Idaho is filled with some great people, incredible scenery, and super safe places to live.
Yes, there are safe places in Idaho, but you're going to have to know how to navigate the state's property and violent crime heat map. And that's where HomeSnacks comes in -- we looked at the FBI data on crime for places in Idaho with more than 5,000 residents and created a list of the safest places to live in the Gem State for 2026.
Our research led us to multiple conclusions. One, there are safe places throughout the potato capital of the world -- from Meridian in the state's southern region to Moscow in the northern region. Two, not that we're surprised, the state is the 5th safest in the country. Third, take a look at our list of Idaho's safest places below before you make any decisions on where to live.
Whether you're looking to move to a quintessential cowboy town like Rupert, a family-friendly place like Middleton, or a place for young professionals like Boise, there is a safe place for everyone.
So, where can you live in Idaho, where you don't have to worry about thieves stealing packages from your porch when you're not home? Keep reading.
53 violent / 356 property per 100k
Kimberly, founded in 1905 and named after Peter L. Kimberly, ranks as the safest city in Idaho for 2026. At an elevation of 3,924 feet, the city boasts low rates of violent crime, positioning it at second safest for violent offenses statewide.
The comprehensive safety is highlighted by minimal instances of rape and aggravated assault, contributing to a total crime rate of 409/100k people per capita among its 5,618 inhabitants, underscoring Kimberly's commitment to security in Twin Falls County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
64 violent / 382 property per 100k
Home to the Napoleon Dynamite Festival and the Idaho Festival of Lights is our second safest city in Idaho: Preston. This eastern corner city where Idaho meets Utah is one of the best kept secrets of the West.
Hardworking Idaho roots run deep in this corner of the country and it is evident in the numbers. They scored an 8/10 snackability score with an emphasis on safety and available jobs. Preston is every outdoor enthusiasts dream with the mountains, reservoirs, and parks that surround it. Just don't try cruising down those mountains without a sled, that wouldn't be safe and that would hurt.
Whether you're taking in a rodeo or snowmobiling the city's trails, the term SAFE takes on an important meaning in Preston. It's a family friendly town in Franklin County where the treets re or veryone. The people here are super welcoming and there are a ton of safe, family friendly activities.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
129 violent / 48 property per 100k
Weiser, Idaho, sits along the Snake River, right up against the Oregon border on the far western part of the state. Named for the Weiser River, which also flows near town, the community was founded in Civil War times and became an important railroad spot in the late 19th century.
Weiser is known today as the one-time stomping ground of Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson and as the home of the annual National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest. It also has a reputation as one of the safest places in Idaho. In fact, in a population of 6,194, the area reported 8 violent crimes and 3 property crimes.
Given those stats, it's no wonder that Weiser ranks as the number 3 safest place to live in Idaho.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
70 violent / 523 property per 100k
Welcome to Rexburg, our fourth safest city in Idaho. It's so safe in this little village at the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park, that the wolves, coyotes, and bears are always howling and growling at the residents reminding them to get home before dark. Thanks furry friends!
Home to Brigham Young University-Idaho, Rexburg offers a safe environment with small town charm that packs a big punch. Not literally, of course. No fighting happens here; that wouldn't be safe. Not to mention the BYU Mormons sometimes have things to hide, so we're pretty sure that safety is always on their mind.
There's a true sense of community in this quaint little potato town, that it is no surprise that their city's motto is 'America's Family Community.' The residents, here, look out for each other. Rexburg's gold star qualities like the non-existent number of crimes per 100,000 residents, their large number of educated residents, and just their overall safety standards, speaks volumes. Yes, Rexburg, you might be located just above volcanoes that may erupt, but you truly offer a better life.
With a little over 28,000 residents, the superb quality of life in this Madison County village at the base of the Teton Range, is the reason that this city has held strong in the number one spot three years in a row.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
98 violent / 545 property per 100k
Where the fruit orchards spill out into Western Treasure Valley at the Idaho/Oregon border is Fruitland. This town, where the only crimes being committed might be leaving Mr. Potato Head without a mouth, is our fifth safest city in potato-land.
Fruitland Is known as the "The Big Apple of Idaho," so one might think it resembles wily New York City; but just the opposite, it is super chill and super safe. This little outdoor enthusiast's dream is known for its safe, family friendly atmosphere. There is a ton of stuff to do in this little town with only 7,157 residents in the middle of Payette County. They have fruit orchards where you could spend an entire day picking apples; and for the adventurous type, you can kayak, hike, and/or ski as far as the eye can see.
Just 60 minutes northwest of Boise, Fruitland is the kind of place where one can safely cruise the roads on snowmobiles, dog sleds, and x-country skis. It's also the kind of place where packages from Amazon won't get stolen from your front porch. If they do, however, it was probably a grizzly bear; and take it from us, you should pick your battles.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
64 violent / 850 property per 100k
Hi ho, hi ho, off to our sixth safest city in Idaho we go. While it might not be Smurf Village, Rathdrum is a city filled with individuals who work just as hard with safety always in mind.
Fun fact about Rathdrum, they have a lot of great people and super safe parks. We don't know about you, but we think these are probably the main reasons it scored 7/10 in safety on our snackability chart.
Talk to anyone from the Gem State and they will tell you that Rathdrum is small town living at its best. There are a boat load of things to do and the residents have the money to safely enjoy life. They have one of the highest median household incomes in Idaho. So it's not surprising that this city in Kootenai County received an 8/10 job score and an 8.5/10 score in amenities. It takes hard working individuals to keep a business alive. Nice work Rathdrum!
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
179 violent / 478 property per 100k
Flip on your snowmobile hazards and slap a fluorescent orange safety jacket on that gigantic grizzly bear, and call Hailey, Idaho safe: our fifth safest city to be exact.
