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 21 cities are in this year's ranking that were not considered last year. Also some cities that had data last year did not this year and were not considered. This changing of the pool of 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: |
This Year | Last Year |
Change |
||
| 1 | Flint, MI | 221.16 | 297.47 | 76.31 | 1 | Hammond, IN | 161.54 | 109.27 | (52.27) |
| 2 | Sioux City, IA | 3.14 | 65.59 | 62.45 | 2 | Trenton, NJ | 201.40 | 157.98 | (43.42) |
| 3 | Macon, GA | 107.94 | 169.04 | 61.10 | 3 | Kalamazoo, MI | 125.15 | 87.38 | (37.77) |
| 4 | Pompano Beach, FL | 54.96 | 102.70 | 47.74 | 4 | Longview, TX | 79.66 | 42.68 | (36.98) |
| 5 | Huntsville, AL | 16.24 | 61.37 | 45.13 | 5 | Carson, CA | 68.33 | 32.11 | (36.22) |
| 6 | Miami Beach, FL | 132.46 | 173.73 | 41.27 | 6 | Fort Smith, AR | 53.93 | 18.04 | (35.89) |
| 7 | Durham, NC | 120.37 | 157.85 | 37.48 | 7 | Tucson, AZ | 112.21 | 76.35 | (35.86) |
| 8 | Fayetteville, NC | 117.61 | 153.89 | 36.28 | 8 | Chattanooga, TN | 201.33 | 167.15 | (34.18) |
| 9 | Newark, NJ | 206.12 | 239.76 | 33.64 | 9 | St. Louis, MO | 349.05 | 317.06 | (31.99) |
| 10 | Downey, CA | (7.05) | 26.44 | 33.49 | 10 | Memphis, TN | 241.93 | 210.70 | (31.23) |
This is the eighth 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 the past three years and this year except the weight given each crime differed slightly. Four years ago we lowered the population threshold to 75,000, which added approximately 100 cities. Therefore the rankings are not comparable beyond the last three years.
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 22, 2000 Press Release
November 22, 1999 Press Release
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. ERRATA: 01/28/02: Due to a sorting error, the rankings for "Improvement" were wrong for six cities, Stamford CT, Sterling Heights MI, Stockton CA, St. Louis MO, St. Paul MN and St. Petersburg FL. The table below reflects the correct rankings.
|
SCORES: |
This Year's | Last Year's | Change | Improvement Rank (1-306) |
| Abilene, TX | (27.77) | 5.00 | 32.77 | 12 |
| Alameda, CA | (33.57) | (45.07) | (11.50) | 244 |
| Albany, GA | 50.20 | 80.19 | 29.99 | 13 |
| Albany, NY | 115.28 | 90.27 | (25.01) | 284 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 107.22 | 122.57 | 15.35 | 41 |
| Alhambra, CA | (27.76) | (34.63) | (6.87) | 219 |
| Allentown, PA | 48.82 | 49.04 | 0.22 | 147 |
| Amarillo, TX | 39.59 | 12.74 | (26.85) | 289 |
| Amherst, NY | (84.94) | (83.85) | 1.09 | 139 |
| Anaheim, CA | (11.91) | (4.94) | 6.97 | 91 |
| Anchorage, AK | 13.91 | 24.24 | 10.33 | 66 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | (47.44) | (39.55) | 7.89 | 83 |
| Antioch, CA | (3.50) | (9.95) | (6.45) | 216 |
| Arlington, TX | 20.46 | 12.16 | (8.30) | 229 |
| Arvada, CO | (60.95) | (66.95) | (6.00) | 209 |
| Athens-Clarke, GA | 9.56 | 25.94 | 16.38 | 35 |
| Atlanta, GA | 351.79 | 347.73 | (4.06) | 191 |
| Aurora, CO | 49.46 | 32.55 | (16.91) | 267 |
| Austin, TX | 19.40 | 17.66 | (1.74) | 170 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 3.03 | 13.35 | 10.32 | 67 |
| Baltimore, MD | 325.13 | NA | NA | NA |
| Beaumont, TX | 110.38 | 143.80 | 33.42 | 11 |
