6 Safest Small Communities To Settle In The United States
Hanover, New Hampshire, did not record a single homicide between 2020 and 2024. Five years of FBI data show a similar pattern in a handful of small towns across the country. Their rates of aggravated assault and homicide, the most serious violent crimes, stayed well under both state and national levels. A few saw a brief spike, but none came close to the averages around them. Each also offers green space and plenty to do once new residents settle in.
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover recorded no homicides at all between 2020 and 2024, and its aggravated assault rate stayed far below New Hampshire's, which is already one of the lowest in the country. The town is home to Dartmouth College, whose leafy green sits at the center of everything. The Hood Museum of Art, on campus, offers free admission to a collection spanning thousands of years. The Appalachian Trail runs right through downtown, and the Connecticut River on the town's western edge is popular for canoeing and kayaking. Dartmouth Health's main medical center is just south in Lebanon.
Dartmouth was founded in 1769 as one of the nine colonial colleges. Much of town life follows its calendar of lectures, concerts, and games. Its Dartmouth Outing Club, started in 1909, is the oldest collegiate outing club in the country and helps maintain the Appalachian Trail through the surrounding hills. The Hopkins Center for the Arts brings film, theater, and music to campus year-round.
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest sits on wooded bluffs above Lake Michigan, and its police department reported no homicides over five years, with aggravated assaults a small fraction of the Illinois rate. The town's Market Square, built in 1916, was one of the first planned shopping centers in the country and still anchors downtown. Forest Park Beach offers a quiet stretch of sand on the lake, and Lake Forest Open Lands protects miles of trails through prairie, wetlands, and woods. Lake Forest College adds lectures, concerts, and a lively campus atmosphere.
The town's winding streets were laid out in the 1850s to follow the deep, wooded ravines that run down to the lake, which gives many neighborhoods a quiet, park-like feel. Market Square was designed by architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, whose former country home, Ragdale, is now an artists' retreat. A Metra commuter line links Lake Forest with Chicago, so residents can reach the city without giving up the calm of the North Shore.
Zionsville, Indiana
Zionsville's aggravated assault rate has stayed a small fraction of Indiana's and the nation's, and the town recorded a single homicide in the five-year period. Its brick-paved Main Street is lined with independent shops, restaurants, and boutiques, and the Big-4 Rail Trail runs through town on a former railroad line. Starkey Nature Park offers wooded trails along Eagle Creek, and the Sullivan Munce Cultural Center hosts local history exhibits and art shows. Seasonal events like the town's Christmas in the Village bring residents together.
The town has a long memory. In February 1861, Abraham Lincoln stopped in Zionsville on his way to his inauguration and spoke to a crowd from the rear of his train, a moment honored today in the town's Lincoln Park. On summer Saturdays, a farmers market fills the brick streets downtown.
Brookings, South Dakota
Brookings, home to South Dakota State University, recorded no homicides from 2020 through 2024, and its aggravated assault rate ran well below both South Dakota's and the nation's. McCrory Gardens, run by the university, offers acres of display gardens and an arboretum. The South Dakota Art Museum, also on campus, holds a major collection of paintings by Harvey Dunn, famous for his scenes of prairie life. Each summer, the Brookings Summer Arts Festival draws visitors from across the region, and the campus Dairy Bar serves ice cream made from the university's own herd.
South Dakota State, founded in 1881, is the largest university in the state, and its fall Hobo Day homecoming is one of the biggest one-day celebrations in South Dakota. Families head to the Children's Museum of South Dakota downtown, which is known for its hands-on exhibits and outdoor play areas. A short drive northwest, Oakwood Lakes State Park offers camping, fishing, and trails around a chain of glacial lakes.
Peachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City's aggravated assault rate has stayed far below Georgia's and the nation's, with homicides rare across the five years. Founded as a planned community in the late 1950s, the city is known for its network of roughly 100 miles of paths shared by walkers, cyclists, and golf carts. Many residents use them to get to school, shops, and parks. Lake Peachtree and Lake Kedron offer fishing and paddling, and the Fred, the city's lakeside amphitheater, hosts concerts through the warm months. Historic Starr's Mill, a red mill beside a waterfall, sits just south of town.
The paths wind through woods and along the lakes, connecting neighborhoods that were planned around villages, each with its own shops and green space. Line Creek Nature Area protects trails along a wooded creek on the city's edge. Nearby Trilith Studios, one of the largest film production campuses in the country, has brought new jobs to the area.
Los Gatos, California
Los Gatos, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, kept its aggravated assault rate well below California's and the nation's, with a single-year rise in homicides in 2023 and none in the other four years. Its walkable downtown along North Santa Cruz Avenue is filled with cafes and shops. The Los Gatos Creek Trail follows the creek through town, linking Vasona Lake County Park, where families ride the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, with Lexington Reservoir in the hills above. The surrounding mountains offer hiking, wineries, and views over the valley.
The town's name means "the cats" in Spanish, a nod to the wild mountain lions and bobcats that once roamed the nearby hills. Los Gatos is also home to the headquarters of Netflix, one of its largest employers. Beside the creek, the stone walls of Forbes Mill, a flour mill built in the 1850s, now house a small history museum that tells the story of the town's early days.
Safety You Can See
These six towns share more than low crime figures. Each pairs a strong record on serious violent crime with parks, paths, and community spaces people use every day. Before you settle, visit at different times of day and talk with local police and neighbors. It is also worth checking the latest FBI data for any changes since 2024.
