10 Safest Small Cities In The United States [2026]

There’s a common denominator that all safe small cities have.

They are the places where people sleep safer at night, where shootings and beatings don’t dominate the local news. The best small towns in America to raise kids, and awesome places to retire.

Because if crime is really low, everyone wants to be there.

The small cities below all share those qualities. There might be some surprises on this list, but when you look at the unbiased data with Saturday Night Science, it’s hard to argue against.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 10 Safest Small Cities In America For 2026

Bellefonte, PA
Matawan, NJ
Munroe Falls, OH
Emerson, NJ
St. Clairsville, OH
Hawthorn Woods, IL
Mount Arlington, NJ
Campton Hills, IL
Broadview Heights, OH
Pingree Grove, IL

We understand there’s a lot of good in every place. However, according to data (which doesn’t measure things like beauty, ‘friendly people’ and community involvement), there aren’t safer options in America for making a place home.

The most dangerous small town to live in America? Florida City, FL. More on that later.

Check out more about America here:

The 10 Safest Small Cities To Live In America For 2026

1. Bellefonte, PA

Bellefonte Location In Pennsylvania

Source: Flickr User jmd41280 | CC BY-ND 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 6,009
Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Murders: 0
More on Bellefonte: Data | Cost Of Living

2. Matawan, NJ

Matawan Location In New Jersey

Source: Wikipedia User Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 9,710
Crime Per Capita: 0.0002
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0002
Murders: 0
More on Matawan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

3. Munroe Falls, OH

Source: Wikipedia User Munroe Falls photographer | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 5,000
Crime Per Capita: 0.0008
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0008
Murders: 0
More on Munroe Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

4. Emerson, NJ

Emerson Location In New Jersey

Source: Wikipedia User Mitchazenia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 7,305
Crime Per Capita: 0.001
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.001
Murders: 0
More on Emerson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

5. St. Clairsville, OH

Source: Wikipedia User Bwsmith84 (talk) | CC BY 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 5,003
Crime Per Capita: 0.0014
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0014
Murders: 0
More on St. Clairsville: Data | Cost Of Living

6. Hawthorn Woods, IL

Hawthorn Woods Location In Illinois

Source: Flickr User Peg Syverson | CC BY 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 9,143
Crime Per Capita: 0.0014
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0014
Murders: 0
More on Hawthorn Woods: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

7. Mount Arlington, NJ

Source: Wikipedia User Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 5,935
Crime Per Capita: 0.0015
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0015
Murders: 0
More on Mount Arlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

8. Campton Hills, IL

Campton Hills Location In Illinois

Source: Wikipedia User Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois | CC BY-SA 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 10,877
Crime Per Capita: 0.0006
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0001
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0005
Murders: 0
More on Campton Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

9. Broadview Heights, OH

Broadview Heights Location In Ohio

Source: Wikipedia User Highvolt | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 19,771
Crime Per Capita: 0.0011
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0001
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.001
Murders: 0
More on Broadview Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

10. Pingree Grove, IL

Pingree Grove Location In Illinois

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 10,914
Crime Per Capita: 0.0017
Violent Crime Per Capita: 0.0001
Property Crime Per Capita: 0.0016
Murders: 0
More on Pingree Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

How We Determined The Safest Small Cities In The US

To rank the safest small towns in America, we turned to Saturday Night Science to research FBI crime data.

We defined a “small city” as a population under 50,000 and over 5,000. And then we measured the following two criteria for each of these 2,509 US cities:

Violent Crime Per Capita
Property Crime Per Capita

We ranked each city on both criteria and averaged the rankings together to create a “Crime Index.” The city with the lowest Crime Index, Bellefonte, was named the safest small city in the United States.

We updated this report for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the safest small cities in America.

These Are The 10 Cheapest States To Live In

There You Have It — The Safest Small Cities In The US

We looked at FBI crime data to find the Safest small cities in the U.S. for 2026. We analyzed each city’s violent and property crime rates per capita and combined them into a Crime Index.

Bellefonte, , is the Safest, and Florida City, FL is the safest for cities with populations between 5,000 and 50,000.

