Morgan Quitno's America's Safest City Award


Previous Years' Rankings

Press Release | Safest Rank Order of 315 Cities | Most Dangerous Rank Order of 315 Cities

Alpha Order of 315 Cities | "Missing Cities" | MethodologyMetro Area Awards

Corporate Information | MQ Home Page

A note about the comparability between this year's rankings and previous years:

The scores given in this and last year's rankings were calculated using the same methodology and are comparable.   The population threshold is also the same at 75,000.  However, a city's ranking is not necessarily comparable because 15 additional cities were considered this year.  An example is Gary, Indiana.  Gary came in as the Most Dangerous City last year, ranking as the 300th Safest City (out of 300 cities).  This year Gary improved to where it is only the sixth most dangerous.  However, it is ranked 310th.  The fifteen additional cities make a direct comparison of rankings inaccurate.

Shown below is a table showing the ten cities with the biggest improvements in their scores and the ten cities with the biggest drops in their scores.   For a full alphabetical listing of cities comparing scores from last year to this year, click on this link to the table at the bottom of this page.

Most Improved Cities

 

Cities With Biggest Drops

 

Scores:

This Year

Last Year

Change

   

Scores:

6th

5th

Change

1

Gary, IN

286.37

370.61

84.24

 

1

Flint, MI

273.29

200.64

(72.65)

2

Pembroke Pines, FL

(43.90)

37.33

81.23

 

2

Kansas City, MO

236.86

191.01

(45.85)

3

Mobile, AL

62.02

110.75

48.73

 

3

Baltimore, MD

307.57

265.78

(41.79)

4

Corona, CA

(17.05)

29.82

46.87

 

4

Jackson, MS

236.32

195.53

(40.79)

5

New Haven, CT

145.18

189.18

44.00

 

5

Atlanta, GA

348.29

308.30

(39.99)

6

Camden, NJ

320.07

363.20

43.13

 

6

Lubbock, TX

41.04

3.65

(37.39)

7

Bridgeport, CT

154.92

197.20

42.28

 

7

Roanoke, VA

28.33

(8.10)

(36.43)

8

Coral Springs, FL

(41.64)

(0.69)

40.95

 

8

Orlando, FL

210.33

174.33

(36.00)

9

Fresno, CA

85.41

119.87

34.46

 

9

Killeen, TX

53.16

18.14

(35.02)

10

Minneapolis, MN

183.01

216.28

33.27

 

10

Spokane, WA

55.34

20.80

(34.54)

This is the sixth year that we have issued these Safest City and Safest Metropolitan Area rankings.  The first year we only ranked the nation's 100 largest cities.  The second year we looked at cities of more than 100,000 but used a different method to determine the rankings.  The third and fourth years we also examined cities of more than 100,000 in partnership with Money Magazine.  Both used the same method as this and last year except the weight given each crime differed slightly.  Lowering the population threshold to 75,000 added approximately 100 cities.  Therefore the rankings are not comparable beyond last year.

Because of interest in the previous year's rankings we have left those pages on our website. Click below to go to those pages.  To return to this year's ranking you will need to return to our home page and click there on the connection to our new press release. The rankings from the first two years are not available on our website.  Please call us at 785-841-3534 if you need those rankings.

PREVIOUS YEARS' RANKINGS

December 30, 1998 Press Release

November 6, 1997 Press Release

November 26, 1996 Press Release

The following table is an alphabetical listing of cities showing change in each city's score from last year's rankings to this years.  Cities with "NA" were not listed last year and so no comparison is possible.

