Morgan Quitno's America's Safest City Award


Previous Years' Rankings

Press Release | Safest Rank Order of 322 Cities | Most Dangerous Rank Order of 322 Cities

Alpha Order of 322 Cities | Population Groupings | "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 7 additional cities were considered this year.  The seven 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: This Year Last Year Change
1 Lakeland, FL      52.76     123.23      70.47   1 Savannah, GA     148.12      88.62     (59.50)
2 Springfield, MA     152.98     203.08      50.10   2 Sioux City, IA      65.59        9.30     (56.29)
3 Youngstown, OH     183.33     231.89      48.56   3 Macon, GA     169.04     116.93     (52.11)
4 Westland, MI     (21.65)      25.80      47.45   4 Providence, RI     119.46      71.83     (47.63)
5 Camden, NJ     275.21     320.07      44.86   5 Compton, CA     259.20     216.77     (42.43)
6 Inglewood, CA      93.56     135.32      41.76   6 Albany, NY      90.27      51.19     (39.08)
7 San Bernardino, CA      97.74     138.57      40.83   7 Columbia, SC     109.13      71.43     (37.70)
8 Richmond, VA     194.23     235.00      40.77   8 South Bend, IN     121.68      86.11     (35.57)
9 El Cajon, CA        3.21      42.12      38.91   9 Huntsville, AL      61.37      26.40     (34.97)
10 New Orleans, LA     210.92     249.15      38.23   10 Fayetteville, NC     153.89     119.34     (34.55)

 

This is the seventh 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.  Two years ago we lowered the population threshold to 75,000, which added approximately 100 cities.  Therefore the rankings are not comparable beyond the last two years.

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

November 22, 1999 Press Release

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's

Last Year's

Change

Improvement Rank (1-303)

Abilene, TX

5.00

(9.29)

(14.29)

248

Akron, OH

79.38

NA

NA

NA

Alameda, CA

(45.07)

(36.77)

8.30

81

Albany, GA

80.19

65.64

(14.55)

249

Albany, NY

90.27

51.19

(39.08)

298

Albuquerque, NM

122.57

119.64

(2.93)

180

Alexandria, VA

(28.97)

(5.15)

23.82

20

Alhambra, CA

(34.63)

(11.21)

23.42

21

Allentown, PA

49.04

53.60

4.56

112

Amarillo, TX

12.74

12.94

0.20

149

Amherst, NY

(83.85)

(80.65)

3.20

123

Anaheim, CA

(4.94)

(6.85)

(1.91)

175

Anchorage, AK

24.24

19.50

(4.74)

190

Ann Arbor, MI

(39.55)

(26.24)

13.31

52

Antioch, CA

(9.95)

21.95

31.90

13

Arlington, TX

12.16

10.15

(2.01)

177

Arlington, VA

(47.86)

(41.21)

6.65

98

Arvada, CO

(66.95)

NA

NA

NA

Athens-Clarke, GA

25.94

9.33

(16.61)

263

Atlanta, GA

347.73

348.29

0.56

145

Aurora, CO

32.55

38.16

5.61

106

Austin, TX

17.66

11.14

(6.52)

207

Bakersfield, CA

13.35

14.54

1.19

141

Baton Rouge, LA

159.82

174.52

14.70

45

Beaumont, TX

143.80

126.57

(17.23)

266

Bellevue, WA

(58.03)

(47.98)

10.05

67

Berkeley, CA

35.28

41.54

6.26

102

Billings, MT

(37.66)

NA

NA

NA

Birmingham, AL

168.39

164.31

(4.08)

185

Bloomington, MN

(33.89)

(39.64)

(5.75)

199

Boise, ID

(32.28)

(29.15)

3.13

124

Boston, MA

96.89

81.67

(15.22)

258

Boulder, CO

(47.14)

(39.71)

7.43

90

Brick Twnshp, NJ

(78.69)

(65.38)

13.31

51

Bridgeport, CT

166.10

154.92

(11.18)

237

Brockton, MA

67.49

62.23

(5.26)

194

Brownsville, TX

(19.13)

2.70

21.83

26

Buffalo, NY

112.02

110.87

(1.15)

167

Burbank, CA

(39.14)

(36.75)

2.39

133

Cambridge, MA

(11.85)

(12.83)

(0.98)

164

Camden, NJ

275.21

320.07

44.86

5

Canton Twnshp, MI

(58.81)

NA

NA

NA

Cape Coral, FL

(50.96)