The safest small cities in the United States are Bellefonte, PA, Matawan, NJ, Munroe Falls, OH, Emerson, NJ, St. Clairsville, OH, Hawthorn Woods, IL, Mount Arlington, NJ, Campton Hills, IL, Broadview Heights, OH, and Pingree Grove, IL.

Here’s a look at the most dangerous small cities in America according to the data:

Florida City
Lumberton
Dillon

Safest Small Cities In The United States

Rank	City	Population	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate	Murders
1	Bellefonte, PA	6,009	0.0	0.0	0.0	0
2	Matawan, NJ	9,710	0.0002	0.0	0.0002	0
3	Munroe Falls, OH	5,000	0.0008	0.0	0.0008	0
4	Emerson, NJ	7,305	0.001	0.0	0.001	0
5	St. Clairsville, OH	5,003	0.0014	0.0	0.0014	0
6	Hawthorn Woods, IL	9,143	0.0014	0.0	0.0014	0
7	Mount Arlington, NJ	5,935	0.0015	0.0	0.0015	0
8	Campton Hills, IL	10,877	0.0006	0.0001	0.0005	0
9	Broadview Heights, OH	19,771	0.0011	0.0001	0.001	0
10	Pingree Grove, IL	10,914	0.0017	0.0001	0.0016	0
11	Frostburg, MD	6,977	0.0011	0.0001	0.001	0
12	Cottleville, MO	5,937	0.0007	0.0002	0.0005	0
13	Hillsdale, NJ	10,144	0.0027	0.0	0.0027	0
14	Whispering Pines, NC	5,211	0.0027	0.0	0.0027	0
15	Evansville, WI	5,782	0.0028	0.0	0.0028	0
16	Turtle Creek, PA	5,007	0.0006	0.0002	0.0004	0
17	Fox Chapel, PA	5,246	0.0029	0.0	0.0029	0
18	Fair Haven, NJ	6,170	0.0019	0.0002	0.0018	0
19	Western Springs, IL	13,446	0.0028	0.0001	0.0027	0
20	Rye, NY	16,428	0.0026	0.0001	0.0025	0
21	Olmsted Falls, OH	8,639	0.0031	0.0	0.0031	0
22	Porter, IN	5,217	0.0021	0.0002	0.0019	0
23	Brecksville, OH	13,692	0.0032	0.0001	0.0031	0
24	Senoia, GA	5,589	0.0025	0.0002	0.0023	0
25	St. John, IN	22,567	0.0017	0.0003	0.0014	0
26	Homer Glen, IL	24,529	0.0029	0.0002	0.0028	0
27	Minooka, IL	12,891	0.0034	0.0001	0.0033	0
28	Dumont, NJ	18,279	0.0031	0.0002	0.003	0
29	Madeira, OH	9,484	0.0037	0.0	0.0037	0
30	Oconomowoc, WI	19,080	0.0032	0.0002	0.003	0
31	Lowell, IN	11,073	0.0023	0.0003	0.0021	0
32	Willow Springs, IL	5,868	0.0037	0.0	0.0037	0
33	Avon Lake, OH	25,752	0.0031	0.0002	0.003	0
34	Zionsville, IN	32,095	0.0031	0.0002	0.0029	1
35	Mayfield Heights, OH	20,022	0.0031	0.0002	0.0029	0
36	Gulf Breeze, FL	6,660	0.0035	0.0002	0.0033	0
37	Kinnelon, NJ	10,013	0.0037	0.0001	0.0036	0
38	Dyer, IN	16,400	0.0035	0.0001	0.0034	0
39	Mountainside, NJ	7,049	0.0035	0.0001	0.0034	0
40	Rockaway, NJ	6,613	0.0035	0.0002	0.0033	0
41	Pitman, NJ	8,856	0.0032	0.0002	0.0029	0
42	Ringwood, NJ	11,657	0.0021	0.0003	0.0018	0
43	Longboat Key, FL	7,539	0.0041	0.0	0.0041	0
44	Sandwich, IL	7,219	0.003	0.0003	0.0028	0
45	Eudora, KS	6,119	0.0036	0.0002	0.0034	0
