ADT Midland, Texas

A Guide to the City of Midland, Texas: Crime Rates and Unemployment

Midland, Texas is often heralded as one of the safest medium-sized cities in the State. Compared to San Antonio and other regions, it is not a hard argument to make. But, does it hold up? Midland, TX is the 24th most populated city in the state of Texas. This leaves a lot of cities ahead of it in population size and scale. Regardless, Midland rests on the outskirts of Odessa and remains a key place for business growth in the United States. Should individuals in Midland, as well as those interested in moving to the region, be concerned over safety? What is the climate looking like and are security systems essential in this modestly-sized Texas Township? Midland, Texas Crime Studies: Is It Going Up? Midland, Texas is quite safe and protected in comparison to other medium-sized cities in Texas. The FBI database released records ranking the Texas cities based on crime rates. Midland is modest in the overall rate of crime. With a population of just over 100,000 (119,409 as of the latest census data) the crime rate is 316 per 100,000. This is regarding violent crime. City-Data is only of the most widely credited and utilized sources for crime data. Their reports for robberies supports a modest decrease over the last decade (the data reaches to 2012). 2008 and 2009 were the most violent years for various crimes, including violent crime and robbery. Robbery has tapered off considerably. The 2008 and 2009 rates are high, which is expected across the board. The recession was particularly dire during these years, and Midland, TX hit a high unemployment rate. The number has dropped off the last five years, resulting in a rate of robbery of 52 out of 100,000 populous in 2012. Burglaries are substantially higher compared to robberies. A burglary does not necessitate an active break-in, damage of property, or it even being a household. With that said, rates of burglaries have decreased. The 2014 numbers from City-Data show a decade low. There were 597 burglaries in 2014, the lowest since 2002 (preceding slightly lower rates in 2012 and 2013). The rates of burglary have risen ever-so-slightly these last few years. But, the crimes are not violent. A security system will dissuade these types of crimes due to the lack of any obvious targeting and the screening that occurs. Burglaries don’t often involve a home break-in (with damage) and theft.

City-Data also reflects on the average index for particular regions. The United States average is currently at 285. The number reflects multiple sources of data averaged across the severity of the crime and frequency in any given year. Midland, TX has an index of 222, which is a difference of about 60 points. The numbers are still discouraging, as is any report based on violent crime data. The fact of the matter is, nearly 316 people lost their lives due to a violent crime of some nature. Alarm systems may dramatically discourage criminals from their behavior. One can only hope that greater market permeation and more support for affordable alarm systems can save lives. The Political Climate Is it worth exploring these numbers in a few years? Of course. The odd political climate is certainly bringing out a lot of turmoil for Texans on both sides of the fence. A loud minority are letting their opinion be heard. The election cycle and recent presidential election may be cause for concern for Republican Texans to reassess their security systems. Illegals may be particularly upset by the results of the election, which may indicate some increased protective needs for Texans. Unemployment Unemployment is a powerful indicator of the overall safety in any given city. Midland is well-seated for individuals looking to find a job. The city boasts the lowest rate of unemployment in the entire United States. The rate is at 2.3%. This is a stark difference from the United State averages, which often hovers to over half of what Midland is boasting. The unemployment rate is so stellar, in fact, that millions of Americans have taken it upon themselves to move to the city in the last half a decade. The city saw a roughly 6,000 jump in population from 2012 to 2013. The State Websites The state websites may offer a nice glimpse into the dynamics of the city. Midland is shockingly quiet in crime. Midland Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for crimes in the city. It is updated weekly, give or take, and individuals can provide clues for a cash reward. The current crime is a break-in of about five vehicles and five trailers. Items were stolen that are used in telecommunications. It is interesting to note that this crime of the week is not a violent crime by any stretch. It may be a white-collar oriented crime or a more straightforward sale of goods crime. Regardless, the behavior and items stolen in this crime are not indicative of violence. There is a lot to explore in this area. Midland is notoriously safe compared to other cities of its size. There is no data to support any gang presence and illegal gun ownership is surprisingly mild. Many potential illegals are housed in Odessa and San Antonio, as well as cities that exist closer to the border. Midland is in the Northwestern region of Texas. The weather is cooler. The crime is lower. The entire region is just a little quieter.