The 10 Safest Cities In Iowa For 2024

The safest cities in Iowa are Asbury and Norwalk for 2024 using Saturday Night Science.

While most places in Iowa are downright lovely, some spots in the Hawkeye State deserve special attention for standing out as extraordinarily safe places to live. This is why we created a list of the top ten safest places to live in Iowa for 2024.

But how exactly is one to tell where the safest places are to live in Iowa? Well, data, of course.

We've broken down the safest cities in Iowa based on the most recent FBI data on property and violent crime in places with more than 5,000 residents. And at this point, we're quite the experts on ranking safe cities; it's the tenth time we've ranked the safest places in Iowa.

Whether your looking to move to a farming community like Atlantic, a family-friendly place like Clive, or a place for young professionals like Cedar Rapids, there is a safe place for everyone.

So, want to know where it's still safe to play outside in Iowa until the fireflies turn on their street lights? Keep reading.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table

Here are the 10 safest cities to live in Iowa for 2024:

  1. Asbury (Homes For Sale)
  2. Norwalk (Homes For Sale)
  3. Sioux Center (Homes For Sale)
  4. Polk City (Homes For Sale)
  5. Johnston (Homes For Sale)
  6. Decorah (Homes For Sale)
  7. North Liberty (Homes For Sale)
  8. Eldridge (Homes For Sale)
  9. Urbandale (Homes For Sale)
  10. Orange City (Homes For Sale)
Safest Cities In Iowa Map

When the good people of these Iowa towns aren't rooting for the University of Iowa's Hawkeyes in Iowa City or enjoying a fresh ear of buttery sweet corn at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, they can be found keeping some of the coolest places in Iowa safe.

What city is the safest place to live in Iowa for 2024? According to the most recent FBI data, the safest place to live in Iowa is Asbury.

Want to know more about our methodology and where the safest places in Iowa are located? Take a look below.

For more reading on safe places to live in and around Iowa, check out:

The 10 Safest Cities In Iowa For 2024

Asbury, IA
Source: Flickr User Zonie_Zambonie | CC BY 2.0

Population: 6,005
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 16 (safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 266 (fifth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Asbury: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9.5
/10

Asbury, found in Dubuque County of Iowa and part of the Dubuque Metropolitan Area, continues to be a paradigm of safety with its impressive safest position in violent crime rankings. The city's law enforcement and community engagement efforts have notably curbed incidents of murder, rape, and robbery, with only an isolated case of aggravated assault.

Property crime rates also support Asbury's designation as the safest locality in Iowa, with a modest count of 16. Asbury's low 283/100k people crime per capita rate mirrors the effectiveness of its public safety strategies.

Norwalk, IA
Source: Flickr User Capncavedan | CC BY 2.0

Population: 14,299
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 55 (fourth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 209 (third safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Norwalk: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
6
/10

Norwalk is an affluent city in Warren County and it's our third safest city in Iowa for 2024.

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 2024.

Sioux Center, IA
Source: Wikipedia User inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +) | CC BY-SA 2.0

Population: 8,340
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 47 (third safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 251 (fourth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Sioux Center: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

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 2024 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.

Source: Public Domain

Population: 5,920
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 67 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 287 (sixth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Polk City: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9.5
/10

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 4 safest places to live in Iowa.

With a population of 5,920 people, Polk City reported just 17 property crimes during the 2022 reference year. The area is equally ideal when it comes to violence. The community suffered only 4 violent crimes over the 12-month period. That gives it a per-capita total-crime rate of 354/100k people.

Johnston, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Iowahwyman | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 24,295
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 69 (sixth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 650 (tenth safest)
Murders: 1
Murders Per 100k: 4
More on Johnston: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9.5
/10

It might not be Barney Fife's Mayberry, or maybe it is, but this safe, little Polk County city with a vibrant agricultural community, quiet neighborhoods, and hardworking residents is just as notable and just as safe. This is definitely why this little piece of Iowa heaven is our sixth safest city in The Corn Capital of the World; and thanks to Pioneer Hi-Bred Seeds, one of the state's most sought after farming cities.