Scores:

This Year

Last Year

Change

Improvement Rank (1-289)

Abilene, TX

(9.29)

(13.84)

(4.55)

179

Alameda, CA

(36.77)

(30.45)

6.32

105

Albany, GA

65.64

59.72

(5.92)

194

Albany, NY

51.19

48.55

(2.64)

169

Albuquerque, NM

119.64

124.81

5.17

109

Alexandria, VA

(5.15)

(3.70)

1.45

138

Alhambra, CA

(11.21)

(26.44)

(15.23)

249

Allentown, PA

53.60

26.17

(27.43)

269

Amarillo, TX

12.94

10.21

(2.73)

170

Amherst, NY

(80.65)

(81.70)

(1.05)

156

Anaheim, CA

(6.85)

6.13

12.98

60

Anchorage, AK

19.50

22.80

3.30

119

Ann Arbor, MI

(26.24)

(47.89)

(21.65)

258

Antioch, CA

21.95

NA

NA

 

Arlington, TX

10.15

10.49

0.34

144

Arlington, VA

(41.21)

(38.16)

3.05

121

Athens, GA

9.33

NA

NA

 

Atlanta, GA

348.29

308.30

(39.99)

285

Aurora, CO

38.16

28.64

(9.52)

223

Austin, TX

11.14

30.20

19.06

38

Bakersfield, CA

14.54

19.61

5.07

110

Baltimore, MD

307.57

265.78

(41.79)

287

Baton Rouge, LA

174.52

153.88

(20.64)

256

Beaumont, TX

126.57

101.78

(24.79)

265

Bellevue, WA

(47.98)

(25.25)

22.73

27

Berkeley, CA

41.54

52.68

11.14

69

Birmingham, AL

164.31

184.96

20.65

30

Bloomington, MN

(39.64)

(39.18)

0.46

143

Boise, ID

(29.15)

(37.63)

(8.48)

214

Boston, MA

81.67

89.59

7.92

87

Boulder, CO

(39.71)

(31.54)

8.17

86

Brick Twnsp, NJ

(65.38)

NA

NA

 

Bridgeport, CT

154.92

197.20

42.28

7

Brockton, MA

62.23

66.17

3.94

117

Brownsville, TX

2.70

17.50

14.80

47

Buffalo, NY

110.87

130.19

19.32

36

Burbank, CA

(36.75)

(38.42)

(1.67)

161

Cambridge, MA

(12.83)

(25.49)

(12.66)

239

Camden, NJ

320.07

363.20

43.13

6

Canton, OH

133.32

100.31

(33.01)

279

Cape Coral, FL

(43.92)

(53.83)

(9.91)

225

Carrollton, TX

(33.09)

(36.92)

(3.83)

177

Carson, CA

29.29

36.30

7.01

99

Cary, NC

(72.76)

NA

NA

 

Chandler, AZ

(19.45)

(12.03)

7.42

94

Charlotte, NC

101.41

103.74

2.33

131

Chattanooga, TN

159.87

127.90

(31.97)

276

Cheektowaga, NY

(57.43)

(62.34)

(4.91)

184

Chesapeake, VA

(29.82)

(22.13)

7.69

90

Chula Vista, CA

22.24

17.14

(5.10)

187

Cincinnati, OH

80.10

NA

NA

 

Clarksville, TN

22.57

49.73

27.16

18

Clearwater, FL

29.65

24.57

(5.08)

185

Cleveland, OH

170.41

168.87

(1.54)

159

Clinton Twnsp, MI

0.76

NA

NA

 

Colonie Town, NY

(71.45)

NA

NA

 

Colorado Springs, CO

3.16

NA

NA

 

Columbia, MO

(10.03)

(23.58)

(13.55)

242

Columbia, SC

71.43

94.50

23.07

26

Columbus, GA

1.68

(10.36)

(12.04)

233

Columbus, OH

114.19

114.72

0.53

142

Compton, CA

216.77

236.72

19.95

34

Concord, CA

(2.54)

(11.83)

(9.29)

219

Coral Springs, FL

(41.64)

(0.69)

40.95

8

Corona, CA

(17.05)

29.82

46.87

4

Corpus Christi, TX

20.32

32.54

12.22

63

Costa Mesa, CA

(42.47)

