Is Kent Safe for Travel RIGHT NOW? (2024 Safety Rating)

Safety Index:

* Based on Research & Crime Data

Kent, Washington, is a fast-growing city between Seattle and Tacoma.

When I say fast-growing, I mean FAST – the population has been up 47% in the past decade.

The Coast Salish peoples first lived in this region and still have a presence in the community.

Kent was founded in the 1860s as a farming community, initially known as Titusville, then renamed after the English city.

The city started with an agricultural base that shifted to industry throughout the 20th Century.

Boeing established operations in Kent in the 1960s, with a focus on space travel instead of air travel.

Pieces built here went to the moon on the Apollo Lunar Rover.

Kent is a diverse city, with 30% of residents born somewhere outside the U.S.

More than 130 languages are spoken in this community.

Kent’s footprint is divided into three sections. East Hill and West Hill flank the Kent Valley.

The Green River cuts through West Hill and Kent Valley with a riverfront park that has several hotels nearby.

While Kent sounds wonderful at first glance, I hope you stick around to read this full article.

There are some definite safety concerns to know before you visit.

Warnings & Dangers in Kent

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

Kent has a medium overall risk, mostly due to high property crime rates and violent crime concerns that don't have easy solutions. It's also not the most exciting place to visit in the Seattle area.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Kent offers convenient public transportation with King County Metro buses providing extensive local and regional routes. Sound Transit’s Sounder train connects Kent to Seattle and Tacoma. Taxis, rideshares, and rental cars are other easy-to-find options. All options are low risk.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

About 30 pickpockets or purse snatchings happen each year, and we're going to give this a medium-risk designation. Even though that number isn't shocking, it's part of a much larger problem with theft in Kent.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW

Kent faces natural disaster risks, such as earthquakes, due to its proximity to the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Flooding is another concern, particularly in areas near the Green River. Additionally, the region's occasional severe winter storms can lead to power outages and transportation disruptions. It's a low risk, but it's still important enough to pay attention to daily weather forecasts and do some earthquake safety research before you go, just in case.

MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM

This is another medium risk, with a robbery rate higher than the national average. One in four robberies in Kent is a highway robbery. The audacity of some crimes is outright concerning, such as the teenagers who robbed and assaulted a homeless man at a train station.

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

Ken, like many urban areas, faces a general terrorism risk. Because it's part of such a large metro area, we put this in a medium-risk category. However, there's nothing that suggests Kent would be a hard target. Visit the King County website to read more about terrorism preparedness and safety.

SCAMS RISK: LOW

The police department and local sheriff’s office will post the latest scams on social media. In April 2024, law enforcement released new information about trending scams, including some classic frauds and new twists on spoofed phone calls. While a calculated scam risk is low, you should know that criminals here are brazen about how they will try to separate you from your money or valuables.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM

Women should treat this as a medium risk for all the reasons noted throughout this article. This isn't a great place for solo travelers. The town isn't very walkable, either.

TAP WATER RISK: LOW

The U.S. has strict standards for tap water per the Safe Water Drinking Act. Communities are required to provide a Water Quality Report (Consumer Confidence Report) once a year by July 1. The 2023 Water Quality Report shows full compliance and no violations.

Safest Places to Visit in Kent

VisitKent.com is the city’s official tourism website.

I would recommend using this site to plan your agenda and then stick to it.

While you can find things to do in Kent, it’s definitely not a city where you walk around looking for something to do.

The athletic hub in Kent starts at the ShoWare Center, home to the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team, hosting games and concerts year-round.

The Kent Valley Ice Centre offers ice skating and sports activities.

Additionally, Wilson Playfields and Service Club Ballfields provide facilities for soccer, baseball, and community sports events.

Those who want to take part in sports can visit Kent Bowl, Kent Valley Ice Arena, or Pacific Grand Prix Motorsports Park.

For shopping and entertainment, Kent Station is the place to be.

The retail village is in downtown Kent, with a Sound Transit stop on the property.

Centennial Center Gallery offers rotating exhibits by local artists every few months.

For performance art, check the schedule at Kent-Meridian Performing Arts Center.

Discover the history of hydroplane racing with vintage boats, memorabilia, and engaging exhibits at the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum.

It’s the only one of its kind in the country.