We think Johnston's town motto should be: 'Feels Like Home'. They are super welcoming; and in true Iowa fashion, they would be happy if you called its cornfields home.

Decorah, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Bobak Ha'Eri | CC BY 3.0

Population: 7,764
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 154 (16th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 128 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Decorah: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

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 6 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!

North Liberty, IA
Source: Wikipedia User American007 (talk) | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 21,131
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 113 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 359 (seventh safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on North Liberty: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

In Johnson County, Iowa, the city of North Liberty is recognized for being the seventh safest area in the state as of 2024. This reputation is supported by only 24 violent crimes, including mere 0 murders, and just 76 property crime incidents that year.

Part of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area, North Liberty has a population of 21,131 and benefits from effective policing by local law enforcement agencies. These factors result in low per capita crime rates, earning the city a 11th safest rank for violent crime and an equally impressive seventh safest rank for property crime across the state.

Eldridge, IA
Source: Wikipedia User Farragutful | CC BY-SA 3.0

Population: 6,770
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 44 (second safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 782 (17th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Eldridge: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9.5
/10

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 2024.

Urbandale, IA
Source: Public domain

Population: 46,284
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 105 (eighth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 691 (12th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Urbandale: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
9
/10

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 9 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 46,284, the 12th highest total in the state.

Despite the large number of residents, the city reported just 49 violent crimes over the course of a year. That's a per-capita rate of 105/100k people, the eighth safest pace in Iowa.

Things are similarly calm when it comes to property crimes. Urbandale had just 36 burglaries and 48 cars stolen in a year.

Orange City, IA
Source: Public domain

Population: 6,195
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 112 (tenth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 677 (11th safest)
Murders: 1
Murders Per 100k: 16
More on Orange City: Data | Crime | Real Estate

Overall SnackAbility
6
/10

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 2024.

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.

Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in Iowa for 2024

Safest Cities in Iowa Graph

While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Iowa 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 Iowa.

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 17 crimes committed in Asbury, with a reported population of 6,005. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0028, which translates into a 1 in 353 chance of being the victim of a crime.

We only looked at Iowa cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 81 of the biggest cities in Iowa to rank.

We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 81 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 Iowa," with any ties going to the bigger city.

The safest city in Iowa, based on our criteria, is Asbury. The most dangerous city in Iowa? Clinton, where residents had a 1 in 21 chance of being the victim of a crime.

This article has been update for 2024. This report marks our tenth time ranking the safest places to live in Iowa. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2022 report.

Richest Cities In Iowa

Summary: The Safest Cities In The Hawkeye State

Looking at the data, you can tell that Asbury is as safe as they come in Iowa, according to science and data.

But as most Iowa 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 Iowa are .

Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in Iowa according to the data:

  1. Clinton
  2. Ottumwa
  3. Davenport
For more reading, check out:

Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In Iowa For 2024?

