Is Camps Bay Safe? What the Data Shows (2026)

Camps Bay scores 99 out of 100 on StreetSignal’s safety index - Lower reported crime. Its annualised crime count is 1,220. That figure is lower than the majority of Cape Town’s police precincts.

Because Camps Bay is a tourist precinct, the headline score uses the volume sub-index (99/100) rather than the composite (46/100). The composite is distorted by dividing visitor-driven crime by a tiny residential population. The volume sub-index measures absolute crime only and reflects what residents actually experience.

A note on methodology: StreetSignal’s safety index is a relative measure comparing reported crime across Cape Town’s 744 suburbs; it is not an absolute safety guarantee. For tourist precincts like Camps Bay, the headline score is the volume sub-index (99/100) — absolute crime harm only. The composite score (46/100), which combines per-capita rate (21/100) and absolute volume (99/100) via geometric mean, is still shown in the detailed data section. The per-capita rate is inflated because the precinct serves far more visitors than its permanent residents. Full methodology is documented on the StreetSignal methodology page.

Why does Camps Bay display 99 out of 100?

SAPS publishes crime statistics at police precinct level, not suburb level. The Camps Bay precinct serves approximately 3,178 permanent residents according to Census 2022 subplace estimates. It also covers one of the most visited stretches of coastline in southern Africa.

When you divide the precinct’s total crime count by 3,178 residents, you get a per-capita harm rate that ranks among the highest in the metro. But the crimes are not all committed against - or by - those 3,178 residents. They include incidents involving a far larger visitor population that moves through the area daily, seasonally, and over weekends.

This is the tourist precinct paradox: the per-capita rate overstates residential risk because visitor-driven crime is divided by a tiny permanent population. StreetSignal addresses this by using the volume sub-index (99/100) as the headline score for tourist precincts. The volume sub-index measures absolute crime harm only — it is not affected by the small population denominator. The composite score (46/100), which combines the per-capita rate (21/100) and volume (99/100) via geometric mean, is still displayed in the detailed data section for transparency.

StreetSignal flags Camps Bay as a tourist precinct and surfaces both scores on Camps Bay’s full neighbourhood profile.

How does Camps Bay compare to other precincts?

Suburb	Headline score	Composite	Rate sub-index	Volume sub-index	Annualised crimes	Trend
Camps Bay	99/100*	46	21	99	1,220	Down
Hout Bay	88/100*	40	18	88	4,912	Down
Sea Point	91/100	91	90	92	6,472	Stable
Green Point	91/100	91	90	92	6,472	Stable

*Tourist precinct adjustment: headline uses volume sub-index instead of composite. See methodology.

Sea Point and Green Point share the same precinct and score 91/100. Their larger residential base (37,472 station population) means visitor-driven crime is diluted across more residents, producing a low per-capita rate — the tourist precinct paradox does not apply because both sub-indices are high. Their crime is also predominantly low-harm property offences (theft from vehicles, shoplifting), which carry minimal weight under the Crime Harm Index.

Hout Bay displays a headline score of 88/100 (volume-based, tourist precinct adjustment) with 4,912 annualised crimes across 24,545 residents. Its crime count is four times Camps Bay’s, and its composite score (40/100) is slightly lower. For why Hout Bay’s story is more complex than a simple tourist effect, see is Hout Bay safe.

Rondebosch - a residential suburb, not a tourist precinct - scores 98/100 with 1,376 annualised crimes across a station population of 23,267. Its absolute crime count is comparable to Camps Bay’s, but the residential population is seven times larger. Both sub-indices are high for Rondebosch.

What types of crime occur in Camps Bay?

The safety index alone does not tell you what kind of crime a precinct records. For families and insurance brokers, the breakdown matters more than the composite.

Camps Bay’s crime profile is dominated by property offences: theft from motor vehicles, burglary at residential premises, and shoplifting. These are categories associated with tourist-area crime pressure - vehicles left unattended at beaches, short-let properties targeted while occupants are out, and retail theft in the commercial strip along Victoria Road.

Under the Crime Harm Index, these offences carry very low harm weights (2-20 days), which is why Camps Bay’s volume sub-index is 99/100.

Contact crime - murder, attempted murder, robbery, assault - is present but at low absolute numbers. The precinct recorded zero murders and two attempted murders in Q3 2025. The overall trend direction is Down. Data period: Q3 2025/2026 (October-December 2025).