The Greater Kent Historical Society is headquartered at Kent Museum.

I’ve seen conflicting reports about whether the house is open for tours or just the exterior.

I double-checked, and the tour does include walking through the two-story home.

Visit on Friday afternoon to see a wood carving demonstration.

The Seattle-area cities get so creative with their local parks, which makes what could be an otherwise cookie-cutter experience so unique.

Earthworks is a stormwater retention area reimagined to the extent that you won’t even realize this is actually a dam!

Through a series of shapes and hills, you can go up to 23 miles along the route to the Green River Natural Resources Area.

Other moderate and advanced rides are available.

Kent Valley Loop Trail is a great way to see the art, city, and green spaces as it passes through the busiest and most remote parks in the neighborhood.

Several state parks are in or near Kent, and I wanted to mention that the Discover Pass can be purchased for $10 and offers access to all of them.

For just $30, you can get an annual pass.

Places to Avoid in Kent

In 2023, one of the biggest hot spots for crime in Kent was the Phoenix Court Apartments.

It’s located on the East Hill near SE 240th Street and 112th Avenue SE.

Crime data maps show the farther east you are in Kent, the safer it becomes.

The closer you are to I-5, the higher the crime rates will be.

However, property crimes are one reason any crime data map shows concerningly unsafe neighborhoods.

Most hotels in Kent are right off I-5.

The area is mostly residential, which means driving around and looking for something to do is riskier than planning activities outside the city.

Kent is a place where people who can’t afford the higher cost of living in places like Bellevue and Mercer Island move to.

It’s rarely an overflow town for tourists unless you’re in town for the variety of sporting options.

Safety Tips for Traveling to Kent

Kent has a local police department. You can follow them on Facebook @kentpolicedepartment. Feel free to email police@kentwa.gov or call (253)856-5800 to ask specific safety questions.
Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority provides emergency management services for Kent. When you visit their website, sign up for ALERT King County notifications. This will get time-sensitive information like severe weather information and public safety threats sent to your email or mobile phone.
If you are involved in a minor accident or petty crime, you can file a report at KPDonlinereport.com without having an officer respond to the scene. As long as the situation isn’t an emergency, it happened in the city limits but not on I-5 or Highway 167, and you don’t know who the suspect is, you can use this easy form to report the crime, and an officer will follow up with you.
Anglers must have a license from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. You can purchase them online or at local outfitters. Carry the permit with you at all times while fishing. Separate licenses are available for shellfish, clamming, and seaweed retrieval. You can also consider a combo license that covers all categories.
Getting to Seattle from South King County requires patience in dealing with traffic. Use the Washington State Department of Transportation Real-Time Map to look for construction zones, traffic backups, accidents, and weather conditions.
If you plan to visit Mount Rainier National Park while you’re in Kent, you should know that timed entry reservations are required during the busy months. Separate dates are applicable for the Paradise or Sunrise corridors. You can skip the permit by arriving before 7 am and after 3 pm.
Parking in Kent is free, with a mix of street parking and garage/lot parking. The most important thing to notice is the time limit. For unlimited parking time, choose one of the lots or garages. Residential areas have specific street parking rules that could require a permit.
Download the Kent Works app to report public works issues during your visit. This could include issues like potholes, downed tree branches, or dead animals. If there is an emergency issue, like downed power lines, call 911.
Kent has several intersections with red light cameras and speeding cameras, which can snap a photo when a vehicle is breaking the traffic laws. The tickets are then mailed to the address connected to that license plate. The system is smart enough to track down rental car owners.
Worried about airport noise from SEATAC? It’s a legitimate concern, considering how many planes come and go each day. Seatacnoise.info is a website with updated information about noise concerns, boundaries, quiet hours, and complaints.

So... How Safe Is Kent Really?

Kent isn’t the safest place to visit, but let’s go through the crime data.

A lot of how secure you’ll think it is depends on where you’re from and how much crime risk you experience on a given day.

The violent crime rate is about 17% higher than the state and national averages.

Violent crime has increased by 90% in Kent over the past decade.

That’s about double the rate of population growth.

2023 saw some concerning increases, notably in homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies.

“That bothers me because a lot of robberies can turn violent quickly,” Police Chief Rafael Padilla told the city council in early 2024.