(43.92)

7.04

94

Carlsbad, CA

(49.01)

NA

NA

NA

Carrollton, TX

(51.47)

(33.09)

18.38

34

Carson, CA

32.11

29.29

(2.82)

179

Cary, NC

(75.55)

(72.76)

2.79

127

Cedar Rapids, IA

(17.75)

NA

NA

NA

Chandler, AZ

(24.79)

(19.45)

5.34

108

Charleston, SC

49.60

NA

NA

NA

Charlotte, NC

120.76

101.41

(19.35)

269

Chattanooga, TN

167.15

159.87

(7.28)

214

Cheektowaga, NY

(58.72)

(57.43)

1.29

140

Chula Vista, CA

21.95

22.24

0.29

148

Cincinnati, OH

62.35

80.10

17.75

35

Clarkstown, NY

(64.93)

NA

NA

NA

Clarksville, TN

2.15

22.57

20.42

28

Clearwater, FL

37.01

29.65

(7.36)

216

Cleveland, OH

178.87

170.41

(8.46)

223

Clifton, NJ

(40.39)

NA

NA

NA

Clinton Twnshp, MI

5.84

0.76

(5.08)

193

Colonie, NY

(70.72)

(71.45)

(0.73)

161

Colorado Springs, CO

20.54

3.16

(17.38)

267

Columbia, MO

(32.16)

(10.03)

22.13

25

Columbia, SC

109.13

71.43

(37.70)

297

Columbus, GA

16.44

1.68

(14.76)

251

Columbus, OH

129.14

114.19

(14.95)

253

Compton, CA

259.20

216.77

(42.43)

299

Concord, CA

(10.99)

(2.54)

8.45

80

Coral Springs, FL

(46.74)

(41.64)

5.10

109

Corona, CA

(27.40)

(17.05)

10.35

64

Corpus Christi, TX

45.63

20.32

(25.31)

285

Costa Mesa, CA

(29.76)

(42.47)

(12.71)

242

Dallas, TX

187.84

175.03

(12.81)

244

Daly City, CA

(30.22)

(31.35)

(1.13)

166

Davenport, IA

64.07

48.99

(15.08)

255

Dayton, OH

199.92

176.64

(23.28)

278

Dearborn, MI

14.91

NA

NA

NA

Denton, TX

(14.33)

NA

NA

NA

Denver, CO

60.75

51.74

(9.01)

228

Des Moines, IA

4.97

14.99

10.02

69

Detroit, MI

370.07

354.71

(15.36)

259

Dover Twnshp, NJ

(60.32)

(66.77)

(6.45)

204

Downey, CA

26.44

22.51

(3.93)

183

Duluth, MN

(3.54)

(5.49)

(1.95)

176

Durham, NC

157.85

157.05

(0.80)

163

Edison Twnshp, NJ

(57.19)

(49.74)

7.45

89

El Cajon, CA

3.21

42.12

38.91

9

El Monte, CA

23.57

43.20

19.63

31

El Paso, TX

(15.65)

(12.89)

2.76

128

Elizabeth, NJ

97.44

90.48

(6.96)

210

Erie, PA

(7.69)

(7.98)

(0.29)

153

Escondido, CA

(2.43)

3.74

6.17

103

Eugene, OR

4.74

13.74

9.00

75

Evansville, IN

(10.74)

2.12

12.86

54

Everett, WA

98.94

100.47

1.53

139

Fairfield, CA

(1.00)

3.88

4.88

111

Fall River, MA

7.09

(3.61)

(10.70)

234

Fargo, ND

(36.87)

(53.67)

(16.80)

265

Farmington Hills, MI

(57.40)

(64.98)

(7.58)

220

Fayetteville, NC

153.89

119.34

(34.55)

294

Federal Way, WA

38.56

NA

NA

NA

Flint, MI

297.47

273.29

(24.18)

282

Fontana, CA

40.27

44.62

4.35

113

Fort Collins, CO

(21.01)

(32.74)

(11.73)

239

Fort Lauderdale, FL

123.75

130.31

6.56

100

Fort Smith, AR

18.04

2.85

(15.19)

257

Fort Wayne, IN

44.52

38.35

(6.17)

201

Fort Worth, TX

88.40

73.29

(15.11)

256

Fremont, CA

(58.68)

(34.11)

24.57

19

Fresno, CA

74.29

85.41

11.12

61

Fullerton, CA

(38.65)

(32.21)

