Safest Large Cities in America: When choosing a place to call home, safety becomes a top priority for many families and city dwellers. Thankfully, there are several safe cities across the United States where people can enjoy secure living environments, low-crime cities, and strong community bonds.
Here, we’ll explore the safest large cities in the U.S., ranked for their low violent crime rates property crime rates, and focus on community safety. Each town on this list stands out for its public safety, offering safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a thriving community.
Safest Large Cities in America No10: New Laredo, Texas
Pete Saenz is the mayor.
Number of people: 261,639
Laredo, Texas, is one of the safest and least racially diverse places in the United States[1]. It is also one of the most Latino-populated cities. With 377 violent crimes for every 100,000 people, it is 11% less violent than the national average and 18% less violent than Texas.
Tucked along the U.S.-Mexico border, Laredo boasts some of the lowest crime rates among cities with populations over 250,000. Thanks to initiatives like community engagement programs and a strong law enforcement presence, the violent crime rate in this city is consistently lower than the national average.
For families, Laredo offers affordable housing, safe neighborhoods, and excellent access to numerous parks for outdoor activities. It’s a safe city with cultural diversity and economic opportunities contributing to its community’s well-being.
Although Laredo isn’t rich—its median family income of $39,400[4] is $14,000 less than the national average—it does have many great restaurants, and authentic Mexican food is one of the best. Laredo is home to Texas A&M International University. Although it is only the tenth-largest city in Texas, it has its philharmonic orchestra and a famous semiprofessional soccer team.
Safest Large Cities in America No9: South Anaheim, California
Harry Sidhu is the mayor (Republican).
Number of people: 352,005
While Anaheim is best known asProperty, the home of Disneyland, it’s also one of the safest large cities in the U.S. With property crime rates and violent crimes are consistently lower than those of other major cities, making it a popular destination for families.
Anaheim also invests heavily in maintaining well-kept neighborhoods, community programs, and law enforcement agencies, creating a secure environment for its residents. Its proximity to urban amenities found in San Diego and San Francisco makes it a versatile city in which to live.
Even though many people naturally desire to kill Mickey Mouse, Anaheim, California, home to the original Disneyland theme park, just barely beats Laredo for the ninth spot. Killings were very low in the city in 2018—only seven, compared to five per 100,000 people across the country.
People in Anaheim are very wealthy; the typical household income is nearly $60,000. Most people with high incomes move to the suburbs, so few big cities have higher median incomes than the national average. But California has such a huge population—with 39.5 million people living there, it’s home to 12% of the US population—that Anaheim, which is only ten miles southeast of Los Angeles, is more like a neighborhood on steroids. It has enough people and money for two major sports teams: the Angels in baseball and the Mighty Ducks in hockey.
Still, Disneyland is the center of attraction in Anaheim. It brings in tourists, big business meetings, and hotel payments that keep the economy going. Considering its 28,000 workers and the thousands of jobs it helps create in the area, Disneyland brings in about $5.7 billion a year for Southern California.
But tourism always leads to robbery, which is defined as theft by force, fear of force, or mugging. The rate of 114 robberies per 100,000 people in Anaheim is 28% higher than the national average. This is the only serious crime in Anaheim that is higher than the national average.
Safest Large Cities in America No8: Louisville, Kentucky
Linda Gorton (Republican) is mayor.
Number of people: 323,780
Lexington, Kentucky, is in the middle of the state and makes bourbon whiskey and bluegrass music. It gets good marks for public schools and safety and is often on lists of “best metro areas to live.”
Lexington is one of the safest big cities in the US and a college town with a strong community spirit. Known as a hub for horse enthusiasts, Lexington has lower-than-average violent crime and property crime rates, making it ideal for families and individuals.
Apart from safety, residents enjoy affordable neighborhoods, strong schools, and access to numerous parks and bike paths for family-friendly recreational activities.
The Kentucky Derby, horse racing’s biggest event of the year, takes place 80 miles to the west in Louisville, the state’s biggest city. However, Kentucky Horse Park[10], a working horse farm, international equestrian competition venue, and living museum, is one of Lexington’s most popular sites. It is also home to the University of Kentucky, a well-known state college in the US.
