The United States is home to a ton of cities. Many states have several metropolitan areas with plenty of apartments, jobs, and things to do. That said, how many of these cities are safe?
If you want to find the safest possible cities in the country, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we take you through the safest cities in the USA.
The Leading Five Safest Cities in the USA
The United States is home to thousands of cities, towns, and counties. To help you narrow down your options to the safest places to live, we take you through the top 5 safest cities in the USA below.
1. South Burlington, Vermont
Nestled in the quiet and picturesque state of Vermont, South Burlington is one of the safest cities in the USA. The city has one of the lowest crime rates in the country in all categories of crime, and the county has the lowest fatality rate in the country.
South Burlington is also safe because plenty of housing is available at affordable rates, and work is abundant. In fact, the unemployment rate is only 1.9%, which is lower than many cities in the county.
2. Casper, Wyoming
Another safe city in the USA is Casper, which is a small city located in Wyoming. What makes this city safe is its low crime rate in every category and low pedestrian fatality rate. Another fun fact about this city is that it’s ranked as the 2nd-safest city to walk around alone at night and the 4th-safest to walk around during the day.
Casper also has a manageable cost of living and plenty of housing available. Plus, the city has one of the lowest rates of fraud in the country, so once you start making money, you don’t have to worry about keeping it.
3. Scottsdale, Arizona
If you want a city that feels more like a big city, Scottsdale is one of your safest options. It’s one of the biggest cities on our list, but it still has a low rate of crime, plenty of housing, and a growing economy. For example, the crime rate decreased by 16% from 2023 to 2024, with a violent crime rate dropping to just under 3.080 per 1,000 residents.
This makes it a great place to live for young adults who are just starting their careers. Plus, the city is home to a lot of suburbs that work well for families of all sizes.
4. Warwick, Rhode Island
If you love the Northeast, the beach, and having four seasons, you can’t go wrong with Warwick, Rhode Island. It’s close to one of the biggest cities in Rhode Island (Providence) and has some of the lowest murder, theft, and aggravated assault rates in the United States.
Warwick also has a lot of suburbs and places to live, and housing isn’t as expensive as in some bigger cities in the area, like Boston or Providence. Furthermore, Warwick has low poverty levels and a lower unemployment rate than many other cities.
5. Irvine
Moving to the West Coast of the USA, you can’t go wrong with Irvine. While the cost of living is high, plenty of job opportunities are available, and poverty rates are low. Plus, Irvine is great for students because the city has plenty of universities.
When it comes to crime, Irvine has some of the lowest crime rates in California. In fact, from 2000 to 2025, Irvine has had one of the lowest rates of violent crime per 250,000 people in the USA. Other crime rates are also low, so you don’t have to worry about high rates of theft, assault, or property crime.
What Are the Safest States in the USA?
Knowing the safest cities in the United States is a good place to start, but it’s also helpful to know which states are safe. This can help you choose more cities in a different area.
The safest states in the USA tend to be:
- Vermont
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Utah
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- Washington
These states tend to be the safest, but it’s important to note that there may be cities or pockets in each state that are unsafe.
Choose the Safest Cities in the USA
Whether you’re moving to a new city to start your career or you plan on starting a family, you’ll find plenty of safe cities in the United States. Any of the cities that we covered in this article are a good choice, so it’s a matter of personal preference.
If you decide to move to one of the safest cities in the USA, we always recommend verifying that the neighborhood is safe and using a reliable reverse address lookup tool. This is because some pockets in safe cities may be unsafe, so it’s always good to be sure.