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 15 additional cities were considered this year. An example is Gary, Indiana. Gary came in as the Most Dangerous City last year, ranking as the 300th Safest City (out of 300 cities). This year Gary improved to where it is only the sixth most dangerous. However, it is ranked 310th. The fifteen 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: |
6th |
5th |
Change |
|||
1 |
Gary, IN |
286.37 |
370.61 |
84.24 |
1 |
Flint, MI |
273.29 |
200.64 |
(72.65) |
|
2 |
Pembroke Pines, FL |
(43.90) |
37.33 |
81.23 |
2 |
Kansas City, MO |
236.86 |
191.01 |
(45.85) |
|
3 |
Mobile, AL |
62.02 |
110.75 |
48.73 |
3 |
Baltimore, MD |
307.57 |
265.78 |
(41.79) |
|
4 |
Corona, CA |
(17.05) |
29.82 |
46.87 |
4 |
Jackson, MS |
236.32 |
195.53 |
(40.79) |
|
5 |
New Haven, CT |
145.18 |
189.18 |
44.00 |
5 |
Atlanta, GA |
348.29 |
308.30 |
(39.99) |
|
6 |
Camden, NJ |
320.07 |
363.20 |
43.13 |
6 |
Lubbock, TX |
41.04 |
3.65 |
(37.39) |
|
7 |
Bridgeport, CT |
154.92 |
197.20 |
42.28 |
7 |
Roanoke, VA |
28.33 |
(8.10) |
(36.43) |
|
8 |
Coral Springs, FL |
(41.64) |
(0.69) |
40.95 |
8 |
Orlando, FL |
210.33 |
174.33 |
(36.00) |
|
9 |
Fresno, CA |
85.41 |
119.87 |
34.46 |
9 |
Killeen, TX |
53.16 |
18.14 |
(35.02) |
|
10 |
Minneapolis, MN |
183.01 |
216.28 |
33.27 |
10 |
Spokane, WA |
55.34 |
20.80 |
(34.54) |
|
This is the sixth 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. Lowering the population threshold to 75,000 added approximately 100 cities. Therefore the rankings are not comparable beyond last year.
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.
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 |
Last Year |
Change |
Improvement Rank (1-289) |
Abilene, TX |
(9.29) |
(13.84) |
(4.55) |
179 |
Alameda, CA |
(36.77) |
(30.45) |
6.32 |
105 |
Albany, GA |
65.64 |
59.72 |
(5.92) |
194 |
Albany, NY |
51.19 |
48.55 |
(2.64) |
169 |
Albuquerque, NM |
119.64 |
124.81 |
5.17 |
109 |
Alexandria, VA |
(5.15) |
(3.70) |
1.45 |
138 |
Alhambra, CA |
(11.21) |
(26.44) |
(15.23) |
249 |
Allentown, PA |
53.60 |
26.17 |
(27.43) |
269 |
Amarillo, TX |
12.94 |
10.21 |
(2.73) |
170 |
Amherst, NY |
(80.65) |
(81.70) |
(1.05) |
156 |
Anaheim, CA |
(6.85) |
6.13 |
12.98 |
60 |
Anchorage, AK |
19.50 |
22.80 |
3.30 |
119 |
Ann Arbor, MI |
(26.24) |
(47.89) |
(21.65) |
258 |
Antioch, CA |
21.95 |
NA |
NA |
|
Arlington, TX |
10.15 |
10.49 |
0.34 |
144 |
Arlington, VA |
(41.21) |
(38.16) |
3.05 |
121 |
Athens, GA |
9.33 |
NA |
NA |
|
Atlanta, GA |
348.29 |
308.30 |
(39.99) |
285 |
Aurora, CO |
38.16 |
28.64 |
(9.52) |
