Safest Cities in California

These 100 cities have the lowest crime rates in California, based on 2024 FBI data. The safest cities average just 1,318 crimes per 100,000 residents — 52% below the national average of 2,752.

The top 3 safest cities are Imperial (CA, crime rate: 259), Newman (CA, crime rate: 543), and Moraga (CA, crime rate: 578).

The gap between the safest and most typical cities is striking. The #1 safest city, Imperial, reports a crime rate of just 259 per 100K — 91% below the national average. Even the city ranked #100 on this list, South San Francisco (CA), still has a rate of 1,859 — well below the national norm of 2,752.

Property crime — including burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft — typically makes up the majority of offenses even in safe cities. However, these cities stand out for their exceptionally low violent crime rates, averaging just 279 per 100K compared to the national average of 473. Low violent crime is what most residents prioritize when evaluating neighborhood safety.

Safety is not static. Crime rates fluctuate year to year based on economic conditions, policing strategies, population changes, and reporting practices. A city on this list today may not appear next year, and vice versa. We recommend checking individual city pages for multi-year trend data before making any decisions based on a single year's ranking.

In terms of our Safety Score system, these cities average a score of 63/100, with the top-ranked city scoring 98/100. For comparison, the national average is 50/100. A safety score above 70 indicates a city with a notably low crime rate, and every city on this list significantly exceeds that threshold. The Safety Score provides a quick way to compare any two cities — the higher the score, the lower the crime rate relative to national norms.

The 100 safest cities in California share a common trait: crime rates far below the national norm. On average, these cities report 1,318 total crimes per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752. That's 52% less crime than the typical American city, with violent crime averaging just 279 per 100K.

The median city on this list — Greenfield, CA — has a crime rate of 1,432 per 100K, meaning half of these cities are even safer. Notably, 10 of these safe cities have populations over 100,000, showing that larger cities can maintain low crime rates too.

Geographically, these safe cities cluster in certain states. CA leads with 100 cities on the list. Factors like strong local economies, community policing programs, and lower population density often contribute to lower crime rates, though every city's situation is unique.

It's worth noting that a city's position on this list can change from year to year. Economic downturns, changes in policing strategy, shifts in population, and even differences in how crimes are reported can all move the needle. For the most comprehensive view, visit individual city pages to see multi-year trends alongside the current snapshot. Cities with consistently low rates over several years provide the strongest evidence of sustained community safety.

These rankings are based on data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which collects crime statistics from law enforcement agencies nationwide. We use the most recent available data (2024) and include only cities with a population of 25,000 or more to ensure statistical reliability — small towns with very few incidents can produce misleadingly extreme rates.

Cities are ranked by total crime rate per 100,000 residents, which combines both violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson). Using per-capita rates rather than raw counts ensures fair comparison regardless of city size. The 100 cities listed here represent a combined population of 4,820,842 residents.

For a full explanation of our data sources, safety score formula, and methodology, visit our methodology page.

Crime statistics can be difficult to interpret without context. A total crime rate of 2,000 per 100,000 means that in a city of 100,000 people, approximately 2,000 crimes were reported to police in a given year. This includes everything from petty theft to violent assault. Not all crimes are reported, so actual rates may be higher — the FBI estimates that roughly half of violent crimes and a third of property crimes go unreported.

For the safest cities on this list, the average total crime rate of 1,318 per 100K means roughly 1.3% of the population experiences a reported crime annually. The violent crime rate of 279 per 100K translates to about 0.28% — or roughly 1 in 359 residents per year. These odds reflect genuine safety relative to national norms.

Our Safety Score simplifies these numbers into a single 1–100 scale. A score of 50 equals the national average, and every 10 points above or below represents a meaningful difference in risk. The score accounts for both violent and property crime, weighted by their per-capita rates against national benchmarks.

When using these rankings for decisions about relocation, travel, or investment, consider consulting multiple data points: crime trends over time (available on each city's individual page), the specific types of crime most prevalent in each area, neighborhood-level variation, and quality-of-life factors beyond crime statistics. No single number tells the complete story of any community, but per-capita rates from a verified source like the FBI provide the most objective starting point available.

Among the 100 safest cities, property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft) makes up the large majority of reported offenses. The average violent crime rate of just 279 per 100K is 41% below the national average of 473. This means residents of these cities are far less likely to encounter violent incidents like robbery, aggravated assault, or murder compared to the average American city.

Property crime, while more common, tends to be less impactful on personal safety. Larceny-theft (shoplifting, pickpocketing, bicycle theft) is typically the most frequent property crime category. Even in the safest cities, some level of property crime is expected — but the rates here represent a fraction of what more urban or economically challenged communities experience.

Nationally, crime rates have generally trended downward over the past several decades, though year-to-year fluctuations are common. The cities on this safest list have maintained consistently low crime rates, often supported by stable economic conditions, effective community policing, and invested civic leadership. While the specific cities in the top positions may shift from year to year, the overall pattern remains: certain communities consistently achieve crime rates far below national norms.

To see how individual cities on this list have changed over time, click any city name in the table above to view its detailed profile page with multi-year trend charts. Some of the safest cities have seen their rates decline further, while others have experienced modest increases that still leave them well below average. Trends at the city level provide the most actionable insight for anyone evaluating a potential move or tracking local safety conditions.

The 100 safest cities in California are spread across 1 different states. CA (100 cities). States with multiple cities on this list often benefit from strong statewide economic conditions, effective law enforcement practices, and community-oriented governance.

Population sizes on this list range from smaller communities of around 25,000 to larger cities exceeding 100,000 residents (10 cities), demonstrating that safety isn't exclusive to any particular city size. The combined population of all 100 cities is 4,820,842, representing a significant cross-section of California.