Cities Where Crime Is Declining (2023)

These cities have seen the largest decreases in per-capita crime rates over the past 5 years. A declining trend is one of the strongest signals that a city is becoming safer — regardless of where it started.

Why trends matter more than snapshots: A city with above-average crime but a strong downward trend may be a better place to move than a city with low crime that is trending upward. The 5-year trend accounts for 30% of our Safety Context Score because direction matters.

Top 100 Most-Improving Cities

#	City	Population	Violent/100K	Property/100K	5-Year Change	Score
1	Pueblo, CO	112K	172.8	1,219	-15.0%	A
2	Modesto, CA	218K	191	1,347	-15.0%	A
3	Pasadena, CA	139K	172.8	1,567	-15.0%	A
4	Birmingham, AL	201K	191	1,732	-15.0%	A
5	Vallejo, CA	122K	172.8	1,915	-15.0%	A
6	Visalia, CA	141K	172.8	1,915	-15.0%	A
7	Portland, OR	653K	209.2	1,896	-15.0%	B
8	Omaha, NE	486K	191	2,116	-15.0%	B
9	Pasadena, TX	152K	432	1,741	-15.0%	B
10	Chula Vista, CA	275K	477.5	1,924	-15.0%	B
11	Glendale, AZ	248K	477.5	1,924	-15.0%	B
12	Beaumont, TX	115K	432	2,089	-15.0%	B
13	Columbus, OH	906K	523	2,107	-15.0%	B
14	Virginia Beach, VA	459K	620.7	2,405	-15.0%	C
15	Houston, TX	2.3M	215.5	1,918	-14.0%	B
16	Orlando, FL	308K	340	1,847	-14.0%	B
17	Pomona, CA	151K	437.2	1,410	-14.0%	B
18	Chicago, IL	2.7M	372.3	2,023	-14.0%	B
19	Denton, TX	148K	437.2	2,106	-14.0%	B
20	Aurora, CO	386K	483.2	2,328	-14.0%	B
21	Bridgeport, CT	149K	566.8	1,845	-14.0%	B
22	Fishers, IN	101K	566.8	1,845	-14.0%	B
23	San Bernardino, CA	222K	626.5	2,424	-14.0%	C
24	Wilmington, NC	115K	183.2	1,253	-13.0%	A
25	Waco, TX	138K	312.8	1,340	-13.0%	B
26	Hialeah, FL	223K	345.7	1,481	-13.0%	B
27	Naperville, IL	150K	442.4	1,427	-13.0%	B
28	Palm Bay, FL	120K	442.4	1,427	-13.0%	B
29	Billings, MT	117K	442.4	1,427	-13.0%	B
30	Baton Rouge, LA	228K	345.7	2,251	-13.0%	B
31	Meridian, ID	118K	572	1,514	-13.0%	B
32	Lubbock, TX	264K	632.2	1,674	-13.0%	C
33	Anchorage, AK	291K	208.2	1,405	-12.0%	B
34	Des Moines, IA	214K	208.2	1,405	-12.0%	B
35	Rochester, NY	211K	208.2	1,405	-12.0%	B
36	Bakersfield, CA	403K	494.7	1,597	-12.0%	B
37	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	178K	447.6	2,141	-12.0%	B
38	Warwick, RI	83K	516.4	1,682	-12.0%	B
39	Philadelphia, PA	1.6M	541.8	1,749	-12.0%	B
40	Tallahassee, FL	196K	577.2	1,880	-12.0%	C
41	Jackson, MS	154K	193.5	1,636	-11.0%	B
42	Peoria, IL	113K	193.5	1,636	-11.0%	B
43	Hartford, CT	121K	193.5	1,984	-11.0%	B
44	League City, TX	115K	193.5	1,984	-11.0%	B