(28.06)

14.41

51

Dallas, TX

175.03

143.03

(32.00)

277

Daly City, CA

(31.35)

(32.92)

(1.57)

160

Davenport, IA

48.99

33.04

(15.95)

250

Dayton, OH

176.64

171.77

(4.87)

183

Denver, CO

51.74

58.68

6.94

101

Des Moines, IA

14.99

9.49

(5.50)

191

Detroit, MI

354.71

323.31

(31.40)

274

Dover, NJ

(66.77)

(58.29)

8.48

84

Downey, CA

22.51

15.86

(6.65)

198

Duluth, MN

(5.49)

4.40

9.89

75

Durham, NC

157.05

166.81

9.76

77

Edison, NJ

(49.74)

(52.49)

(2.75)

171

El Cajon, CA

42.12

27.74

(14.38)

247

El Monte, CA

43.20

37.03

(6.17)

195

El Paso, TX

(12.89)

(3.84)

9.05

80

Elizabeth, NJ

90.48

103.81

13.33

58

Erie, PA

(7.98)

8.94

16.92

43

Escondido, CA

3.74

17.97

14.23

54

Eugene, OR

13.74

11.97

(1.77)

163

Evansville, IN

2.12

(9.97)

(12.09)

234

Everett, WA

100.47

87.46

(13.01)

241

Fairfield, CA

3.88

11.69

7.81

88

Fall River, MA

(3.61)

(9.08)

(5.47)

190

Fargo, ND

(53.67)

(54.05)

(0.38)

147

Farmington Hills, MI

(64.98)

(63.33)

1.65

137

Fayetteville, NC

119.34

94.68

(24.66)

264

Flint, MI

273.29

200.64

(72.65)

289

Fontana, CA

44.62

60.19

15.57

45

Fort Collins, CO

(32.74)

(40.48)

(7.74)

207

Fort Lauderdale, FL

130.31

157.63

27.32

17

Fort Smith, AR

2.85

15.45

12.60

62

Fort Wayne, IN

38.35

58.06

19.71

35

Fort Worth, TX

73.29

66.55

(6.74)

199

Fremont, CA

(34.11)

(34.71)

(0.60)

152

Fresno, CA

85.41

119.87

34.46

9

Fullerton, CA

(32.21)

(35.53)

(3.32)

176

Gainesville, FL

79.46

66.69

(12.77)

240

Garden Grove, CA

(16.28)

(21.03)

(4.75)

181

Garland, TX

(39.33)

(41.02)

(1.69)

162

Gary, IN

286.37

370.61

84.24

1

Glendale, AZ

30.87

40.79

9.92

73

Glendale, CA

(48.52)

(35.90)

12.62

61

Grand Prairie, TX

22.46

28.90

6.44

104

Grand Rapids, MI

77.61

49.54

(28.07)

271

Greece, NY

(74.95)

(73.25)

1.70

136

Green Bay, WI

(38.67)

(46.63)

(7.96)

210

Greensboro, NC

73.23

62.90

(10.33)

229

Gresham, OR

7.34

21.77

14.43

50

Hamilton, NJ

(69.32)

(66.45)

2.87

125

Hammond, IN

93.47

91.47

(2.00)

165

Hampton, VA

(23.95)

(22.09)

1.86

134

Hartford, CT

131.44

112.67

(18.77)

254

Hayward, CA

26.66

34.33

7.67

91

Henderson, NV

9.57

4.81

(4.76)

182

Hialeah, FL

78.15

82.81

4.66

112

High Point, NC

89.03

99.25

10.22

70

Hollywood, FL

51.40

65.95

14.55

49

Honolulu, HI

(27.25)

(19.99)

7.26

96

Houston, TX

94.20

86.57

(7.63)

205

Huntington Beach, CA

(47.91)

(43.46)

4.45

115

Huntsville, AL

26.40

41.71

15.31

46

Independence, MO

8.31

0.52

(7.79)

