Safest Cities In the United States
Though the American West Coast dominates this list of the country's safest cities, there are also some surprising entries.

In contrast to the most dangerous cities in the United States, these cities have the lowest violent crime rates in the country. Violent crime rates take into consideration incidences of aggravated assault, rape, homicide, and robbery. Irvine, California, has the lowest violent crime rate in the United States.
Safest Cities in the United States
5. Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita, California, is the fifth safest city in the United States. It has a violent crime rate of 150.72 per 100,000 people. The city was incorporated in 1987 when the communities of Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country, and Newhall were combined.
4. Plano, Texas
The fourth safest city in the US is Plano, TX. In the past, the city had experienced an increase in violent crime rates by over 8%, which brought its position down to #6 in this list. However, with an average of only 138.43 violent crimes per 100,000 people, it is back to the fourth position of this list. With a population of about 275,795 and a median household income of $83,193, the murder rate in the city is believed to be around just 1 in every 100,000 people annually.
3. Glendale, California
Glendale is a city located in the San Fernando Valley outside of Los Angeles, California. It is the safest city in California and the third safest city in the United States, with a violent crime rate of only 111.88 per 100,000 people.
2. Gilbert, Arizona
Gilbert, Arizona is the second safest city in the United States, with only 78.1 violent crimes per 100,000 people. This suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, is home to around 226,832 people.
1. Irvine, California
On the list of the safest cities in the US, Irvine, CA comes in as first, with a crime rate of just 55.8 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The crime rate of Irvine has been decreasing over recent years, and it is a trend that continues. A planned city in southern California, Irvine is home to a number of educational institutions, as well as a significant number of technology company headquarters.
111.4. Plano, Texas |
Virginia Beach: A Unique Case In Coastal Virginia
Indeed, it may strike some as odd that Virginia Beach has made this list, especially considering that other cities in the area are known to be quite dangerous places to live in. In fact, the nearby cities of Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton Roads, and Norfolk have each long had murder rates well above the national average. It is also interesting to note that Virginia Beach on the east cpast which is contrary to the majority of this list that is dominated by west coast cities.
US Cities With The Lowest Violent Crime Rates
Rank | City | State | Violent Crime Rate (Per 100,000 People) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Irvine | California | 57.00 |
2 | Gilbert | Arizona | 78.16 |
3 | Glendale | California | 111.88 |
4 | Plano | Texas | 138.43 |
5 | Santa Clarita | California | 150.72 |
6 | Scottsdale | Arizona | 153.19 |
7 | Virginia Beach | Virginia | 154.52 |
8 | Huntington Beach | California | 177.39 |
9 | Fremont | California | 178.06 |
10 | Chandler | Arizona | 209.84 |
11 | Henderson | Nevada | 211.60 |
12 | Irving | Texas | 216.39 |
13 | Hialeah | Florida | 242.22 |
14 | Chula Vista | California | 257.61 |
15 | Boise | Idaho | 297.62 |
16 | Aurora | Colorado | 313.68 |
17 | Garland | Texas | 321.11 |
18 | Madison | Wisconsin | 329.98 |
19 | Honolulu | Hawaii | 334.58 |
20 | Lexington | Kentucky | 339.47 |
21 | Anaheim | California | 342.00 |
22 | Lincoln | Nebraska | 357.83 |
23 | Laredo | Texas | 362.48 |
24 | San Jose | California | 373.09 |
25 | San Diego | California | 377.24 |
26 | El Paso | Texas | 390.28 |
27 | Fort Wayne | Indiana | 397.49 |
28 | Austin | Texas | 407.87 |
29 | Chesapeake | Florida | 409.60 |
30 | Fontana | California | 415.21 |
On WorldAtlas.com