The 25 safest cities to live in America
Safety is a priority whether you're choosing your next vacation spot, relocating for your career, or just exploring a new part of your city. It's a constant, if muted, concern.
While crime levels have generally been lowering over the past two decades, increased violent crime in some major U.S. cities this year has sparked a reinvigorated interest in public safety.
Niche, a company that researches and compiles information on cities, recently released its annual list of the safest cities in the country.
The ranking provides an analysis of safety factors, such as violent and property crime rates per capita, determining the cities with the lowest overall levels. For reference, violent crime includes assault, murder, robbery, and rape, while property crime includes burglary, larceny, and vehicular theft.
California proved to be the safest state in the nation, taking 11 of the top 25 cities. A suburb of one of the country's most dangerous cities landed in the number one spot.
Read on for the 25 safest cities in America.
25. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Visit Virginia Beach/Facebook
Population:445,623
Median household income: $67,001
Unemployment rate: 4.3%
Poverty rate: 8.3%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 146.4
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,174.9
24. Boise, Idaho
Boise Parks & Recreation/Facebook
Population:211,655
Median household income: $49,209
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Poverty rate: 15.1%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 296.4
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,085.9
23. Boulder, Colorado
City of Boulder Colorado/Facebook
Population:102,002
Median household income: $58,062
Unemployment rate: 4.6%
Poverty rate: 23.3%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 232
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,662.8
22. Richardson, Texas
City of Richardson Parks & Recreation/Facebook
Population:103,752
Median household income: $70,959
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Poverty rate: 10.4%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 169.2
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,274.4
21. Roseville, California
City of Roseville/Twitter
Population:103,752
Median household income: $70,959
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Poverty rate: 10.4%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 149.7
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,379.9
20. Temecula, California
Population:104,955
Median household income: $78,535
Unemployment rate: 6.9%
Poverty rate: 8.1%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 92.4
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,340.5
19. Rochester, Minnesota
Population:109,252
Median household income: $63,472
Unemployment rate: 3.5%
Poverty rate: 9.6%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 183.5
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,990
18. Bellevue, Washington
Stephen Brashear/Getty Images
Population: 132,268
Median household income: $92,524
Unemployment rate: 4.7%
Poverty rate: 8.0%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 106.4
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 3,400.5
17. Cape Coral, Florida
Nadezda Murmakova/Shutterstock
Population: 161,804
Median household income: $49,841
Unemployment rate: 7.8%
Poverty rate: 13.6%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 143.4
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,938.8
16. Burbank, California
Nito/Shutterstock
Population: 104,484
Median household income: $66,111
Unemployment rate: 6.1%
Poverty rate: 10.1%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 142.9
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,309.6
15. Carlsbad, California
City of Carlsbad/Facebook
Population: 109,296
Median household income: $87,416
Unemployment rate: 5.6%
Poverty rate: 10.4%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 181.7
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,541.5
14. Plano, Texas
Visit Plano/Twitter
Population: 271,166
Median household income: $82,944
Unemployment rate: 4.2%
Poverty rate: 7.5%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 165.2
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,974.7
13. Corona, California
City of Corona/Facebook
Population: 157,395
Median household income: $77,021
Unemployment rate: 7.1%
Poverty rate: 11.3%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 106.1
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,135
12. Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park Farmer's Market/Facebook
Population: 178,945
Median household income: $72,231
Unemployment rate: 3.7%
Poverty rate: 6.0%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 178.6
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,656.3
11. Santa Clara, California
Super Bowl 50/Facebook
Population:119,525
Median household income: $93,840
Unemployment rate: 5.2%
Poverty rate: 9.0%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 133.8
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,698.3
10. Torrance, California
Corky Buczyk/Shutterstock
Population: 147,181
Median household income: $78,286
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Poverty rate: 6.9%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 104.8
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,772.6
9. Fort Collins, Colorado
City of Fort Collins/Facebook
Population: 149,627
Median household income: $53,775
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Poverty rate: 18.4%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 213.6
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 2,455.6
8. Port St. Lucie, Florida
Population: 169,260
Median household income: $48,898
Unemployment rate: 8.5%
Poverty rate: 15.2%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 141
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,448.5
7. Sunnyvale, California
Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz/Shutterstock
Population:145,921
Median household income: $103,257
Unemployment rate: 5.4%
Poverty rate: 7.9%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 111.8
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,577.2
6. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Population: 115,985
Median household income: $56,835
Unemployment rate: 4.0%
Poverty rate: 22.8%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 164.8
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,868.1
5. Orange, California
Population: 138,980
Median household income: $77,086
Unemployment rate: 6.2%
Poverty rate: 12.5%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 100.9
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,591.9
4. Round Rock, Texas
Round Rock, Texas City Government/Facebook
Population: 106,972
Median household income: $70,952
Unemployment rate: 5.3%
Poverty rate: 9.6%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 124.8
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,951
3. Glendale, California
Philip Pilosian/Shutterstock
Population: 195,380
Median household income: $52,451
Unemployment rate: 6.7%
Poverty rate: 14.6%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 94.4
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,559.3
2. Thousand Oaks, California
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Population: 128,126
Median household income: $99,115
Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Poverty rate: 7.0%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 99.1
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,237.9
1. Naperville, Illinois
Naperville Park District/Facebook
Population: 144,108
Median household income: $109,512
Unemployment rate: 4.7%
Poverty rate: 4.4%
Annual violent crimes per 100,000: 77.6
Annual property crimes per 100,000: 1,123
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