America’s safest big cities: 2026 study
The ranking used crime, traffic deaths and FEMA disaster risk, and Virginia Beach led 83 U.S. cities with 0.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.
- SmartAsset identified America's safest big cities in a new study examining 83 municipalities with populations of 250,000 or greater. Cities were ranked using composite scores based on violent crime, property crime, traffic fatalities, and disaster risk.
- Researchers used FBI crime data from 2024 and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index to evaluate safety. County-level traffic and disaster data served as proxies for city-level conditions in the composite scoring.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia, secured the top ranking with violent crime rates of 0.9 per 1,000 residents and property crime at 16.4 per 1,000. Its "relatively low" Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster risk rating supported the city's top-tier position.
- Twelve Texas cities highlight the study's variance, with Plano and Laredo ranking among the 10 safest while Houston remains one of the 10 least safe. The state is the only one with cities in both top and bottom tiers.
- Disaster risk frequently offsets strong crime metrics, as demonstrated by Irvine, California, which fell outside the top 10 despite moderate violent and property crime rates. Exposure to earthquakes and wildfires can significantly impact overall city safety rankings.
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35 Articles
America’s safest big cities: 2026 study - The Mexico Ledger
America’s safest big cities: 2026 studyChoosing where to live can involve balancing opportunity and security. Big cities offer diverse job markets, extensive amenities and greater access to public services. But they also sometimes come with more acute safety concerns. While no major population center is entirely free from danger, some are more successful than others at creating environments where people can live, work and travel with confidence.…
America’s safest big cities: 2026 study - Stateline Publications
America’s safest big cities: 2026 studyChoosing where to live can involve balancing opportunity and security. Big cities offer diverse job markets, extensive amenities and greater access to public services. But they also sometimes come with more acute safety concerns. While no major population center is entirely free from danger, some are more successful than others at creating environments where people can live, work and travel with confidence.…
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