208

Indianapolis, IN

112.33

103.29

(9.04)

217

Inglewood, CA

135.32

123.02

(12.30)

238

Irvine, CA

(54.78)

(64.87)

(10.09)

228

Irving, TX

(10.57)

(19.96)

(9.39)

220

Jacksonville, FL

86.17

93.37

7.20

97

Jackson, MS

236.32

195.53

(40.79)

286

Jersey City, NJ

95.81

119.18

23.37

25

Kalamazoo, MI

53.11

NA

NA

 

Kansas City, MO

236.86

191.01

(45.85)

288

Killeen, TX

53.16

18.14

(35.02)

281

Knoxville, TN

75.07

50.73

(24.34)

263

Lafayette, LA

48.27

68.53

20.26

32

Lake Forest, CA

(73.20)

NA

NA

 

Lakeland, FL

123.23

NA

NA

 

Lakewood, CA

(4.20)

2.80

7.00

100

Lancaster, CA

42.21

46.02

3.81

118

Lansing, MI

84.92

85.15

0.23

145

Laredo, TX

13.80

4.57

(9.23)

218

Las Cruces, NM

52.05

NA

NA

 

Las Vegas, NV

78.34

NA

NA

 

Lawton, OK

26.25

16.17

(10.08)

227

Lexington, KY

25.57

23.66

(1.91)

164

Lincoln, NE

(12.86)

(20.94)

(8.08)

212

Little Rock, AR

117.96

128.03

10.07

71

Livonia, MI

(52.13)

(60.83)

(8.70)

216

Long Beach, CA

43.90

51.21

7.31

95

Longview, TX

44.94

17.53

(27.41)

268

Los Angeles, CA

76.68

100.50

23.82

23

Louisville, KY

91.83

110.71

18.88

40

Lowell, MA

32.30

30.95

(1.35)

158

Lubbock, TX

41.04

3.65

(37.39)

284

Macon, GA

116.93

84.02

(32.91)

278

Madison, WI

(24.83)

(28.73)

(3.90)

178

Manchester, NH

(26.03)

NA

NA

 

McAllen, TX

(4.58)

4.05

8.63

83

Memphis, TN

206.64

235.82

29.18

16

Mesa, AZ

11.66

16.18

4.52

113

Mesquite, TX

(46.46)

(44.29)

2.17

133

Miami Beach, FL

149.94

180.99

31.05

11

Miami, FL

255.59

265.29

9.70

78

Midland, TX

(16.32)

(9.56)

6.76

102

Milwaukee, WI

112.87

102.27

(10.60)

230

Minneapolis, MN

183.01

216.28

33.27

10

Mission Viejo, CA

(78.04)

(70.39)

7.65

92

Mobile, AL

62.02

110.75

48.73

3

Modesto, CA

18.67

38.64

19.97

33

Montgomery, AL

73.49

51.72

(21.77)

260

Moreno Valley, CA

30.68

38.46

7.78

89

Nashville, TN

159.19

173.53

14.34

53

New Bedford, MA

38.88

33.76

(5.12)

188

New Haven, CT

145.18

189.18

44.00

5

New Orleans, LA

249.15

270.57

21.42

29

New York, NY

51.62

57.84

6.22

106

Newark, NJ

230.94

261.13

30.19

13

Newport News, VA

18.25

10.27

(7.98)

211

Newton, MA

(82.08)

(78.81)

3.27

120

Norfolk, VA

53.05

76.94

23.89

22

Norman, OK

(36.51)

(29.87)

6.64

103

North Las Vegas, NV

125.22

NA

NA

 

Norwalk, CA

43.49

37.18

(6.31)

197

Norwalk, CT

(37.82)

(37.10)

0.72

140

Oakland, CA

195.23

207.36

12.13

64

Oceanside, CA

13.69

11.11

(2.58)

167

Odessa, TX

(7.76)