| Bellevue, WA | (53.72) | (58.03) | (4.31) | 194 |
| Berkeley, CA | 38.93 | 35.28 | (3.65) | 186 |
| Birmingham, AL | 183.48 | 168.39 | (15.09) | 258 |
| Bloomington, MN | (39.28) | (33.89) | 5.39 | 100 |
| Boise, ID | (31.59) | (32.28) | (0.69) | 156 |
| Boston, MA | 107.76 | 96.89 | (10.87) | 239 |
| Boulder, CO | (48.29) | (47.14) | 1.15 | 137 |
| Brick Twnshp, NJ | (73.31) | (78.69) | (5.38) | 202 |
| Bridgeport, CT | 153.67 | 166.10 | 12.43 | 57 |
| Brockton, MA | 51.65 | 67.49 | 15.84 | 38 |
| Broken Arrow, OK | (48.97) | NA | NA | NA |
| Brownsville, TX | (13.03) | (19.13) | (6.10) | 211 |
| Buena Park, CA | (29.03) | NA | NA | NA |
| Buffalo, NY | 122.38 | 112.02 | (10.36) | 236 |
| Burbank, CA | (41.32) | (39.14) | 2.18 | 127 |
| Cambridge, MA | (17.06) | (11.85) | 5.21 | 105 |
| Camden, NJ | 259.14 | 275.21 | 16.07 | 36 |
| Canton Twnshp, MI | (62.32) | (58.81) | 3.51 | 116 |
| Canton, OH | 125.51 | NA | NA | NA |
| Cape Coral, FL | (53.24) | (50.96) | 2.28 | 126 |
| Carlsbad, CA | (54.90) | (49.01) | 5.89 | 95 |
| Carrollton, TX | (54.16) | (51.47) | 2.69 | 123 |
| Carson, CA | 68.33 | 32.11 | (36.22) | 302 |
| Cary, NC | (77.21) | (75.55) | 1.66 | 132 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | (32.16) | (17.75) | 14.41 | 45 |
| Chandler, AZ | (21.99) | (24.79) | (2.80) | 180 |
| Charlotte, NC | 111.57 | 120.76 | 9.19 | 74 |
| Chattanooga, TN | 201.33 | 167.15 | (34.18) | 299 |
| Chula Vista, CA | 6.02 | 21.95 | 15.93 | 37 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 74.72 | 62.35 | (12.37) | 245 |
| Clarkstown, NY | (68.07) | (64.93) | 3.14 | 119 |
| Clarksville, TN | 2.11 | 2.15 | 0.04 | 151 |
| Clearwater, FL | 31.68 | 37.01 | 5.33 | 102 |
| Cleveland, OH | 181.43 | 178.87 | (2.56) | 177 |
| Clifton, NJ | (39.92) | (40.39) | (0.47) | 154 |
| Clinton Twnshp, MI | 14.83 | 5.84 | (8.99) | 234 |
| Colonie, NY | (69.98) | (70.72) | (0.74) | 158 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 7.63 | 20.54 | 12.91 | 52 |
| Columbia, MO | (2.67) | (32.16) | (29.49) | 294 |
| Columbia, SC | 96.40 | 109.13 | 12.73 | 55 |
| Columbus, GA | 22.74 | 16.44 | (6.30) | 214 |
| Columbus, OH | 132.97 | 129.14 | (3.83) | 189 |
| Compton, CA | 242.54 | 259.20 | 16.66 | 33 |
| Concord, CA | (12.68) | (10.99) | 1.69 | 131 |
| Coral Springs, FL | (44.40) | (46.74) | (2.34) | 175 |
| Corona, CA | (19.76) | (27.40) | (7.64) | 223 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 41.26 | 45.63 | 4.37 | 108 |
| Costa Mesa, CA | (39.22) | (29.76) | 9.46 | 73 |
| Cranston, RI | (37.94) | NA | NA | NA |
| Dallas, TX | 207.58 | 187.84 | (19.74) | 271 |
| Daly City, CA | (43.86) | (30.22) | 13.64 | 47 |
| Davenport, IA | 75.07 | 64.07 | (11.00) | 240 |
| Dayton, OH | 221.55 | 199.92 | (21.63) | 274 |
| Dearborn, MI | 20.78 | 14.91 | (5.87) | 207 |
| Denton, TX | (27.66) | (14.33) | 13.33 | 48 |
| Denver, CO | 48.57 | 60.75 | 12.18 | 59 |
| Des Moines, IA | 13.56 | 4.97 | (8.59) | 231 |
| Detroit, MI | 373.28 | 370.07 | (3.21) | 182 |
| Dover Twnshp, NJ | (60.98) | (60.32) | 0.66 | 143 |
| Downey, CA | (7.05) | 26.44 | 33.49 | 10 |
| Duluth, MN | 1.84 | (3.54) | (5.38) | 202 |
| Durham, NC | 120.37 | 157.85 | 37.48 | 7 |
| Edison Twnshp, NJ | (51.18) | (57.19) | (6.01) | 210 |
