In August, the Trump administration issued an executive order declaring a criminal emergency in Washington, D.C. Later, the federal government deployed more than 2,000 National Guard troops to the capital in partnership with several governors to address crime.
President Trump also publicly warned the governor of Illinois that the National Guard could be sent to Chicago if crime was not quickly addressed. However, both the governor and the mayor of Chicago argued that the city was safer than Trump claimed.
Against this backdrop, Smart Asset released a ranking of the 50 safest US cities.
The rankings were based on violent crime, property crime, traffic fatalities, drug overdose deaths, and excessive alcohol consumption, measured per 100,000 adults aged 18 and older. These safety metrics help Americans evaluate locations when considering where to work, buy a home, raise a family, or retire.
Safest City: San Jose, California
According to the ranking, San Jose topped the list as the safest large US city, placing within the top 10 across all safety measures.
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Violent crimes reported: 5,185 (3rd lowest)
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Property crimes reported: 25,715 (5th lowest)
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Drug overdose deaths: 17 per 100,000 (4th lowest)
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Traffic fatalities: 7 per 100,000 (9th lowest)
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Excessive drinking: 17.8% of adults
San Jose also had an average monthly housing cost of $2,775 and a median household income of $141,565.
Texas Cities Shine
Three Texas cities ranked in the top 10: Fort Worth (3rd), Arlington (7th), and El Paso (8th).
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Fort Worth and Arlington had average monthly housing costs of about $1,450 with household incomes around $75,000.
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El Paso was more affordable, with average housing costs of $1,044 and a median income of $58,734.
Top 10 Safest Cities in 2025
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San Jose, California
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Los Angeles, California
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Fort Worth, Texas
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Omaha, Nebraska
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Virginia Beach, Virginia
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Las Vegas, Nevada
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Arlington, Texas
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El Paso, Texas
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Charlotte, North Carolina
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Raleigh, North Carolina
San Francisco vs. San Jose
San Francisco ranked 37th, despite being the second-most expensive housing market. While violent crime was relatively low, the city scored poorly in property crime (45,322 reported), overdose deaths (63 per 100,000), and alcohol abuse (24.7%).
Washington, D.C.
The capital ranked 40th, with one of the highest drug overdose death rates (64 per 100,000). It recorded 28,229 property crimes and 7,112 violent crimes but had relatively low fatal traffic accident rates.
Chicago
Chicago ranked 38th, with the 4th worst violent crime rate (86,506 cases reported) and above-average property crime (163,211 cases). Excessive drinking was also an issue, at 21.5%.
Detroit
Detroit ranked 48th, among the least safe. It recorded:
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Violent crimes: 29,684
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Property crimes: 53,490
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Overdose deaths: 49.3 per 100,000
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Traffic fatalities: 11.1 per 100,000
Median household income was $39,575 with average housing costs of $868.
Least Safe Cities (Bottom 10)
41. Bakersfield, California
42. Nashville, Tennessee
43. Portland, Oregon
44. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
45. Kansas City, Missouri
46. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
47. Denver, Colorado
48. Detroit, Michigan
49. Albuquerque, New Mexico
50. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis ranked last, with the highest violent crime and property crime rates among the 50 cities, as well as high overdose and traffic death rates.
Methodology
Smart Asset compared 50 of the largest US cities using:
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Violent and property crime rates (FBI 2023 data, supplemented by NeighborhoodScout.com)
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Traffic fatalities and drug overdose deaths (County Health Rankings 2025)
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Alcohol abuse rates (County Health Rankings 2025)
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Housing costs and median household income (US Census ACS 2023)
These metrics provided a broad picture of urban safety and affordability.