People are still surprised that Lexington is on this list; it made it clear that there were only 295 reported attacks in 2018.[11] Based on the national average of 247 assaults per 100,000 people, there were only 91 assaults per 100,000 people living in that area. Also, attacks are by far the most common violent crime in the United States. Only 86 out of every 100,000 people are victims of robberies. If Lexington’s 2018 attack rate is correct, then it had fewer assaults than robberies (422) but almost as many rapes (243) as assaults.
Safest Large Cities in America No7: Boise, Idaho
Lauren McLean (Democrat) is the mayor.
Number of people: 228,790
Boise is proving to be a standout among the safest large cities in the U.S. Its law enforcement agencies have notably low rates of aggravated assault and property crimes and place a steadfast emphasis on crime prevention.
This city offers a secure living environment, and its thriving economy ensures residents experience financial security and a stable housing market. Boise’s nature city vibe, with an abundance of outdoor activities, provides its residents with a high quality of life.
Boise, Idaho’s capital and biggest city, has the lowest violent crime rate on this list: 277 violent crimes per 100,000 people, 27% less than the national average[12]. In 2018, there was only one death in the city.
Boise was ranked #17 on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the country’s best metro places to live. Its safety record, reasonably low home prices, and highly rated public schools also helped. The first people to live in Boise were impressed by the area’s extensive forests, where the city’s nickname “City of Trees” comes from. Today, one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the country adds to the city’s reputation.
Strangely, one of Boise’s few problems comes from how appealing it is: the city’s high quality of life has brought in a lot of newcomers, which many people call the city’s impending “Californiacation”[14]. This happens when more people move there: home prices increase, traffic worsens, and public school quality decreases because of bigger classes. The number of people living in the Boise metro area is expected to rise from about 700,000 to almost 800,000 by 2025, a 15% increase in just five years.
Unfortunately, there is an ongoing effort to recall Boise’s mayor, Lauren McLean, because of leaked information about plans to cut funding for law enforcement and make Boise a safe city.[15]
Safest Large Cities in America No6: Irving, Texas
Rick Stopfer is the mayor (Republican).
Number of people: 242,242
Another Texas gem, Irving, is consistently mentioned in lists of the safest large cities in America. Its lower-than-average crime rates, including minimal violent crime, make Irving an appealing suburban community for families looking for a blend of urban amenities and safe neighborhoods.
The city fosters a strong sense of community through initiatives like well-maintained trails, parks, and cultural events, ensuring plenty of opportunities to connect with neighbors while enjoying a secure living environment.
Irving, Texas, has an advantage similar to Anaheim, California: it is next to a big city in the second most populous state in the country. It is a sprawling suburb of Dallas, and many of its neighborhoods, like Disneyland in Anaheim, were built with the future in mind. Getting on the list of safe cities helps if the bad parts of your city are in the more significant, older metropolis just outside the town borders, which has twice the national average violent crime rate.[16]
Giving credit where credit is due, Irving is a lovely place with an excellent safety record. It has 209 serious crimes for every 100,000 people, 45% less than the national average and about half of Texas’s rate.[17] The economy in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area was strong before the pandemic, with an unemployment rate of less than 3%. This is one reason Irving has been called one of the best places to move to for work.
Irving also has the world’s most enormous horse sculpture, which is such a strange fact that it has to be included in this story no matter the theme. The Ruth Paine House[18] is also there. That’s where Lee Harvey Oswald stayed with Marina, his separated wife, the night before he killed President Kennedy.
Henderson, Nevada (Safest Large Cities in America No. 5)
Debra March is the mayor.
Number of people: 310,390
Often overshadowed by its neighbor Las Vegas, Henderson defies the stereotypes by being one of the safest large cities in the U.S. With consistently low property crime rates and aggravated assault rates, Henderson is regularly recognized for its focus on safety.
Henderson residents benefit from affordable housing, excellent schools, and proximity to gorgeous outdoor trails. With a burgeoning arts scene and a robust economy, Henderson balances security with a vibrant lifestyle.