| El Cajon, CA | 14.23 | 3.21 | (11.02) | 241 |
| El Monte, CA | 29.03 | 23.57 | (5.46) | 203 |
| El Paso, TX | (10.70) | (15.65) | (4.95) | 198 |
| Elizabeth, NJ | 96.54 | 97.44 | 0.90 | 141 |
| Erie, PA | (0.83) | (7.69) | (6.86) | 218 |
| Escondido, CA | (0.71) | (2.43) | (1.72) | 169 |
| Eugene, OR | (0.48) | 4.74 | 5.22 | 104 |
| Evansville, IN | 4.50 | (10.74) | (15.24) | 259 |
| Everett, WA | 112.90 | 98.94 | (13.96) | 253 |
| Fairfield, CA | (2.48) | (1.00) | 1.48 | 134 |
| Fall River, MA | (1.49) | 7.09 | 8.58 | 79 |
| Fargo, ND | (50.18) | (36.87) | 13.31 | 49 |
| Farmington Hills, MI | (43.27) | (57.40) | (14.13) | 254 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 117.61 | 153.89 | 36.28 | 8 |
| Federal Way, WA | 44.18 | 38.56 | (5.62) | 204 |
| Flint, MI | 221.16 | 297.47 | 76.31 | 1 |
| Fontana, CA | 59.26 | 40.27 | (18.99) | 268 |
| Fort Collins, CO | (36.22) | (21.01) | 15.21 | 42 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | 94.45 | 123.75 | 29.30 | 15 |
| Fort Smith, AR | 53.93 | 18.04 | (35.89) | 301 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 30.50 | 44.52 | 14.02 | 46 |
| Fort Worth, TX | 80.83 | 88.40 | 7.57 | 86 |
| Fremont, CA | (57.20) | (58.68) | (1.48) | 162 |
| Fresno, CA | 84.88 | 74.29 | (10.59) | 237 |
| Fullerton, CA | (39.14) | (38.65) | 0.49 | 145 |
| Gainesville, FL | 72.40 | 66.29 | (6.11) | 212 |
| Garden Grove, CA | (14.03) | (3.63) | 10.40 | 65 |
| Garland, TX | (25.65) | (33.65) | (8.00) | 227 |
| Gary, IN | 266.54 | 270.39 | 3.85 | 112 |
| Gilbert, AZ | (46.02) | (46.72) | (0.70) | 157 |
| Glendale, AZ | 47.48 | 55.83 | 8.35 | 80 |
| Glendale, CA | (32.48) | (46.75) | (14.27) | 255 |
| Grand Prairie, TX | 23.08 | 24.06 | 0.98 | 140 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 70.74 | NA | NA | NA |
| Greece, NY | (65.61) | (73.63) | (8.02) | 228 |
| Greeley, CO | (21.26) | NA | NA | NA |
| Green Bay, WI | (37.71) | (15.87) | 21.84 | 23 |
| Greensboro, NC | 76.74 | 80.48 | 3.74 | 115 |
| Gresham, OR | 29.59 | 6.92 | (22.67) | 275 |
| Hamilton Twnshp, NJ | (55.09) | (60.76) | (5.67) | 205 |
| Hammond, IN | 161.54 | 109.27 | (52.27) | 306 |
| Hartford, CT | 146.94 | 122.78 | (24.16) | 279 |
| Hawthorne, CA | 110.38 | NA | NA | NA |
| Hayward, CA | 26.94 | 41.69 | 14.75 | 43 |
| Henderson, NV | (5.73) | (7.25) | (1.52) | 163 |
| Hialeah, FL | 41.79 | 54.74 | 12.95 | 51 |
| High Point, NC | 87.66 | 89.45 | 1.79 | 130 |
| Hollywood, FL | 39.09 | 47.34 | 8.25 | 82 |
| Honolulu, HI | (18.15) | (22.69) | (4.54) | 195 |
| Houston, TX | 109.87 | 116.44 | 6.57 | 92 |
| Huntington Beach, CA | (59.98) | (49.77) | 10.21 | 68 |
| Huntsville, AL | 16.24 | 61.37 | 45.13 | 5 |
| Independence, MO | (6.12) | 6.62 | 12.74 | 54 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 86.77 | 96.75 | 9.98 | 69 |
| Inglewood, CA | 119.98 | 93.56 | (26.42) | 288 |
| Irvine, CA | (61.29) | (62.94) | (1.65) | 166 |
| Irving, TX | (5.39) | (12.96) | (7.57) | 222 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 90.74 | 87.37 | (3.37) | 183 |
| Jersey City, NJ | 95.33 | 107.82 | 12.49 | 56 |
| Kalamazoo, MI | 125.15 | 87.38 | (37.77) | 304 |
| Kansas City, MO | 225.69 | 233.27 | 7.58 | 85 |
| Kenosha, WI | (31.05) | (32.95) | (1.90) | 172 |