Top 10 Cities With the Lowest Crime in America 2014

Introduction

Unless you live in Gotham City and have Batman patrolling the streets, you're probably concerned about the crime rates in your city or the city you are planning on traveling to. At AreaVibes, we've assembled a list of the top 10 safest cities to live in, with a population over 200,000. The problem with large cities is that by nature, they have more crime than most smaller cities. Having said that, there are a few large cities that boast crime rates that are surprisingly low.

There are about 100 cities in America with a population over 200,000. We ran those cities through our complicated crime algorithm and came up with a short list of 10 that had the lowest crime rates. The overall crime index for each city is based on two factors: violent crime and property crime. Our scores placed a higher emphasis on violent crime, therefore cities with lots of violent crimes won't rank as well.

1. Scottsdale, AZScore: 6.2/10

Scottsdale, AZ tops our list mainly due to the low number of violent crimes. The number of violent crimes in Scottsdale is 61% less than the Arizona average and almost 50% less than the national average. There are only 177 violent crimes per 100,000 people in Scottsdale per year, compared to 346 on the national level. Another stat to keep in mind is that Arizona has only 74 registered sex offenders per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 192.

Learn more about crime in Scottsdale, AZ.

2. Plano, TXScore: 6.0/10

Plano, TX also topped our list for "Top 10 Cities To Live In America" so it's not surprising to see that Plano also does well in the area of crime. Plano does well across the board, as violent crimes, property crimes and overall crime index falls below the national averages. Plano violent crime is 25% less than the Texas average and 34% less than the national average, while property crime is 1% less than the Texas average and 2% less than the national average. The overall crime index in Plano is 4% less than the Texas average and 5% less than the national average, which , for a big city is impressive. Not only is Plano a very safe city, it's also worth noting that the cost of living is also very low and the education rates are amongst the best in America.

Learn more about crime in Plano, TX.

3. Virginia Beach, VAScore: 5.9/10

Hot weather, amazing beaches and low crime - a pretty good trifecta if you ask me. The Virginia Beach violent crime index is 30% less than the US average and the overall crime index is 9% less than the US average. Also worth noting is that the number of assaults in Virginia Beach are only 97 per 100,000 people which is minute compared to the national average of 240. It's nice to know that when you're enjoying your fun in the sun in Virginia Beach that you will be safe as well.

Learn more about crime in Virginia Beach, VA.

4. Fremont, CAScore: 5.9/10

Although Fremont, CA doesn't seem like the most desirable city to live in or travel to (I'd much rather be in San Jose or San Francisco), Fremont does benefit from a low crime index. The number of violent crimes in Fremont is 29% less than the California average and 17% less than the national average. Property crimes are also quite low, coming in at 16% less than California and 22% less nationally. One thing to note is that you might want to keep a close eye on your car. Vehicle thefts in Fremont are almost double the national average.

Learn more about crime in Fremont, CA

5. Honolulu, HIScore: 5.6/10

It surprised me that Honolulu, HI came in at the #5 position given the size of the city and the large amount of tourists that visit the city. Although the overall crime index in Honolulu is slightly higher than average, the number of violent crimes is 18% less than the national average. Keep a close eye on your rental car though, vehicle thefts are more than double the national average.

Learn more about crime in Honolulu, HI

6. San Jose, CAScore: 5.5/10

San Jose is a great all round city. Warm weather, great beaches, high median household income ($88,000) and a great educational system. Throw low crime rates into the mix and suddenly San Jose becomes a great place to relocate or travel to. Violent crime in San Jose is slightly lower than the California average, and slightly higher than the US average. The good news is that San Jose's property crime index is 19% less than the California average and 24% less than the US average. Burglary and thefts are very uncommon in San Jose as both rank nearly 50% lower than the national average.

Learn more about crime in San Jose, CA

7. Anaheim, CAScore: 5.5/10

In a city occupied by Mickey Mouse, Snow White and Goofy how could it not be safe? Anaheim has much more to offer its residents than Disneyland. Although the violent crime index is 14% greater than the national average, the property crime index is 20% less. Overall, the Anaheim crime index is 13% less than California and 17% less than the national average, making Anaheim a very safe city.

Learn more about crime in Anaheim, CA

8. Fort Wayne, INScore: 5.3/10

I was a little surprised when Fort Wayne made the list, simply because the murder rate is three times as high as the national average. Having said that, Fort Wayne ranks extremely well in many other categories, most notably assaults. You are three times less likely to get assaulted if you live in Fort Wayne, IN compared to any other city in the US. Also worth noting is that the cost of living is almost 10% less than the national average.

Learn more about crime in Fort Wayne, IN

9. Santa Ana, CAScore: 5.3/10

It's a small miracle that Santa Ana managed to make this list given the horrific educational system and low graduation rates. Did you know that only 49% of people living in Santa Ana have actually graduated 8th grade and only 43% have graduated high school? Let's just say that there aren't many people in Santa Ana going on to complete the doctorates degree, 0.2% in fact. Having said that, the property crime rate in Santa Ana is 34% less than the national average. It could be that the residents of Santa Ana just aren't smart enough to mastermind a successful pick-pocket.

Learn more about crime in Santa Ana, CA

10. Garland, TXScore: 5.2/10

Low crime, affordable living and great weather could sum up the city of Garland, TX. The Garland violent crime index ranks about on par to both Texas and America. The property crime on the other hand is actually higher than the national average. But, for a city the size of Garland, population of 222,000, that can be expected. Garland is a great option if you're looking for a city with an affordable cost of living (10% less than the US average), a good median household income ($65,000), warm weather and a better than average crime rates.

Learn more about crime in Garland, TX

You can refer to our Best Places to Live report for real-time, up-to-date and interactive top 100 best and worst list of cities. The report is sortable, and it allows you to discriminate by the population as well as your preferred state.