So, for example, the Millard County Sheriff's Office has the highest overall homicide rate per resident in the state, and Salt Lake City is No. 2. But no one would argue that some rough areas within Salt Lake City are themselves likely far more dangerous than, say, the center of Millard's county seat in Fillmore.

South Salt Lake

South Salt Lake, a city with a relatively small population but a big industrial area, suffers the highest per-person crime rates — by far — in many categories.

In the period analyzed, the city had an average annual rate of 86 violent crimes per 10,000 residents.

That is three times higher than the state average — and even 17 percent higher than second-place Salt Lake City, and 46 percent higher than third-place Ogden.

For crimes against property, South Salt Lake had an average annual rate of 989 crimes per 10,000 residents.

That was nearly four times higher than the state average. It was also 9 percent higher than second-place Salt Lake City and 15 percent higher than third-place Murray.

Why are its crime rates so high?

City officials say part of it has to do with location and a daytime population that more than triples the city's population. Police contend the statistics based on its nighttime population are misleading.

"We have been battling this issue forever," said South Salt Lake Police Capt. Tracy Tingey. "They only base (the statistics) on residents, not what your actual population is at different times. We have a strange makeup for a city."

Furthermore, Chief Chris Snyder said comparing South Salt Lake with rural cities of similar populations is like comparing apples to oranges. "How do you even put us in the same category of St. George or Payson? Let's be realistic," he said.

But that may also be the point. Robert C. Wadman, a criminal justice professor at Weber State University and a former police chief of four cities nationwide, including Orem, said crime rates usually follow local rates of other factors related to crime, such as poverty, broken homes and joblessness. Some areas have more of that than others, and more crime, which comparisons show.

Snyder said the makeup of South Salt Lake — located in the heart of Salt Lake County — is unique.

It has an estimated 22,000 "nighttime" residents, but its population during the day averages nearly 70,000 people, Snyder said.

On top of that, there are three TRAX stations in South Salt Lake, and both I-80 and I-15 have offramps into the city. When the number of people who simply pass through the city each day are added to those who work and live there, about 100,000 people a day pass through the city, Snyder estimated.