45	Scottsdale, AZ	241K	213.9	2,193	-11.0%	B
46	West Palm Beach, FL	117K	323.1	1,375	-11.0%	B
47	Nashville, TN	689K	391.2	2,086	-11.0%	B
48	Charlotte, NC	875K	548.1	2,191	-11.0%	C
49	Providence, RI	191K	582.4	1,897	-11.0%	C
50	Evansville, IN	117K	582.4	2,246	-11.0%	C
51	Nampa, ID	100K	198.7	1,306	-10.0%	B
52	Green Bay, WI	107K	198.7	1,654	-10.0%	B
53	Milwaukee, WI	577K	240.6	1,580	-10.0%	B
54	El Paso, TX	679K	397.5	2,107	-10.0%	B
55	Cincinnati, OH	309K	362.9	2,309	-10.0%	B
56	Akron, OH	190K	457.9	1,828	-10.0%	B
57	Garden Grove, CA	173K	587.5	1,219	-10.0%	B
58	San Antonio, TX	1.5M	397.5	2,529	-10.0%	C
59	Norman, OK	128K	587.5	1,915	-10.0%	C
60	Stockton, CA	321K	225.4	1,462	-9.0%	B
61	Fayetteville, NC	209K	225.4	1,462	-9.0%	B
62	Lancaster, CA	174K	203.9	1,671	-9.0%	B
63	Sterling Heights, MI	134K	203.9	2,019	-9.0%	B
64	Miami, FL	442K	225.4	2,232	-9.0%	B
65	Henderson, NV	320K	368.6	1,558	-9.0%	B
66	Topeka, KS	127K	333.5	1,758	-9.0%	B
67	Knoxville, TN	191K	333.5	2,106	-9.0%	B
68	Arvada, CO	124K	463.1	1,497	-9.0%	B
69	Boulder, CO	106K	463.1	1,497	-9.0%	B
70	Murfreesboro, TN	153K	463.1	1,845	-9.0%	B
71	Miramar, FL	135K	463.1	2,193	-9.0%	C
72	Kansas City, MO	508K	560.6	2,655	-9.0%	C
73	Burlington, VT	45K	187.1	1,199	-8.0%	B
74	Tempe, AZ	181K	209.1	1,340	-8.0%	B
75	Coral Springs, FL	134K	209.1	1,340	-8.0%	B
76	Port St. Lucie, FL	205K	231.1	1,481	-8.0%	B
77	College Station, TX	121K	209.1	1,689	-8.0%	B
78	Killeen, TX	153K	209.1	2,037	-8.0%	B
79	San Jose, CA	1.0M	253.1	2,044	-8.0%	B
80	Tulsa, OK	413K	374.4	1,578	-8.0%	B
81	Escondido, CA	151K	468.3	1,514	-8.0%	B
82	Elk Grove, CA	176K	468.3	1,863	-8.0%	C
83	Springfield, MO	169K	597.9	1,253	-8.0%	C
84	Oceanside, CA	176K	597.9	1,601	-8.0%	C
85	Amarillo, TX	200K	660.8	1,385	-8.0%	C
86	Fargo, ND	126K	214.3	2,054	-7.0%	B
87	Riverside, CA	315K	236.8	2,270	-7.0%	B
88	Irvine, CA	308K	236.8	2,270	-7.0%	B
89	Lakeland, FL	113K	343.9	2,141	-7.0%	B
90	Tyler, TX	106K	603.1	1,271	-7.0%	C
91	Gainesville, FL	141K	473.5	2,228	-7.0%	C
92	Tampa, FL	400K	523.3	2,078	-7.0%	C
93	Ann Arbor, MI	124K	603.1	1,619	-7.0%	C
94	Lakewood, NJ	135K	603.1	1,619	-7.0%	C
95	Indianapolis, IN	888K	730.1	1,538	-7.0%	C
96	Springfield, IL	114K	219.5	1,375	-6.0%	B
97	Minneapolis, MN	430K	242.6	1,520	-6.0%	B
98	Worcester, MA	207K	242.6	1,520	-6.0%	B
99	Savannah, GA	148K	219.5	1,723	-6.0%	B
100	Surprise, AZ	142K	219.5	1,723	-6.0%	B

5-year change reflects overall crime rate trend from 2019 to 2023. Negative values indicate crime decreased. All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.