6.44

101

Gainesville, FL

66.29

79.46

13.17

53

Garden Grove, CA

(3.63)

(16.28)

(12.65)

241

Garland, TX

(33.65)

(39.33)

(5.68)

197

Gary, IN

270.39

286.37

15.98

39

Gilbert, AZ

(46.72)

NA

NA

NA

Glendale, AZ

55.83

30.87

(24.96)

284

Glendale, CA

(46.75)

(48.52)

(1.77)

174

Grand Prairie, TX

24.06

22.46

(1.60)

172

Greece, NY

(73.63)

(74.95)

(1.32)

169

Green Bay, WI

(15.87)

(38.67)

(22.80)

277

Greensboro, NC

80.48

73.23

(7.25)

213

Gresham, OR

6.92

7.34

0.42

147

Hamilton Twnshp, NJ

(60.76)

(69.32)

(8.56)

224

Hammond, IN

109.27

93.47

(15.80)

260

Hampton, VA

(9.19)

(23.95)

(14.76)

252

Hartford, CT

122.78

131.44

8.66

77

Hayward, CA

41.69

26.66

(15.03)

254

Henderson, NV

(7.25)

9.57

16.82

38

Hialeah, FL

54.74

78.15

23.41

22

High Point, NC

89.45

89.03

(0.42)

155

Hollywood, FL

47.34

51.40

4.06

117

Honolulu, HI

(22.69)

(27.25)

(4.56)

188

Houston, TX

116.44

94.20

(22.24)

275

Huntington Beach, CA

(49.77)

(47.91)

1.86

137

Huntsville, AL

61.37

26.40

(34.97)

295

Independence, MO

6.62

8.31

1.69

138

Indianapolis, IN

96.75

112.33

15.58

41

Inglewood, CA

93.56

135.32

41.76

6

Irvine, CA

(62.94)

(54.78)

8.16

83

Irving, TX

(12.96)

(10.57)

2.39

134

Jacksonville, FL

87.37

86.17

(1.20)

168

Jackson, MS

245.28

236.32

(8.96)

227

Jersey City, NJ

107.82

95.81

(12.01)

240

Kalamazoo, MI

87.38

53.11

(34.27)

293

Kansas City, MO

233.27

236.86

3.59

118

Kenosha, WI

(32.95)

NA

NA

NA

Killeen, TX

23.11

53.16

30.05

14

Knoxville, TN

64.91

75.07

10.16

66

Lafayette, LA

36.13

48.27

12.14

58

Lake Forest, CA

(66.56)

(73.20)

(6.64)

208

Lakeland, FL

52.76

123.23

70.47

1

Lakewood, CA

1.51

(4.20)

(5.71)

198

Lakewood, CO

(15.95)

NA

NA

NA

Lancaster, CA

13.78

42.21

28.43

18

Lansing, MI

55.54

84.92

29.38

16

Laredo, TX

3.76

13.80

10.04

68

Las Cruces, NM

53.07

52.05

(1.02)

165

Las Vegas, NV

79.93

78.34

(1.59)

171

Lawton, OK

20.27

26.25

5.98

105

Lexington, KY

45.02

25.57

(19.45)

270

Lincoln, NE

(8.67)

(12.86)

(4.19)

186

Little Rock, AR

124.76

117.96

(6.80)

209

Livonia, MI

(45.66)

(52.13)

(6.47)

206

Long Beach, CA

48.70

43.90

(4.80)

191

Longview, TX

42.68

44.94

2.26

135

Los Angeles, CA

77.00

76.68

(0.32)

154

Louisville, KY

82.61

91.83

9.22

74

Lowell, MA

9.35

32.30

22.95

23

Lubbock, TX

61.66

41.04

(20.62)

273

Lynn, MA

76.35

NA

NA

NA

Macon, GA

169.04

116.93

(52.11)

301

Madison, WI

(28.31)

(24.83)

3.48

120

Manchester, NH

(28.70)

(26.03)

2.67

129

McAllen, TX

1.88

(4.58)

(6.46)

205

Memphis, TN

210.70

206.64

(4.06)

184

Mesa, AZ

12.14

11.66

(0.48)

157

Mesquite, TX

(36.44)

(46.46)

(10.02)

231

Miami Beach, FL

173.73

149.94

(23.79)

281

Miami-Dade, FL

220.66

255.59

34.93

11

Midland, TX

(18.99)

(16.32)

2.67

130

Milwaukee, WI

142.25

112.87

(29.38)