(8.71)

(0.95)

155

Oklahoma City, OK

102.10

96.22

(5.88)

193

Omaha, NE

69.34

62.14

(7.20)

203

Ontario, CA

46.66

54.26

7.60

93

Orange, CA

(41.33)

(16.94)

24.39

20

Orem, UT

(74.22)

(57.25)

16.97

42

Orlando, FL

210.33

174.33

(36.00)

282

Oxnard, CA

(1.57)

7.68

9.25

79

Palm Bay, FL

3.40

(21.94)

(25.34)

266

Palmdale, CA

27.52

39.42

11.90

66

Pasadena, CA

(0.60)

13.76

14.36

52

Pasadena, TX

8.59

9.30

0.71

141

Paterson, NJ

48.95

60.10

11.15

68

Pembroke Pines, FL

(43.90)

37.33

81.23

2

Peoria, AZ

(27.89)

NA

NA

 

Philadelphia, PA

163.62

NA

NA

 

Phoenix, AZ

89.28

92.06

2.78

128

Pittsburgh, PA

62.87

52.88

(9.99)

226

Plano, TX

(44.95)

(52.82)

(7.87)

209

Plantation, FL

(9.44)

(10.10)

(0.66)

153

Pomona, CA

64.85

80.99

16.14

44

Pompano Beach, FL

131.45

149.96

18.51

41

Port St. Lucie, FL

(48.57)

NA

NA

 

Portland, OR

99.36

122.96

23.60

24

Portsmouth, VA

97.56

94.44

(3.12)

173

Providence, RI

71.83

64.75

(7.08)

202

Provo, UT

(48.28)

(50.32)

(2.04)

166

Pueblo, CO

58.48

36.15

(22.33)

261

Quincy, MA

(39.99)

(42.93)

(2.94)

172

Raleigh, NC

44.98

37.91

(7.07)

201

Rancho Cucamon., CA

(37.37)

(30.25)

7.12

98

Reading, PA

105.94

135.18

29.24

15

Redding, CA

17.46

NA

NA

 

Reno, NV

13.62

22.39

8.77

82

Rialto, CA

27.83

8.47

(19.36)

255

Richardson, TX

(49.09)

(57.55)

(8.46)

213

Richmond, CA

146.94

176.77

29.83

14

Richmond, VA

235.00

265.87

30.87

12

Riverside, CA

27.66

46.70

19.04

39

Roanoke, VA

28.33

(8.10)

(36.43)

283

Rochester, MN

(29.70)

(35.07)

(5.37)

189

Rochester, NY

119.88

124.37

4.49

114

Sacramento, CA

91.08

93.94

2.86

126

Salem, OR

8.69

(3.34)

(12.03)

232

Salinas, CA

63.45

55.74

(7.71)

206

Salt Lake City, UT

87.69

90.54

2.85

127

San Angelo, TX

(24.76)

(36.98)

(12.22)

237

San Antonio, TX

24.64

24.16

(0.48)

151

San Bernardino, CA

138.57

153.36

14.79

48

San Diego, CA

7.46

16.24

8.78

81

San Francisco, CA

59.92

58.80

(1.12)

157

San Jose, CA

(16.87)

(6.99)

9.88

76

San Mateo, CA

(44.36)

NA

NA

 

Sandy, UT

(59.88)

(56.91)

2.97

122

Santa Ana, CA

5.17

18.33

13.16

59

Santa Barbara, CA

(35.33)

(16.09)

19.24

37

Santa Clara, CA

(47.83)

(45.26)

2.57

129

Santa Clarita, CA

(41.44)

(47.74)

(6.30)

196

Santa Monica, CA

39.16

26.96

(12.20)

236

Santa Rosa, CA

(5.13)

8.59

13.72

56

Savannah, GA

88.62

67.80

(20.82)

257

Scottsdale, AZ

(29.57)

NA

NA

 

