crime statistics and activity reports on the City of Hermosa Beach website, and call the department's non-emergency line to ask about recent calls for service near an address. Ask how the figures are counted, since city reports can differ from the DOJ file.
California DOJ OpenJustice
Download the Crimes and Clearances file to see any agency's figures back to 1985, and compare Hermosa Beach with any other city using the same counts.
FBI Crime Data Explorer
The FBI's Crime Data Explorer shows agency data reported to the national system, including detail on offense types. Coverage can differ from the DOJ file for a given year.
California Megan's Law website
The DOJ's Megan's Law site maps registered sex offenders whose addresses are published. Search by address or ZIP 90254.
Visit the street yourself
Go at night, on a summer weekend and on a weekday morning. Near Pier Avenue, noise and parking can matter as much as crime figures. Ask neighbors how often bikes or packages go missing.
Flood, tsunami and earthquake are risks too
For a beach city, natural hazards can cost more than crime.
- Flood: look up the parcel on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and ask an insurer whether flood cover is needed or advised.
- Tsunami: the California Geological Survey publishes tsunami hazard area maps for the coast; check whether the home is inside one and know the route inland.
- Earthquake and other hazards: Cal OES's MyHazards tool shows earthquake, flood, tsunami and fire hazards for an address. Many Hermosa homes date from the 1950s and earlier, so ask about seismic retrofits.
The seller's Natural Hazard Disclosure covers most mapped hazards. See our California seller disclosure guide and earthquake insurance guide.
A checklist before you buy or rent in Hermosa Beach
- Pull the last six months of incidents near the address on the Community Crime Map.
- Ask the police department about recent reports and calls for service near the address.
- Ask the seller or landlord about break-ins, bike storage and garage security.
- Check FEMA flood and tsunami maps and read the Natural Hazard Disclosure.
- Visit at night and on a busy weekend.
- Compare insurance quotes before you remove contingencies.
For prices and buying steps, see our Hermosa Beach homes guide, and for a wider view, living in Hermosa Beach and our guide to crime rates across California cities.