It might not be Barney Fife's Mayberry, but this little town with a vibrant downtown scene, unforgettable summer festivals, and year-round fun backed by a strong french fry industry is just as notable and just as safe. Probably why it's one of the most populous towns of the Wood River Valley. This little piece of heaven surrounded by the Sawtooth National Forest is a family friendly, safe city. It boasts convenient restaurants and stores and an occasional rodeo or two. It's a great place to raise a family. And word on the street is that young professionals are starting to take notice and move Hailey's direction. Heck, you could be Bruce Willis' or Demi Moore's neighbor! So don't wait, because the word is out.
And if you want to read more about how great Hailey is, check out our article 'The Best Cities in Idaho'. Not surprising, Hailey also made our top ten.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
147 violent / 571 property per 100k
Where the Snake River meets the Boise River in the Treasure Valley is Meridian. This our eighth safest city in Idaho. This little city, nestled between the state's capital and Nampa, is super family friendly and virtually crime free. Heck, they don't even start fights when people throw out the 'no, You-Dah-Ho' joke.
Meridian's overall HomeSnacks snackability score was a 9/10! Not surprising, considering their safety rating scored an 8/10 and percentage of educated residents scored an 8.5/10. Busy potato farmers = less naughty potato farmers. If that doesn't say safe, we don't know what does.
It also not surprising that their city motto is 'Built for Business: Designed for LIving'. The people in this corner of the U.S. are super nice, hardworking, individuals that strive to create a better corner of the world for its residents. This is probably why they are considered the state's and country's fastest-growing cities and one our safest.
So grab the fam, pack up the pick-up, pick out a potato farm, and get a-movin' so you don't miss out on any of their safe, family friendly, activities scheduled for 2026.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
112 violent / 694 property per 100k
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
130 violent / 597 property per 100k
Middleton is the ideal destination when you're trying find that true rugged Idaho feel with safe, small city vibes. We're not sure if it's really where the grizzly bears roam, but we do think that it's safe enough to let your children roam. And this is definitely one of the reasons it's hanging strong as our tenth safest city in the 'Spud Capital of the World'.
Their motto states: 'Life is Better Here,' and we think they are right. It is one hidden gem in the middle of the Gem State. Whether you want to take a crack at corralling cattle or growing potatoes, Middleton is a rancher and farmers dream. Low crime and the lure of a rural environment are definitely what's attracting people to this Boise River Valley; but it's a spectacular landscape and great people that make families want to stay
Middleton is known for its strong housing market, unbreakable economy, and overall affordability
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Idaho's statewide median. Lower is safer.
Idaho statewide median: 196
Idaho statewide median: 868
On the map
Where the safety is in Idaho
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in Idaho for 2026
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Idaho are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in Idaho.
Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:
- Violent crimes per capita (murders, assaults, rapes, armed robberies)
- Property crimes per capita (thefts, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts)
For example, there were 23 crimes committed in Kimberly, with a reported population of 5,618. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0041, which translates into a 1 in 244 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at Idaho cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 30 of the biggest cities in Idaho to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 30 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.
Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score, "The Safest Place In Idaho," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in Idaho, based on our criteria, is Kimberly. The most dangerous city in Idaho? Garden City, where residents had a 1 in 47 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2026. This report marks our eleventh time ranking the safest places to live in Idaho. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2024 report.
Summary
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Gem State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Kimberly is as safe as they come in Idaho, according to science and data.
But as most Idaho residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.
The safest places in Idaho are .
For more reading, check out:
The full plate
Where Are The Safest Cities In Idaho For 2026?
Click any column to sort. All 30 ranked Idaho cities.
| Rank | City | Population | Violent / 100k | Property / 100k | Murders / 100k | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimberly, ID | 5,618 | 53 | 355 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Preston, ID | 6,282 | 63 | 382 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Weiser, ID | 6,194 | 129 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Rexburg, ID | 40,164 | 69 | 522 | 2 | 1 |
| 5 | Fruitland, ID | 7,157 | 97 | 544 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Rathdrum, ID | 12,467 | 64 | 850 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Hailey, ID | 10,039 | 179 | 478 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Meridian, ID | 140,353 | 146 | 571 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Jerome, ID | 13,399 | 111 | 694 | 7 | 1 |
| 10 | Middleton, ID | 11,550 | 129 | 597 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Post Falls, ID | 46,835 | 151 | 642 | 2 | 1 |
| 12 | Moscow, ID | 26,684 | 18 | 1,015 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Mountain Home, ID | 16,927 | 200 | 525 | 5 | 1 |
| 14 | Sandpoint, ID | 10,498 | 85 | 1,000 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Emmett, ID | 8,766 | 342 | 410 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Shelley, ID | 5,305 | 207 | 885 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Coeur D'alene, ID | 57,561 | 241 | 955 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Blackfoot, ID | 13,196 | 287 | 909 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Nampa, ID | 118,950 | 353 | 742 | 2 | 3 |
| 20 | Rigby, ID | 5,756 | 173 | 1,181 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Lewiston, ID | 35,036 | 191 | 1,312 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Payette, ID | 8,790 | 295 | 989 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Rupert, ID | 6,399 | 640 | 750 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Boise, ID | 235,223 | 293 | 1,110 | 1 | 3 |
| 25 | Caldwell, ID | 71,115 | 452 | 977 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 | Chubbuck, ID | 16,600 | 265 | 2,686 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Twin Falls, ID | 55,932 | 416 | 1,126 | 5 | 3 |
| 28 | Idaho Falls, ID | 68,716 | 356 | 1,209 | 4 | 3 |
| 29 | Pocatello, ID | 58,618 | 341 | 1,586 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Garden City, ID | 12,956 | 656 | 1,435 | 0 | 0 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In Idaho
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