223 |
Austin, TX |
11.14 |
30.20 |
19.06 |
38 |
Bakersfield, CA |
14.54 |
19.61 |
5.07 |
110 |
Baltimore, MD |
307.57 |
265.78 |
(41.79) |
287 |
Baton Rouge, LA |
174.52 |
153.88 |
(20.64) |
256 |
Beaumont, TX |
126.57 |
101.78 |
(24.79) |
265 |
Bellevue, WA |
(47.98) |
(25.25) |
22.73 |
27 |
Berkeley, CA |
41.54 |
52.68 |
11.14 |
69 |
Birmingham, AL |
164.31 |
184.96 |
20.65 |
30 |
Bloomington, MN |
(39.64) |
(39.18) |
0.46 |
143 |
Boise, ID |
(29.15) |
(37.63) |
(8.48) |
214 |
Boston, MA |
81.67 |
89.59 |
7.92 |
87 |
Boulder, CO |
(39.71) |
(31.54) |
8.17 |
86 |
Brick Twnsp, NJ |
(65.38) |
NA |
NA |
|
Bridgeport, CT |
154.92 |
197.20 |
42.28 |
7 |
Brockton, MA |
62.23 |
66.17 |
3.94 |
117 |
Brownsville, TX |
2.70 |
17.50 |
14.80 |
47 |
Buffalo, NY |
110.87 |
130.19 |
19.32 |
36 |
Burbank, CA |
(36.75) |
(38.42) |
(1.67) |
161 |
Cambridge, MA |
(12.83) |
(25.49) |
(12.66) |
239 |
Camden, NJ |
320.07 |
363.20 |
43.13 |
6 |
Canton, OH |
133.32 |
100.31 |
(33.01) |
279 |
Cape Coral, FL |
(43.92) |
(53.83) |
(9.91) |
225 |
Carrollton, TX |
(33.09) |
(36.92) |
(3.83) |
177 |
Carson, CA |
29.29 |
36.30 |
7.01 |
99 |
Cary, NC |
(72.76) |
NA |
NA |
|
Chandler, AZ |
(19.45) |
(12.03) |
7.42 |
94 |
Charlotte, NC |
101.41 |
103.74 |
2.33 |
131 |
Chattanooga, TN |
159.87 |
127.90 |
(31.97) |
276 |
Cheektowaga, NY |
(57.43) |
(62.34) |
(4.91) |
184 |
Chesapeake, VA |
(29.82) |
(22.13) |
7.69 |
90 |
Chula Vista, CA |
22.24 |
17.14 |
(5.10) |
187 |
Cincinnati, OH |
80.10 |
NA |
NA |
|
Clarksville, TN |
22.57 |
49.73 |
27.16 |
18 |
Clearwater, FL |
29.65 |
24.57 |
(5.08) |
185 |
Cleveland, OH |
170.41 |
168.87 |
(1.54) |
159 |
Clinton Twnsp, MI |
0.76 |
NA |
NA |
|
Colonie Town, NY |
(71.45) |
NA |
NA |
|
Colorado Springs, CO |
3.16 |
NA |
NA |
|
Columbia, MO |
(10.03) |
(23.58) |
(13.55) |
242 |
Columbia, SC |
71.43 |
94.50 |
23.07 |
26 |
Columbus, GA |
1.68 |
(10.36) |
(12.04) |
233 |
Columbus, OH |
114.19 |
114.72 |
0.53 |
142 |
Compton, CA |
216.77 |
236.72 |
19.95 |
34 |
Concord, CA |
(2.54) |
(11.83) |
(9.29) |
219 |
Coral Springs, FL |
(41.64) |
(0.69) |
40.95 |
8 |
Corona, CA |
(17.05) |
29.82 |
46.87 |
4 |
Corpus Christi, TX |
20.32 |
32.54 |
12.22 |
63 |
Costa Mesa, CA |
(42.47) |
(28.06) |
14.41 |
51 |
Dallas, TX |
175.03 |
143.03 |
(32.00) |
277 |
Daly City, CA |
(31.35) |
(32.92) |
(1.57) |
160 |
Davenport, IA |
48.99 |
33.04 |
(15.95) |
250 |
Dayton, OH |
176.64 |
171.77 |
(4.87) |
183 |
Denver, CO |
51.74 |
58.68 |
6.94 |
101 |
Des Moines, IA |
14.99 |
9.49 |
(5.50) |
191 |
Detroit, MI |
354.71 |
323.31 |
(31.40) |
274 |
Dover, NJ |
(66.77) |