290

Minneapolis, MN

178.09

183.01

4.92

110

Mission Viejo, CA

(80.49)

(78.04)

2.45

132

Mobile, AL

42.82

62.02

19.20

32

Modesto, CA

10.61

18.67

8.06

84

Montgomery, AL

86.27

73.49

(12.78)

243

Moreno Valley, CA

12.99

30.68

17.69

36

Nashville, TN

147.18

159.19

12.01

59

New Haven, CT

145.27

145.18

(0.09)

151

New Orleans, LA

210.92

249.15

38.23

10

New York, NY

51.90

51.62

(0.28)

152

Newark, NJ

239.76

230.94

(8.82)

225

Newport News, VA

51.57

18.25

(33.32)

292

Newton, MA

(78.61)

(82.08)

(3.47)

182

Norman, OK

(51.07)

(36.51)

14.56

47

North Las Vegas, NV

114.04

125.22

11.18

60

Norwalk, CA

33.24

43.49

10.25

65

Oakland, CA

178.24

195.23

16.99

37

Oceanside, CA

5.96

13.69

7.73

88

Odessa, TX

(17.56)

(7.76)

9.80

70

Oklahoma City, OK

96.06

102.10

6.04

104

Omaha, NE

83.48

69.34

(14.14)

247

Ontario, CA

28.21

46.66

18.45

33

Orange, CA

(44.87)

(41.33)

3.54

119

Orem, UT

(65.28)

(74.22)

(8.94)

226

Orlando, FL

203.60

210.33

6.73

97

Oxnard, CA

(12.61)

(1.57)

11.04

62

Palm Bay, FL

9.83

3.40

(6.43)

202

Palmdale, CA

30.33

27.52

(2.81)

178

Pasadena, CA

(14.15)

(0.60)

13.55

50

Pasadena, TX

(0.81)

8.59

9.40

73

Paterson, NJ

58.12

48.95

(9.17)

229

Pembroke Pines, FL

(38.52)

(43.90)

(5.38)

195

Peoria, AZ

(12.08)

(27.89)

(15.81)

261

Philadelphia, PA

185.40

163.62

(21.78)

274

Phoenix, AZ

111.83

89.28

(22.55)

276

Pittsburgh, PA

86.23

62.87

(23.36)

280

Plano, TX

(53.50)

(44.95)

8.55

79

Plantation, FL

(2.08)

(9.44)

(7.36)

215

Pomona, CA

91.19

64.85

(26.34)

286

Pompano Beach, FL

102.70

131.45

28.75

17

Port St. Lucie, FL

(38.21)

(48.57)

(10.36)

233

Portland, OR

91.46

99.36

7.90

86

Portsmouth, VA

96.86

97.56

0.70

143

Providence, RI

119.46

71.83

(47.63)

300

Provo, UT

(55.60)

(48.28)

7.32

91

Pueblo, CO

45.85

58.48

12.63

56

Quincy, MA

(42.87)

(39.99)

2.88

126

Racine, WI

21.85

NA

NA

NA

Raleigh, NC

37.75

44.98

7.23

92

Rancho Cucamon., CA

(29.54)

(37.37)

(7.83)

222

Redding, CA

10.38

17.46

7.08

93

Reno, NV

23.05

13.62

(9.43)

230

Rialto, CA

28.45

27.83

(0.62)

159

Richardson, TX

(25.81)

(49.09)

(23.28)

279

Richmond, CA

175.45

146.94

(28.51)

288

Richmond, VA

194.23

235.00

40.77

8

Riverside, CA

41.14

27.66

(13.48)

245

Roanoke, VA

21.51

28.33

6.82

96

Rochester, MN

(39.12)

(29.70)

9.42

72

Rochester, NY

85.67

119.88

34.21

12

Sacramento, CA

81.44

91.08

9.64

71

Salem, OR

(5.99)

8.69

14.68

46

Salinas, CA

47.70

63.45

15.75

40

Salt Lake City, UT

83.39

87.69

4.30

114

San Angelo, TX

(11.27)

(24.76)

(13.49)

246

San Antonio, TX

26.31

24.64

(1.67)

173

San Bernardino, CA

97.74

138.57

40.83

7

San Diego, CA

6.91

7.46

0.55

146

San Francisco, CA

54.41

59.92

5.51

107

San Jose, CA

(19.97)

(16.87)

3.10

125

San Leandro, CA

19.33

NA

NA

NA

San Mateo, CA

(54.81)