Henderson is the less dangerous younger brother of its notoriously wild older brother. Henderson is a mostly planned suburb just southeast of Las Vegas. It is so big that it is Nevada’s second-largest satellite city. Henderson is in a great position because it’s close to Las Vegas’s famous Strip, but it also has a lavish outdoor lifestyle, with attractions like Lake Mead and Clark County Wetlands Park.
Henderson likes that Las Vegas has good-paying jobs, a wide range of restaurants, and world-class entertainment without the bad things that come with it. Thieves and rapists love Vegas because it has so many tourists and parties all the time. Vegas has twice the national rate for both crimes.[19] Henderson, on the other hand, has a violent crime rate of 188 per 100,000 people, which is less than half of the national level [20]. The number of assaults is 63% less than in the rest of the country, at 92 per 100,000 people.
Henderson is also wealthy primarily because of Las Vegas’s long-term boom. Its typical household income of $72,884[21] is more than $13,000 higher than the national average, and its average property value is close to $340,000. This shows that real estate is in high demand as more people move to one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country.
Safest Large Cities in America No4. Costa Mesa, Arizona
Jim Lane, a Republican, is mayor.
Number of people: 255,310
Known for its upscale vibe, Scottsdale is among America’s top 10 safest cities. Its dedicated focus on crime prevention and maintaining safe neighborhoods ensures a strong sense of security among its residents.
Families here can appreciate the exceptional education opportunities, sprawling parks, and community safety measures that make this city an excellent place to raise children while enjoying a high standard of living.
Henderson, Nevada, Scottsdale, Arizona, is a part of a bigger city, but like Anaheim, it’s also a place to visit on its own. Scottsdale is a desert oasis 12 miles east of Phoenix, home to 1.6 million people and the country’s fastest-growing population. It is known for its high-end spas and immaculate golf courses.[22]
Phoenix is both safe and beautiful. It has 166 serious crimes for every 100,000 people, 57% less than the national average. In 2018, there were only seven deaths in the city. Also, Scottsdale gets nine million tourists annually [23], 36 times its population. Its robbery rate of 34 per 100,000 people is very low—less than half the national average.
It’s no surprise that Scottsdale is also very rich. Scottsdale has a median family income of more than $72,000, which is higher than Henderson. Also, 81% of Scottsdale residents own their homes, which is essential to know because the median home value in the city is $483,000.
Safest Large Cities in America No3: Plano, Texas
Harry LaRosiliere is the mayor (Republican).
Number of people: 288,061
Plano embodies everything one looks for in a safe city. Among similar-sized cities, it stands out with its lowest crime rates and consistent efforts in crime cost management. Law enforcement agencies here take proactive measures to create a secure living environment, giving locals peace of mind.
Beyond safety, Plano offers strong schools, a thriving economy, and access to numerous parks and cultural experiences that make life fulfilling for families and professionals alike.
It’s only possible in places with huge populations, like Texas, for Plano to be both its own medium-sized city and an outlying suburb[25] of a major one. Fort Worth is 20 miles to the south. It is the only city with two “safest city” satellites. Plano is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including the beverage giant Dr. Pepper Snapple and the marketing metrics giant Alliance Data. It has its own economy, and it is easy to get to the “big city” with its tall office towers. Because of these two things, unemployment is low, and jobs pay well. In fact, Plano has the second highest median income among mostly wealthy towns, at $93,012.
Based on its good points, Plano is about as safe as you’d expect. It has 139 serious crimes for every 100,000 people, which is 64% less than the national average [26]. It had 72 assaults per 100,000 people, which is 3 1/2 times less than the rest of the country. In 2018, only five murders were recorded.
Plano has a lot of cute things to see and do. The Heritage Farmstead Museum has a restored 19th-century farm with original tools, furniture, and a copy of a schoolroom from 1895. The Interurban Railway Museum lets you ride on an old train car along the Texas Electric Railway. Oak Point Park is a wildlife reserve with a lot of peaceful trails. Just northeast of town is Southfork Ranch[27], which is the famous setting for the long-running TV show “Dallas.”