(58.29) |
8.48 |
84 |
Downey, CA |
22.51 |
15.86 |
(6.65) |
198 |
Duluth, MN |
(5.49) |
4.40 |
9.89 |
75 |
Durham, NC |
157.05 |
166.81 |
9.76 |
77 |
Edison, NJ |
(49.74) |
(52.49) |
(2.75) |
171 |
El Cajon, CA |
42.12 |
27.74 |
(14.38) |
247 |
El Monte, CA |
43.20 |
37.03 |
(6.17) |
195 |
El Paso, TX |
(12.89) |
(3.84) |
9.05 |
80 |
Elizabeth, NJ |
90.48 |
103.81 |
13.33 |
58 |
Erie, PA |
(7.98) |
8.94 |
16.92 |
43 |
Escondido, CA |
3.74 |
17.97 |
14.23 |
54 |
Eugene, OR |
13.74 |
11.97 |
(1.77) |
163 |
Evansville, IN |
2.12 |
(9.97) |
(12.09) |
234 |
Everett, WA |
100.47 |
87.46 |
(13.01) |
241 |
Fairfield, CA |
3.88 |
11.69 |
7.81 |
88 |
Fall River, MA |
(3.61) |
(9.08) |
(5.47) |
190 |
Fargo, ND |
(53.67) |
(54.05) |
(0.38) |
147 |
Farmington Hills, MI |
(64.98) |
(63.33) |
1.65 |
137 |
Fayetteville, NC |
119.34 |
94.68 |
(24.66) |
264 |
Flint, MI |
273.29 |
200.64 |
(72.65) |
289 |
Fontana, CA |
44.62 |
60.19 |
15.57 |
45 |
Fort Collins, CO |
(32.74) |
(40.48) |
(7.74) |
207 |
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
130.31 |
157.63 |
27.32 |
17 |
Fort Smith, AR |
2.85 |
15.45 |
12.60 |
62 |
Fort Wayne, IN |
38.35 |
58.06 |
19.71 |
35 |
Fort Worth, TX |
73.29 |
66.55 |
(6.74) |
199 |
Fremont, CA |
(34.11) |
(34.71) |
(0.60) |
152 |
Fresno, CA |
85.41 |
119.87 |
34.46 |
9 |
Fullerton, CA |
(32.21) |
(35.53) |
(3.32) |
176 |
Gainesville, FL |
79.46 |
66.69 |
(12.77) |
240 |
Garden Grove, CA |
(16.28) |
(21.03) |
(4.75) |
181 |
Garland, TX |
(39.33) |
(41.02) |
(1.69) |
162 |
Gary, IN |
286.37 |
370.61 |
84.24 |
1 |
Glendale, AZ |
30.87 |
40.79 |
9.92 |
73 |
Glendale, CA |
(48.52) |
(35.90) |
12.62 |
61 |
Grand Prairie, TX |
22.46 |
28.90 |
6.44 |
104 |
Grand Rapids, MI |
77.61 |
49.54 |
(28.07) |
271 |
Greece, NY |
(74.95) |
(73.25) |
1.70 |
136 |
Green Bay, WI |
(38.67) |
(46.63) |
(7.96) |
210 |
Greensboro, NC |
73.23 |
62.90 |
(10.33) |
229 |
Gresham, OR |
7.34 |
21.77 |
14.43 |
50 |
Hamilton, NJ |
(69.32) |
(66.45) |
2.87 |
125 |
Hammond, IN |
93.47 |
91.47 |
(2.00) |
165 |
Hampton, VA |
(23.95) |
(22.09) |
1.86 |
134 |
Hartford, CT |
131.44 |
112.67 |
(18.77) |
254 |
Hayward, CA |
26.66 |
34.33 |
7.67 |
91 |
Henderson, NV |
9.57 |
4.81 |
(4.76) |
182 |
Hialeah, FL |
78.15 |
82.81 |
4.66 |
112 |
High Point, NC |
89.03 |
99.25 |
10.22 |
70 |
Hollywood, FL |
51.40 |
65.95 |
14.55 |
49 |
Honolulu, HI |
(27.25) |
(19.99) |
7.26 |
96 |
Houston, TX |
94.20 |
86.57 |
(7.63) |
205 |
Huntington Beach, CA |
(47.91) |
(43.46) |
4.45 |
115 |
Huntsville, AL |
26.40 |
41.71 |
15.31 |
46 |
Independence, MO |
8.31 |
0.52 |
(7.79) |
208 |