Aggravated assaults were up almost 140% from 2019 to 2023.

Looking back at five years of crime data, just 14% of violent crimes happened against strangers.

However, it’s important to note that 57% fell into the “relationship unknown” category.

Vehicle thefts were up in 2023, with an average of 41 cars stolen each week!

Vehicle break-ins, known as vehicle prowl in Washington, were down by 26%.

The number of residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, vehicle prowls and shootings decreased.

The police chief offered some advice for visitors on how to handle personal safety.

Don’t intervene in a crime or try to take care of the situation yourself. Let someone get away with property if it means you escape safely.
Stay in large groups or crowds, and always stay aware of your surroundings. If something seems off, “maneuver around it,” the chief says.
Don’t walk around with your head buried in your mobile device. That could be presented as a crime of opportunity to a criminal.

To punctuate this point, in early 2024, the mayor of Kent asked for a tax increase to fund the police and necessary safety programs and patrols.

That request was denied.

“Our residents don’t feel safe.

People are coming to our city council and saying we just need you to do something, but without state authorization, there’s not much we can do,” Kent Mayor Dana Ralph said.

Police say they are seeing more juvenile crime, which is part of a nationwide trend.

Also, Washington State has seen a nearly 30% violent crime increase just since 2020.

While it’s at the national average now, another leap like that would be even more concerning.

If you just want to find any city in the region to visit, Bellevue is much safer and has more to do.

If you need to be in Kent, please use big-city street smarts and impeccable personal safety habits.

How Does Kent Compare?

City	Safety Index
Kent	42
Las Vegas	62
San Francisco	61
Philadelphia	60
Houston	59
Atlanta	58
St. Louis	58
Brussels (Belgium)	60
Shanghai (China)	66
Belize City (Belize)	37
La Paz (Bolivia)	52
Sao Paulo (Brazil)	45
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)	43

Useful Information

Visas

All international visitors need either a visa defining the purpose of the trip (tourist, work, school, etc.) or a visa waiver. Start the process using the Visa Wizard module on the U.S. State Department website. Also, your passport must be valid for at least six months after your trip, or you’ll need to apply for a new one.

Currency

Only the U.S. Dollar (USD) is accepted in the United States. International airports usually have a currency exchange desk on site, while regional airports won’t. Your home bank offers the lowest fees. For those using credit cards, check to see if there’s a foreign transaction fee. Credit cards, not debit cards, offer the best fraud protection.

Weather

Like most of the Seattle area, Kent has a mild, wet climate, with the rainy season running from October through April. Winter temperatures can get near freezing for lows, but highs stay in the 40s or 50s. Summers don't get above 80° F on average.

Airports

Seattle Tacoma International Airport (aka SeaTac) is just 12 miles from Kent, with the public transportation ride taking about 30 minutes.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance protects the cost of baggage loss/theft, delays, cancelations, and emergency health issues. Rental car insurance should include roadside assistance and uninsured motorist coverage. Comprehensive insurance offers the best peace of mind.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Kent Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 5° C

Feb 7° C

Mar 8° C

Apr 11° C

May 14° C

Jun 17° C

Jul 19° C

Aug 20° C

Sep 16° C

Oct 12° C

Nov 7° C

Dec 5° C

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	8	11	13	16	20	22	25	26	22	16	11	8
Low °C	2	2	3	5	8	11	13	13	10	7	3	1
High °F	46	52	55	61	68	72	77	79	72	61	52	46
Low °F	36	36	37	41	46	52	55	55	50	45	37	34

Washington - Safety by City

City	Safety Index
Anacortes	82
Bainbridge Island	85
Bellevue	84
Diablo	78
Forks	85
Gig Harbor	75
Kennewick	40
Kent	42
Kettle Falls	78
Longview	82
Mercer Island	82
Moses Lake	46
Neah Bay	77
Ocean Shores	79
Olympia	57
Port Angeles	72
Port Townsend	81
Poulsbo	79
Pullman	79
Quinault	82
Renton	70
San Juan Islands	83
Seabrook	78
Seattle	55
Sequim	77
Snoqualmie	78
Spokane	74
Spokane Valley	62
Tacoma	38
Walla Walla	72
Wenatchee	80
Westport	78
Yakima	62

Is Kent Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Washington : Safety by City