Safest Large Cities in America No2: Va. Beach, Virginia
Bob Dyer, who is the Republican mayor
Number of people: 442,707
The largest city in Virginia is also one of the safest big cities in America, thanks to its extraordinarily low violent crime rates compared to most urban areas. Virginia Beach invests in strong community programs to further its goal of maintaining a secure environment free from crime hotspots.
Residents here can enjoy an enviable lifestyle with pristine beaches, abundant outdoor activities, and a strong sense of community engagement focused on preserving its safe, suburban family vibe.
Virginia Beach, the state’s largest city, has a three-mile boardwalk that goes along several beautiful, well-kept beaches. Each year, nearly 20 million people visit[28], making it one of the most famous East Coast family vacation spots. There are many resorts in beach towns, but the boardwalk is its own place to go. It has theme parks, games, arcades, fishing piers, and even its own organized dine-around tour.
It’s impossible to overstate how many crooks are drawn to tourists, especially families with kids who aren’t paying attention. Since the beginning of leisure travel, thieves have been taking advantage of and robbing tourists. Considering this, Virginia Beach’s violent crime rate of 117 incidents per 100,000 residents, which is almost 70% lower than the national average, is incredibly low. The city has less than half the national average for theft, more than four times the national average for assaults, and only seven deaths in 2018.
Virginia Beach is very safe, but theft is one nonviolent crime that stands out because it happens so rarely. The city has a lower theft rate than the national average, even though it depends on family tourists, which makes it a pickpocket’s dream.
The median household income in Virginia Beach is $75,623, which is much higher than the national average. The average home sale price is $315,000, which is high when you consider that many of the sales are holiday condos rather than single-family homes.
Safest Large Cities in America No1. Irvine, California
Christina Shea (Republican) is the mayor.
Number of people: 282,572
Topping our list of the safest large cities in the U.S., Irvine continues to set the benchmark for community well-being and crime prevention. With the lowest property crime rate and one of the safest city populations in the country, Irvine’s dedication to maintaining high safety standards is unmatched.
The city’s public programs, substantial law enforcement presence, focus on community engagement, and high-quality public schools make it especially appealing to families seeking a safe, upscale suburban lifestyle. It’s no wonder Irvine remains one of the top ten safest cities in the U.S. year after year.
Irvine is about as thought out as a city can get. Orange County was created by the Irvine Company in the 1960s. It is in the southeast corner of the Los Angeles urban area, just outside of Anaheim.
Whatever the plan was for the 66-square-mile city, it worked: Irvine is by far the safest city in the United States. Irvine has 56 serious crimes for every 100,000 people, which is less than half of the second-highest rate on this list and 85% less than the national average[30]. Actually, none of Irvine’s four violent crimes—murder, rape, robbery, and assault—hit triple digits in 2018. In fact, the city didn’t even report a single murder that year.
Irvine is well-thought-out and nice because it has a good mix of business, culture, and outdoor activities. The Irvine Spectrum Center is one of the most popular places to shop, eat, and have fun in Southern California. Its Pretend City Children’s Museum is often included on “best of” lists made by well-known family publications. The SanJoaquinn Wildlife Sanctuary, on the other hand, is one of the most famous in Southern California.
Irvine is home to the offices of several prominent tech companies, such as Taco Bell (yuck) and In-N-Out Burger (yum). With a typical income of $95,573, it makes more than 50% more than the national average.
Related: 10 Place Names You’ve Been Saying Wrong
A Community Worth Investing In
When it comes to finding a secure environment for your family or yourself, these safest large cities in the U.S. stand out as prime locations to call home. With a focus on public safety, thriving economies, and strong community bonds, these cities deliver on all fronts.
Whether you’re drawn to the urban sophistication of Irvine, the family-friendly vibe of Lexington, or the scenic landscapes of Boise, each city on this list offers distinct opportunities to live safely and thrive.
Are you researching your next move? Make informed decisions using local crime reports, statistics, and community feedback to find the perfect fit for your needs.
