The 10 Safest Cities In Iowa For 2023

The 10 Safest Cities In Iowa For 2023

Polk City, Iowa, combines many of the benefits of urban and rural living. It's located a half hour's drive outside of Des Moines, the state's capital and its biggest population center. At the same time, Polk City sits along Saylorville Lake, giving residents plenty of access to fishing, hunting, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

The area has another important draw. Polk City also ranks as the number 1 safest places to live in Iowa.

With a population of 5,350 people, Polk City reported just 5 property crimes during the 2021 reference year. The area is equally ideal when it comes to violence. The community suffered only 1 violent crimes over the 12-month period. That gives it a per-capita total-crime rate of 112/100k people.

Norwalk is an affluent city in Warren County and it's our third safest city in Iowa for 2023.

You won't hear guns a-poppin' and see fists flying unless maybe there is a scuffle over a putt on one of their pristine golf courses.

This Des Moines-burb offers a city vibe with a laid back suburban feel. There is a sense of community in Norwalk and education is a top priority. So grab the fam, pack the truck, and get a-movin' soon so you don't miss out any of their safe, family friendly activities scheduled for 2023.

In Decorah they love their proximity to the northeastern Iowa/Minnesota border, their parks, their safe neighborhoods, their corn cuisine, and their Luther College Norses. They are more than deserving of spot 4 on our safest cities in Iowa list.

Decorah is so safe, that the only crime here is a bad haircut or cutting corners at the local Fall corn maze.

If this doesn't make you a "Decorah Believer," check out our story "Best College Towns in Iowa". This Winneshiek County city is the real deal!

You won't find Sioux Center, Iowa in the middle of a 2Pac song, it's actually quite the opposite: it's safe.

Located in northwestern Iowa, it is one of The Hawkeye State's middle-of-nowhere cities that has made a mark on our safest cities in Iowa for 2023 list: our number one city to be exact.

SIoux Center's gold star qualities like the non-existent number of crimes per 100,000 residents speaks volumes. It's the kind of place that you can sleep safe and sound and leave the doors unlocked while out and about.

You won't hear 'hold my beer and watch me handle this" in this city in Dallas County. They are a safe, family friendly, town with a ton of respect for each other. Heck, crime is pretty much nonexistent in this city with a little more than 20,000 farmers. Yep, you heard hear first, folks: Iowans can get along.

Waukee's residents say that this little bowl of Iowa corn pudding', is the 'Pride of The Hawkeye State'. The people, here, are super sweet and super corny. So it's no surprise that they keep moving up our list with their 8/10 safety score. And it's definitely not shocking that they are our tenth safest city in Iowa for 2023.

In Eldridge they love their wide open spaces, their parks, their safe neighborhoods, their beef cuisine, and their trucks with gun racks. We all know nothing says safe like showing' up to the annual 'Moonlight Chase' with your gal by your side and a newly mounted rack, right?

Eldridge is so safe, that the only crime here is a bad haircut or dipping your steak in ketchup. They claim to be more then prepared to show you the good 'ol hometown pride that makes this part of the country famous and safe. We think you should check them out because they are our second safest city in Iowa for 2023.

Orange City is an ideal destination when you are trying to break free from Iowa's urban life.

This city of quaint rustic Iowa beauty is located in Sioux County and provides the backdrop for our fourth safest city in Iowa for 2023.

Don't let the 'quaint' deter you, however. There's lots to do in the OC. The residents here love to tip cows, corn cars, and provide opportunities for people to safely fry anything and everything. That's what we call safe, stress free livin'.

And don't worry about locking your doors here, either. They scored off the charts in low crime and high safety standards.

Now, we tend to associate urban areas with high crime - even in Iowa. But Urbandale bucks this trend. Rather than a high crime rate, Urbandale actually ranks as the number 10 safest locations in the state.

Part of the wider Des Moines metropolitan area, Urbandale, Iowa, lives up to its name. Well, it might not seem very urban compared to the mean streets of New York City. But for Iowa, the region counts as a major metropolitan area. Urbandale itself has a population of 45,201, the 12th highest total in the state.

Despite the large number of residents, the city reported just 52 violent crimes over the course of a year. That's a per-capita rate of 115/100k people, the 13th safest pace in Iowa.

Things are similarly calm when it comes to property crimes. Urbandale had just 62 burglaries and 66 cars stolen in a year.

Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In Iowa For 2023?