Seattle, WA

79.10

65.35

(13.75)

243

Shreveport, LA

103.96

110.16

6.20

107

Simi Valley, CA

(69.36)

(59.45)

9.91

74

Sioux City, IA

9.30

6.17

(3.13)

174

Sioux Falls, SD

(49.37)

(37.71)

11.66

67

Somerville, MA

(33.54)

NA

NA

 

South Bend, IN

86.11

78.75

(7.36)

204

South Gate, CA

24.94

45.47

20.53

31

Southfield, MI

46.54

49.04

2.50

130

Spokane, WA

55.34

20.80

(34.54)

280

Springfield, MA

203.08

177.13

(25.95)

267

Springfield, MO

0.87

(7.68)

(8.55)

215

Stamford, CT

(29.66)

(39.26)

(9.60)

224

Sterling Heights, MI

(64.04)

(64.45)

(0.41)

148

Stockton, CA

81.32

106.29

24.97

19

St. Louis, MO

302.33

296.68

(5.65)

192

St. Paul, MN

83.47

69.27

(14.20)

245

St. Petersburg, FL

133.16

121.07

(12.09)

234

Sunnyvale, CA

(64.09)

(66.70)

(2.61)

168

Sunrise, FL

(7.00)

6.61

13.61

57

Syracuse, NY

35.44

35.29

(0.15)

146

Tacoma, WA

150.28

133.59

(16.69)

251

Tallahassee, FL

78.53

78.08

(0.45)

149

Tampa, FL

238.68

206.83

(31.85)

275

Tempe, AZ

30.17

31.18

1.01

139

Thousand Oaks, CA

(75.01)

(70.93)

4.08

116

Toledo, OH

70.57

63.65

(6.92)

200

Topeka, KS

119.29

89.38

(29.91)

273

Torrance, CA

(29.52)

(26.59)

2.93

124

Trenton, NJ

138.27

123.95

(14.32)

246

Troy, MI

(68.78)

(63.41)

5.37

108

Tucson, AZ

96.32

81.65

(14.67)

248

Tulsa, OK

84.93

81.72

(3.21)

175

Tuscaloosa, AL

70.50

65.42

(5.08)

185

Tyler, TX

44.58

17.10

(27.48)

270

Upper Darby Twnshp, PA

(38.56)

NA

NA

 

Vacaville, CA

(36.51)

(28.10)

8.41

85

Vallejo, CA

70.19

60.72

(9.47)

222

Ventura, CA

(22.30)

(26.85)

(4.55)

179

Virginia Beach, VA

(46.83)

(45.04)

1.79

135

Visalia, CA

19.79

29.76

9.97

72

Vista, CA

2.75

(9.07)

(11.82)

231

Waco, TX

94.47

93.61

(0.86)

154

Warren, MI

58.88

NA

NA

 

Warwick, RI

(59.61)

(54.79)

4.82

111

Washington, DC

230.88

252.66

21.78

28

Waterbury, CT

39.63

22.82

(16.81)

252

West Covina, CA

(0.58)

(1.05)

(0.47)

150

West Palm Beach, FL

267.61

249.65

(17.96)

253

West Valley, UT

(0.50)

2.44

2.94

123

Westland, MI

25.80

NA

NA

 

Westminster, CA

(19.73)

4.52

24.25

21

Westminster, CO

(45.16)

NA

NA

 

Whittier, CA

(26.52)

(24.28)

2.24

132

Wichita Falls, TX

21.97

0.21

(21.76)

259

Wichita, KS

42.97

55.01

12.04

65

Winston-Salem, NC

125.42

102.55

(22.87)

262

Woodbridge, NJ

(32.53)

(41.98)

(9.45)

221

Worcester, MA

55.18

41.16

(14.02)

244

Yonkers, NY

(2.01)

12.12

14.13

55

Youngstown, OH

231.89

202.88

(29.01)

272

Back to the Top