Indianapolis, IN |
112.33 |
103.29 |
(9.04) |
217 |
Inglewood, CA |
135.32 |
123.02 |
(12.30) |
238 |
Irvine, CA |
(54.78) |
(64.87) |
(10.09) |
228 |
Irving, TX |
(10.57) |
(19.96) |
(9.39) |
220 |
Jacksonville, FL |
86.17 |
93.37 |
7.20 |
97 |
Jackson, MS |
236.32 |
195.53 |
(40.79) |
286 |
Jersey City, NJ |
95.81 |
119.18 |
23.37 |
25 |
Kalamazoo, MI |
53.11 |
NA |
NA |
|
Kansas City, MO |
236.86 |
191.01 |
(45.85) |
288 |
Killeen, TX |
53.16 |
18.14 |
(35.02) |
281 |
Knoxville, TN |
75.07 |
50.73 |
(24.34) |
263 |
Lafayette, LA |
48.27 |
68.53 |
20.26 |
32 |
Lake Forest, CA |
(73.20) |
NA |
NA |
|
Lakeland, FL |
123.23 |
NA |
NA |
|
Lakewood, CA |
(4.20) |
2.80 |
7.00 |
100 |
Lancaster, CA |
42.21 |
46.02 |
3.81 |
118 |
Lansing, MI |
84.92 |
85.15 |
0.23 |
145 |
Laredo, TX |
13.80 |
4.57 |
(9.23) |
218 |
Las Cruces, NM |
52.05 |
NA |
NA |
|
Las Vegas, NV |
78.34 |
NA |
NA |
|
Lawton, OK |
26.25 |
16.17 |
(10.08) |
227 |
Lexington, KY |
25.57 |
23.66 |
(1.91) |
164 |
Lincoln, NE |
(12.86) |
(20.94) |
(8.08) |
212 |
Little Rock, AR |
117.96 |
128.03 |
10.07 |
71 |
Livonia, MI |
(52.13) |
(60.83) |
(8.70) |
216 |
Long Beach, CA |
43.90 |
51.21 |
7.31 |
95 |
Longview, TX |
44.94 |
17.53 |
(27.41) |
268 |
Los Angeles, CA |
76.68 |
100.50 |
23.82 |
23 |
Louisville, KY |
91.83 |
110.71 |
18.88 |
40 |
Lowell, MA |
32.30 |
30.95 |
(1.35) |
158 |
Lubbock, TX |
41.04 |
3.65 |
(37.39) |
284 |
Macon, GA |
116.93 |
84.02 |
(32.91) |
278 |
Madison, WI |
(24.83) |
(28.73) |
(3.90) |
178 |
Manchester, NH |
(26.03) |
NA |
NA |
|
McAllen, TX |
(4.58) |
4.05 |
8.63 |
83 |
Memphis, TN |
206.64 |
235.82 |
29.18 |
16 |
Mesa, AZ |
11.66 |
16.18 |
4.52 |
113 |
Mesquite, TX |
(46.46) |
(44.29) |
2.17 |
133 |
Miami Beach, FL |
149.94 |
180.99 |
31.05 |
11 |
Miami, FL |
255.59 |
265.29 |
9.70 |
78 |
Midland, TX |
(16.32) |
(9.56) |
6.76 |
102 |
Milwaukee, WI |
112.87 |
102.27 |
(10.60) |
230 |
Minneapolis, MN |
183.01 |
216.28 |
33.27 |
10 |
Mission Viejo, CA |
(78.04) |
(70.39) |
7.65 |
92 |
Mobile, AL |
62.02 |
110.75 |
48.73 |
3 |
Modesto, CA |
18.67 |
38.64 |
19.97 |
33 |
Montgomery, AL |
73.49 |
51.72 |
(21.77) |
260 |
Moreno Valley, CA |
30.68 |
38.46 |
7.78 |
89 |
Nashville, TN |
159.19 |
173.53 |
14.34 |
53 |
New Bedford, MA |
38.88 |
33.76 |
(5.12) |
188 |
New Haven, CT |
145.18 |
189.18 |
44.00 |
5 |
New Orleans, LA |
249.15 |
270.57 |
21.42 |
29 |
New York, NY |
51.62 |
57.84 |
6.22 |
106 |
Newark, NJ |
230.94 |
261.13 |
30.19 |
13 |
Newport News, VA |
18.25 |
10.27 |
(7.98) |
211 |
Newton, MA |
(82.08) |
(78.81) |
3.27 |
120 |
Norfolk, VA |
53.05 |
76.94 |
23.89 |