(44.36)

10.45

63

Sandy, UT

(53.44)

(59.88)

(6.44)

203

Santa Ana, CA

12.19

5.17

(7.02)

212

Santa Barbara, CA

(27.83)

(35.33)

(7.50)

218

Santa Clara, CA

(56.05)

(47.83)

8.22

82

Santa Clarita, CA

(50.12)

(41.44)

8.68

76

Santa Monica, CA

9.40

39.16

29.76

15

Santa Rosa, CA

(13.14)

(5.13)

8.01

85

Savannah, GA

148.12

88.62

(59.50)

303

Scottsdale, AZ

(37.40)

(29.57)

7.83

87

Seattle, WA

85.22

79.10

(6.12)

200

Shreveport, LA

108.16

103.96

(4.20)

187

Simi Valley, CA

(75.96)

(69.36)

6.60

99

Sioux City, IA

65.59

9.30

(56.29)

302

Sioux Falls, SD

(20.86)

(49.37)

(28.51)

289

South Bend, IN

121.68

86.11

(35.57)

296

South Gate, CA

44.95

24.94

(20.01)

272

Southfield, MI

53.52

46.54

(6.98)

211

Spokane, WA

35.21

55.34

20.13

29

Springfield, MA

152.98

203.08

50.10

2

Springfield, MO

0.75

0.87

0.12

150

Stamford, CT

(33.81)

(29.66)

4.15

115

Sterling Heights, MI

(63.32)

(64.04)

(0.72)

160

Stockton, CA

98.93

81.32

(17.61)

268

St. Louis, MO

317.06

302.33

(14.73)

250

St. Paul, MN

69.83

83.47

13.64

49

St. Petersburg, FL

140.79

133.16

(7.63)

221

Sunnyvale, CA

(67.54)

(64.09)

3.45

121

Sunrise, FL

(2.38)

(7.00)

(4.62)

189

Syracuse, NY

45.53

35.44

(10.09)

232

Tacoma, WA

128.78

150.28

21.50

27

Tallahassee, FL

109.45

78.53

(30.92)

291

Tampa, FL

249.58

238.68

(10.90)

236

Tempe, AZ

35.09

30.17

(4.92)

192

Thornton, CO

(17.77)

NA

NA

NA

Thousand Oaks, CA

(71.73)

(75.01)

(3.28)

181

Toledo, OH

56.19

70.57

14.38

48

Topeka, KS

106.58

119.29

12.71

55

Torrance, CA

(28.99)

(29.52)

(0.53)

158

Trenton, NJ

157.98

138.27

(19.71)

271

Troy, MI

(69.46)

(68.78)

0.68

144

Tucson, AZ

76.35

96.32

19.97

30

Tulsa, OK

101.37

84.93

(16.44)

262

Tuscaloosa, AL

94.80

70.50

(24.30)

283

Upper Darby Twnshp, PA

(38.10)

(38.56)

(0.46)

156

Vacaville, CA

(39.93)

(36.51)

3.42

122

Vallejo, CA

67.62

70.19

2.57

131

Ventura, CA

(37.80)

(22.30)

15.50

42

Virginia Beach, VA

(45.42)

(46.83)

(1.41)

170

Visalia, CA

27.17

19.79

(7.38)

217

Vista, CA

(12.14)

2.75

14.89

44

Waco, TX

105.32

94.47

(10.85)

235

Warwick, RI

(60.49)

(59.61)

0.88

142

Washington, DC

247.55

230.88

(16.67)

264

Waterbury, CT

16.91

39.63

22.72

24

West Covina, CA

(13.04)

(0.58)

12.46

57

West Palm Beach, FL

268.35

267.61

(0.74)

162

West Valley, UT

7.06

(0.50)

(7.56)

219

Westland, MI

(21.65)

25.80

47.45

4

Westminster, CA

8.16

(19.73)

(27.89)

287

Westminster, CO

(39.67)

(45.16)

(5.49)

196

Whittier, CA

(41.72)

(26.52)

15.20

43

Wichita, KS

34.32

42.97

8.65

78

Winston-Salem, NC

123.43

125.42

1.99

136

Woodbridge Twnshp, NJ

(36.64)

(32.53)

4.11

116

Worcester, MA

66.44

55.18

(11.26)

238

Yonkers, NY

(8.88)

(2.01)

6.87

95

Youngstown, OH

183.33

231.89

48.56

3

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