The Safest Cities in America
You can feel a safe city on a weekday evening: steady foot traffic, bright crossings, parents chatting by the playground. This year, the spreadsheets back up that feeling. FBI trend data into mid-2025 shows homicide, sexual assault, and aggravated assault all falling. The lists still disagree because they measure safety differently, so we’re blending those models and calling out the numbers that matter.
Warwick, Rhode Island
Why it ranks: WalletHub’s 2025 #1 “holistic hub”—strong across crime, road safety, disaster risk, and financial health.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Population: ~81,000
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Violent crime: ~90.8 per 100k (historic city snapshot, 2018)
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Police staffing: 2.12 per 1,000 (172 officers / 81k)
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Median home price: ~$385–$400k (state trend)
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Job market: RI unemployment about mid-4% in 2025
What residents feel: Basics were funded—new fire apparatus, patrol cars, and city equipment—so response is quick and visible. It’s “safe by competence,” not just patrols.
Overland Park, Kansas
Why it ranks: Consistently low violent/property crime with standout road-safety and insurance coverage scores.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Population: ~203,000
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Violent crime: ~227 per 100k (historic city snapshot, 2018)
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Police staffing: 1.37 per 1,000 (~278 officers)
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Median home price: ~$444k (mid-2024)
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Unemployment: ~4.1% (2025)
What residents feel: Prevention and transparency keep daily life calm—good crossings, steady patrols, and quick EMS.
Burlington, Vermont
Why it ranks: Holistic strength—crime, health coverage, civic engagement, and walkability.
At-a-glance metrics (composite bands):
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Violent crime: ~75–110 per 100k
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Property crime: ~640 per 100k
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Median income: ~$79.5k
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Population density: ~4,100 per sq. mi.
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Police per 10k: ~2.7
What residents feel: Lighting, parks, and steady snow/streets ops create lots of “eyes outside,” which nudges crime down.
Weston, Florida
Why it ranks: NeighborhoodScout’s #1 “crime-rate purist.” Ultra-low reported incidents.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Population: ~68,000
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Total crime: 4.24 per 1,000
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Violent: 0.40 per 1,000
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Property: 3.84 per 1,000
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Police staffing: 1.27 per 1,000 (87 deputies via Broward Sheriff’s Office)
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Median household income: $140,501
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Median home price: ~$895k (Jul 2025)
What residents feel: Contract policing brings regional resources without local overhead. It’s whisper-quiet—and expensive. That’s the “safety tax.”
Campton Hills, Illinois
Why it ranks: SafeWise lists it among the safest; near-zero violent crime.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Population: ~10,894
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Violent crime (est.): ~20 per 100k
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Property crime (est.): ~240 per 100k
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Police staffing: 0.71 per 1,000 (well below national avg.)
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Median household income: $192,727
What residents feel: Stability beats sheer headcount. With high incomes and strong social ties, calls for service stay low.
Columbia, Maryland
Why it ranks: Planned community advantage—design, green space, and health coverage create broad safety.
At-a-glance metrics (bands from composite sources):
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Violent crime: ~90–100 per 100k
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Property crime: ~610 per 100k
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Median household income: ~$112,000
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Police per 10k: ~2.8
What residents feel: Trails and parks knit neighborhoods together; quick response and active HOAs keep issues small.
Naperville, Illinois
Why it ranks: Perennially strong on crime, traffic safety, and trust.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Violent crime: ~95 per 100k
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Property crime: ~452 per 100k
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Median household income: ~$111,000
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Density: ~4,700 per sq. mi.
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Police per 10k: ~2.3
What residents feel: EMS shows up fast, parks stay busy, and downtown hums without the edge.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Why it ranks: Holistic performer that also stands out among big-city peers (public health + traffic safety).
At-a-glance metrics:
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Violent crime: ~115 per 100k
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Property crime: ~715 per 100k
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Median household income: ~$83,500
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Density: ~2,100 per sq. mi.
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Police per 10k: ~2.4
What residents feel: A practiced storm-response culture, steady comms, and a stable workforce.
Boise, Idaho
Why it ranks: Low violent crime, strong civic life, and walkable core.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Violent crime: ~115 per 100k
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Property crime: ~480 per 100k
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Median household income: ~$79,900
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Density: ~2,700 per sq. mi.
What residents feel: Well-used parks and clean streets pull neighbors outdoors, which raises natural guardianship.
San Jose, California
Why it ranks: SmartAsset’s #1 among the 50 largest cities—resilient big-metro profile.
At-a-glance metrics:
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Violent crime: ~530 per 100k (high vs suburbs, low vs big-city peers)
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Property crime: ~2,650 per 100k
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Vehicular mortality: ~6.9 per 100k
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Overdose deaths: ~17.4 per 100k
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Median household income: ~$141,565
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Police staffing: ~1.2 per 1,000 (est.)
What residents feel: The city leans into homelessness/addiction response and keeps traffic deaths relatively low for its size—risk is managed, not ignored.
Key Takeaway
Safety isn’t one scoreboard. It’s three archetypes with different math:
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Holistic hubs: Warwick, Overland Park, Burlington, Columbia, Virginia Beach, Boise—balanced on crime, health, roads, and disaster risk.
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Affluent enclaves: Weston, Campton Hills—microscopic crime, premium housing costs.
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Resilient metro: San Jose—best among giants when you weigh crime with public health and traffic safety.
One more pattern spans the map: the “safety tax.” The lowest crime clusters are where incomes and home values run high. Policing still matters, but staffing alone doesn’t explain safety. Parks, lights, street design, insurance coverage, EMS speed, and real economic opportunity do a surprising amount of work. If you want the calm evening walk, look for places that invest in those boring, brilliant basics—and name the year and unit any time a stat enters the chat.
