Data were taken from the national vicimization surveys of the Census Bureau conducted from 1973 to 1978. The data are estimates of the crimes of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, simple assault, and personal larceny. Neighborhood economic status was determined by the proportion of families in an area with annual incomes above and below $5,000. Unemployment rates of areas were also considered. Overall, a strong inverse relationship was found between neighborhood economic status and rates of personal victimization in urban areas. A moderate yet still inverse relationship was exhibited in suburban areas. In contrast, the relationship between rates of victimization and neighborhood economic status was weak and inconsistent in rural areas. Juvenile and adult rates of theft offending were at least twice as high in poor than in affluent urban neighborhoods. This pattern was maintained and even increased when 'at or near home' rates were analyzed. Theft victimization was much more strongly related to neighborhood economic status than was violent victimization. This generally supports economic deprivation as a motivating force for crime. Only through detailed specification can the relationship between economic status and crime be better understood. A promising area of future research and theoretical development is the linkage of individual with aggregate economic status so as to provide a better understanding of the macroeconomic processes underlying criminal behavior. Tabular and graphic data and 76 references are provided.