For an insurance broker, Nyanga scores 0/100 with 30,668 annualised crimes dominated by contact offences - a fundamentally different risk profile. Camps Bay’s 46/100 reflects visitor-inflated property crime, not violent crime pressure.

What does property cost in Camps Bay?

Camps Bay’s median municipal valuation is R14M, placing it in the 99th percentile of Cape Town property values. The precinct contains 1,540 residential properties, predominantly freehold. This is not a suburb where buyers weigh safety against affordability - the purchase decision is lifestyle-driven.

The annualised compound growth rate (CAGR) is -0.87%, meaning municipal valuations have slightly decreased in recent cycles. By comparison, Constantia - R7.5M median, 97th percentile - recorded 4.0% CAGR over the same period.

Constantia scores 77/100 for safety at half the price point. Rondebosch scores 98/100 with a R5M median. A buyer paying R14M in Camps Bay is paying for the Atlantic Seaboard, not for a safety premium.

Are there good schools in Camps Bay?

Camps Bay has three schools, all Quintile 5:

• Camps Bay High School (secondary)
• Camps Bay Primary School (primary)
• Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School (primary)

Three Q5 schools within the suburb is adequate for a residential area of 3,178 people. But for families prioritising school choice, the Southern Suburbs offer significantly more options.

Claremont has 14 schools, including Herschel Girls School and Western Province Preparatory, at a safety index of 77/100. Rondebosch anchors some of the most competitive schools in the Western Cape at 98/100. Durbanville in the Northern Suburbs offers seven schools at a safety index of 61/100 with a median valuation of R3.2M.

For a full analysis, see Cape Town schools and education 2026.

Is Camps Bay safe for families?

The data supports what residents already know: Camps Bay is one of the quieter parts of Cape Town. The headline score of 99/100 (volume-based) reflects a genuinely low annualised crime count of 1,220 — with a declining year-on-year trend — predominantly in low-harm property crime categories.

The composite score (46/100) is lower because the per-capita rate sub-index (21/100) drags it down. That rate reflects the tourist precinct paradox — visitor-driven crime divided by 3,178 residents. A family living in Camps Bay is not exposed to the same risk the per-capita rate implies. StreetSignal now uses the volume-based score as the headline for this reason.

The trend matters as much as the score. Camps Bay’s crime is declining. Milnerton at 88/100 is trending Up. Table View at 26/100 is also trending Up. A declining trend in a low-volume precinct is a strong signal.

For the complete picture, see Camps Bay’s full neighbourhood profile on StreetSignal. The methodology behind every score is documented on the methodology page.

For how Camps Bay fits into the broader safety picture, see the safest suburbs in Cape Town 2026. For property value context, see Cape Town property values 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Camps Bay dangerous to live in?

Camps Bay records 1,220 annualised crimes — fewer than most Cape Town precincts. Its headline score of 99/100 reflects the volume sub-index (absolute crime harm), which StreetSignal uses for tourist precincts. The composite score is 46/100, pulled down by a per-capita rate inflated by visitor-driven crime across just 3,178 residents. Crime is predominantly property-related, and the trend is declining.

Why does Camps Bay show 99/100 as the headline score?

Camps Bay is flagged as a tourist precinct. The headline uses the volume sub-index (99/100) because the composite (46/100) is distorted by dividing visitor-driven crime by a tiny residential population. The composite combines per-capita harm rate (21/100) with absolute volume (99/100) via geometric mean: sqrt(21 x 99) = 46. Both scores are shown on the suburb page for transparency.

What is the average property price in Camps Bay?

Camps Bay’s median municipal valuation is R14M, placing it in the 99th percentile. The precinct has 1,540 residential properties. By comparison, Rondebosch offers a 98/100 safety index at a R5M median.

How does Camps Bay compare to Constantia for safety?

Constantia scores 77/100 with 3,792 annualised crimes across 32,445 residents. Camps Bay displays a headline score of 99/100 (volume-based, tourist precinct adjustment) with 1,220 crimes across 4,296 residents. Camps Bay records fewer crimes but its composite score (46/100) is lower because the tiny population inflates the per-capita harm rate.

Are there schools in Camps Bay?

Camps Bay has three Quintile 5 schools: Camps Bay High, Camps Bay Primary, and Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School. For more school options, Claremont (14 schools, 77/100) and Rondebosch (98/100) offer greater choice at higher safety indices.