Saline County Crime Rate Higher Than Several Regional Counties in 2025 Report
Saline County’s 2025 crime-index rate was higher than several nearby and regional Kansas counties, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation’s 2025 Crime Index Report.
Saline County reported 1,340 index crimes in 2025, for a rate of 25.2 offenses per 1,000 people. That was above the Kansas statewide rate of 22.5 per 1,000 people.
Among county totals with calculated rates, Saline County appears to rank behind three larger urban counties: Sedgwick County, Wyandotte County and Shawnee County. Sedgwick County reported a rate of 47.6, Wyandotte County reported 41.8, and Shawnee County reported 34.2.
Saline County’s rate was higher than several other counties often used for regional or community comparison. Reno County reported 22.6, Riley County reported 14.6, Barton County reported 12.8, Ellis County reported 12.2, McPherson County reported 12.0 and Dickinson County reported 8.9.
The comparison does not mean each county has the same type of crime problem. Saline County’s overall rate was pushed higher by property crime, while the county’s violent-crime rate remained below the statewide average. Saline County reported a violent-crime rate of 4.2 per 1,000 people, compared with the statewide rate of 4.6.
Saline County’s property-crime rate was 20.9 per 1,000 people, compared with the statewide property-crime rate of 17.9. That property-crime rate was also higher than Reno County’s 17.1, Riley County’s 11.7, Barton County’s 9.8, Ellis County’s 9.8, McPherson County’s 8.9 and Dickinson County’s 7.1.
The KBI table also shows that some smaller cities within Kansas counties can have high local rates even when the countywide rate is lower. For example, individual city rates in the report vary widely based on population, number of reported offenses and reporting status. That is one reason countywide rankings should be read with context instead of treated like a simple scoreboard.
Population and commerce also matter. Salina is the largest city in Saline County and serves as a regional retail, employment and travel center. Salina PD reported 1,238 of Saline County’s 1,340 index crimes, meaning the city accounted for most of the countywide total.
KBI notes that the report is based on data submitted by law enforcement agencies before May 1, 2026, and that the report depends on victims reporting crimes and agencies submitting data. The agency also notes that some agencies did not submit complete data or did not report data in 2025.
The bottom line: Saline County’s crime-index rate was high compared with the state and several nearby counties, but the local story is more specific than “crime is up.” The clearest issue in the KBI data is property crime, especially theft.