46	Church Hill, TN	7,139	0.0031	0.0003	0.0028	0
47	Wanaque, NJ	11,206	0.0022	0.0004	0.0019	0
48	Clarendon Hills, IL	8,659	0.0043	0.0	0.0043	0
49	Manhattan, IL	11,026	0.0023	0.0004	0.0019	0
50	Gilberts, IL	8,606	0.0026	0.0003	0.0022	0
51	Castle Shannon, PA	8,209	0.0034	0.0002	0.0032	0
52	Trophy Club, TX	13,733	0.0041	0.0001	0.0039	0
53	Highland Heights, OH	8,623	0.0044	0.0	0.0044	0
54	Spring Grove, IL	5,917	0.0039	0.0002	0.0037	0
55	Poplar Bluff, MO	16,254	0.0025	0.0004	0.0021	2
56	Waldwick, NJ	10,164	0.0037	0.0002	0.0035	0
57	Brier, WA	6,545	0.0041	0.0002	0.004	0
58	Independence, KY	29,392	0.0035	0.0003	0.0032	0
59	Selinsgrove, PA	5,593	0.0029	0.0004	0.0025	0
60	Chardon, OH	5,249	0.0046	0.0	0.0046	0
61	Huntington Woods, MI	6,328	0.0033	0.0003	0.003	0
62	Aurora, OH	17,581	0.004	0.0002	0.0039	0
63	Tega Cay, SC	13,615	0.0035	0.0003	0.0032	0
64	Berea, OH	18,218	0.0039	0.0002	0.0037	0
65	Lititz, PA	9,619	0.0046	0.0001	0.0045	0
66	Parma Heights, OH	20,581	0.0036	0.0003	0.0033	0
67	Sioux Center, IA	8,454	0.0013	0.0005	0.0008	0
68	Vine Grove, KY	6,830	0.0037	0.0003	0.0034	0
69	Elm Grove, WI	6,459	0.0048	0.0	0.0048	0
70	Polk City, IA	6,037	0.0035	0.0003	0.0031	0
71	Sugar Grove, IL	9,240	0.0036	0.0003	0.0032	0
72	Tenafly, NJ	15,319	0.0048	0.0001	0.0047	0
73	South River, NJ	16,124	0.0015	0.0005	0.001	0
74	Franklin Lakes, NJ	11,084	0.0041	0.0003	0.0038	0
75	Oakland, NJ	12,768	0.0038	0.0003	0.0034	0
76	Berkley, MI	15,149	0.0037	0.0003	0.0034	0
77	Oradell, NJ	8,235	0.0022	0.0005	0.0017	0
78	Rainsville, AL	5,702	0.0046	0.0002	0.0044	0
79	Bartlett, IL	40,501	0.0041	0.0003	0.0038	0
80	New Providence, NJ	13,727	0.003	0.0004	0.0025	0
81	Fulshear, TX	34,868	0.0032	0.0004	0.0027	0
82	Cary, IL	17,923	0.0049	0.0001	0.0048	0
83	Haddon Heights, NJ	7,516	0.0051	0.0	0.0051	0
84	Mount Joy, PA	8,344	0.0043	0.0002	0.0041	0
85	Rocky River, OH	21,490	0.0044	0.0002	0.0041	0
86	Lamar, CO	7,611	0.0051	0.0	0.0051	0
87	Old Tappan, NJ	6,008	0.0025	0.0005	0.002	0
88	Hampshire, IL	8,524	0.0038	0.0004	0.0034	0
89	Wilmore, KY	6,057	0.0048	0.0002	0.0046	0
90	Jamesburg, NJ	5,770	0.004	0.0003	0.0036	0
91	New Milford, NJ	16,995	0.0051	0.0001	0.0049	0
92	Bergenfield, NJ	28,450	0.0028	0.0005	0.0024	0
93	Vero Beach, FL	17,042	0.0033	0.0005	0.0028	0
94	Kronenwetter, WI	8,395	0.0032	0.0005	0.0027	0
95	Smithfield, UT	14,408	0.0023	0.0006	0.0017	0
96	Millersville, PA	8,982	0.0052	0.0001	0.0051	0
97	Holtville, CA	5,617	0.0041	0.0004	0.0037	0
98	Sunbury, PA	9,617	0.0029	0.0005	0.0024	0
99	Nolensville, TN	15,074	0.0027	0.0005	0.0022	0
100	New Martinsville, WV	5,133	0.0014	0.0006	0.0008	0