Safety may seem like a simple concept, yet what defines the safest cities in America is rarely as obvious as it appears. People’s perceptions of where they live or travel are altered annually by minute changes in the nation’s equilibrium between security, stability, and trust. The latest national ranking offers an intriguing glimpse into this balance, sparking new curiosity about where that sense of calm truly endures, without revealing just yet which places managed to rise above the rest.
What the data measures when ranking the safest cities
182 American cities are evaluated by WalletHub in three categories: home and community safety, financial safety, and risk of natural disasters. Those pillars contain 41 indicators that track reality, from violent and property crime to traffic accidents and pedestrian fatalities. That wider lens ranks the safest cities with more context than police reports alone.
Resilience in terms of finances is also a component of safety. Credit scores, the uninsured share, emergency savings, and unemployment and poverty rates are examples of indicators. The index also considers fraud exposure and identity theft risks because financial shocks exacerbate stress. Cities score higher when households withstand setbacks without losing housing, coverage, or essential care.
Method design matters, because broader metrics reward places that prevent harm and limit fallout when trouble hits. Mid-sized markets often climb, since congestion, costs, and exposure usually run lower. Walkability, responsive services, and steady jobs combine with realistic local budgets to support durable, everyday security for residents.
From ranking tables to daily life on the ground
After ranking third and fifth the previous year, Warwick, Rhode Island now holds the top spot. Routine safety is excellent, with very few street pedestrian fatalities and low rates of theft and assault. Warwick ranks top-ten on home and community safety, with low uninsured and poverty rates limiting household risk.
Road safety and sound financial standing are combined in Overland Park, Kansas. It has the 21st-lowest percentage of uninsured drivers, the fifth-lowest pedestrian fatality rate, and the 15th-lowest traffic fatality rate. In terms of finances, few owners spend more than 35% of their income on mortgages, median credit scores are high, and unemployment is the 14th lowest.
Effective prevention is working, as evidenced by Burlington, Vermont’s exceptionally low rates of violent crime, including rape and assault. Its Northeast location reduces the risk of disasters and expensive disruptions by avoiding hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires. It is among the safest cities for citizens due to its extensive health insurance coverage, robust fraud protections, and daily stability.
Patterns across regions, sizes, and local economies
Also in the top ten: Juneau, Alaska; Yonkers, New York; Casper, Wyoming; South Burlington, Vermont. Columbia, Maryland; Lewiston, Maine; and Salem, Oregon join them as consistent performers. Their edge blends low street risk, steady services, reliable clinics, well-funded schools, and predictable costs. Those layers buffer households from sudden shocks.
Regional trends stand out. New England leads again, followed by strong Midwest and Northwest showings across metrics. Big coastal cities fall behind: Los Angeles is ranked No. 156, Miami No. 113, and New York City No. 117. These composite scores are lowered by a combination of housing stress, crime pressure, and traffic exposure.
Vermont cities thrive thanks to balanced safety and money health that compounds over time. Households can withstand shocks without suffering cascading losses when they have low unemployment, high insurance coverage, and stronger emergency savings. Lower disaster risk also matters, while close community networks keep finances and streets among the safest cities nationally.
What the safest cities get right at street level
Category leaders reveal how safety compounds across life. Columbia, Maryland records the fewest assaults per capita, while Port St. Lucie, Florida and Gilbert, Arizona post standout street safety. Lower hate-crime rates in Irvine, California and Madison, Wisconsin deepen trust, which supports reporting and cooperation with local services.
Road design matters as much as enforcement, because streets shape behavior long before patrols arrive. Safer crossings and walkable grids prevent damage before it occurs and save lives. Overland Park’s pedestrian safety record continues to serve as a model for peers, and Sunnyvale, California, boasts one of the lowest rates of traffic fatalities.
Digital life adds risk, yet some cities blunt the blows with prevention and response. Fargo, North Dakota and Boise, Idaho report fewer fraud and identity-theft cases per capita, which eases stress. Burlington, Vermont and Spokane, Washington excel on geography and planning, keeping readiness high among safest cities peers year-round.
Complete 2025 top-25 list and what that mix signals
The ranking favors steady, mid-size economies where services keep pace and infrastructure holds under strain. Safety runs broader than crime; it spans budgets, clinics, insurance coverage, and resilient roads that reduce harm. That blend guides travel and relocation choices, while the 182-city table also maps the least secure markets.
• Warwick, Rhode Island
• Overland Park, Kansas
• Burlington, Vermont
• Juneau, Alaska
• Yonkers, New York
• Casper, Wyoming
• South Burlington, Vermont
• Columbia, Maryland
• Lewiston, Maine
• Salem, Oregon
• Nashua, New Hampshire
• Boise, Idaho
• Laredo, Texas
• Santa Rosa, California
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Nampa, Idaho
• Irvine, California
• Chesapeake, Virginia
• Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Bismarck, North Dakota
• Honolulu, Hawaii
• Portland, Maine
• Chula Vista, California
• Vancouver, Washington
• Madison, Wisconsin
How to use this ranking for smart, low-stress decisions
A city earns trust when daily life stays predictable, fair, and protected, and the safest cities deliver that mix. Scan street outcomes, then confirm wide insurance coverage, sound clinics, and real disaster plans. Next, check money stress: unemployment, poverty, emergency savings, and credit health all matter. When those boxes hold, families, students, and travelers gain breathing room. They plan boldly, because everyday risks feel measured and manageable rather than constant.