Rank City Population Violent Crimes Per 100k Property Crimes Per 100k Murders Per 100k Murders
1 Asbury, IA 6,005 16 266 0 0
2 Norwalk, IA 14,299 55 209 0 0
3 Sioux Center, IA 8,340 47 251 0 0
4 Polk City, IA 5,920 67 287 0 0
5 Johnston, IA 24,295 69 650 4 1
6 Decorah, IA 7,764 154 128 0 0
7 North Liberty, IA 21,131 113 359 0 0
8 Eldridge, IA 6,770 44 782 0 0
9 Urbandale, IA 46,284 105 691 0 0
10 Orange City, IA 6,195 112 677 16 1
11 Pella, IA 10,729 139 708 0 0
12 Waukee, IA 28,790 138 722 3 1
13 Sergeant Bluff, IA 5,226 191 478 0 0
14 Estherville, IA 5,847 222 615 0 0
15 Spencer, IA 11,440 122 996 0 0
16 Adel, IA 6,377 156 1,082 0 0
17 Independence, IA 6,236 144 1,138 0 0
18 Algona, IA 5,257 342 209 0 0
19 Bettendorf, IA 39,548 78 1,378 0 0
20 Webster City, IA 7,689 247 923 0 0
21 Ankeny, IA 72,315 196 1,075 0 0
22 Le Mars, IA 10,564 274 880 0 0
23 Carroll, IA 10,195 107 1,422 0 0
24 Altoona, IA 21,830 183 1,236 0 0
25 Clive, IA 18,984 268 1,069 0 0
26 Sheldon, IA 5,385 315 798 0 0
27 Marion, IA 41,793 244 1,225 0 0
28 Ames, IA 66,852 218 1,281 2 2
29 Denison, IA 8,048 335 832 0 0
30 Glenwood, IA 5,195 346 885 0 0
31 Oelwein, IA 5,788 397 725 0 0
32 Boone, IA 12,448 321 1,108 0 0
33 Perry, IA 7,986 450 713 0 0
34 Clarinda, IA 5,499 363 1,000 0 0
35 Fairfield, IA 9,641 280 1,389 0 0
36 Charles City, IA 7,211 388 1,040 0 0
37 West Des Moines, IA 70,701 248 1,718 1 1
38 Cedar Falls, IA 40,321 198 1,860 0 0
39 Creston, IA 7,438 349 1,183 0 0
40 Iowa City, IA 74,749 263 1,775 1 1
41 Manchester, IA 5,134 292 1,616 0 0
42 Pleasant Hill, IA 10,153 187 2,097 0 0
43 Storm Lake, IA 11,274 354 1,321 0 0
44 Winterset, IA 5,403 462 1,054 0 0
45 Oskaloosa, IA 11,479 435 1,176 0 0
46 Spirit Lake, IA 5,448 275 1,872 0 0
47 Mount Pleasant, IA 8,959 424 1,283 0 0
48 Red Oak, IA 5,568 359 1,544 0 0
49 Muscatine, IA 23,237 352 1,626 0 0
50 Nevada, IA 6,744 459 1,230 0 0
51 Newton, IA 15,563 443 1,349 0 0
52 Waverly, IA 10,445 660 1,072 0 0
53 Centerville, IA 5,303 282 2,093 0 0
54 Windsor Heights, IA 5,108 215 3,347 0 0
55 Osceola, IA 5,654 442 1,397 0 0
56 Fort Madison, IA 10,084 307 2,082 0 0
57 Maquoketa, IA 6,035 331 1,922 0 0
58 Coralville, IA 23,555 284 2,627 0 0
59 Hiawatha, IA 7,109 323 2,067 0 0
60 Mason City, IA 27,032 292 2,674 0 0
61 Washington, IA 7,209 416 1,886 0 0
62 Cedar Rapids, IA 135,362 319 3,046 7 10
63 Atlantic, IA 6,726 460 1,769 0 0
64 Dubuque, IA 58,676 472 1,792 1 1
65 Knoxville, IA 7,366 502 1,778 0 0
66 Marshalltown, IA 27,207 657 1,756 3 1
67 Iowa Falls, IA 5,023 796 1,592 0 0
68 Council Bluffs, IA 62,206 421 3,001 1 1
69 Indianola, IA 15,817 878 1,707 0 0
70 Clear Lake, IA 7,501 706 1,879 0 0
71 DeWitt, IA 5,528 687 1,935 0 0
72 Waterloo, IA 66,504 578 2,493 13 9
73 Sioux City, IA 85,580 515 2,937 1 1
74 Fort Dodge, IA 25,097 517 2,996 7 2
75 Grinnell, IA 9,474 812 1,942 0 0
76 Keokuk, IA 9,702 731 2,143 0 0
77 Des Moines, IA 213,060 628 3,173 0 2
78 Burlington, IA 23,497 587 3,689 0 0
79 Davenport, IA 100,437 697 3,480 3 4
80 Ottumwa, IA 25,249 776 3,675 3 1
81 Clinton, IA 24,443 863 3,735 12 3

Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa

Safest Cities in Iowa Breakdown

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn.

Safest Cities By State

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