The 10 Safest Cities In Missouri For 2025
The safest cities in Missouri are Cottleville and Glendale for 2025 using Saturday Night Science.
There's more to Missouri than the St. Louis, the Lake of the Ozarks, Kansas City, and Branson, there are some super cool, super safe places to call home.
But how exactly is one to tell where the safest places are to live in the Show Me State? Well, data, of course.
Based on the most recent FBI data in places with over 5,000 residents, we broke down the safest places to live in Missouri. We focused on each city or town's property and violent crimes per capita. Since this is the tenth time we've ranked the safest places in Missouri, we feel confident in our calculations.
Missouri has much to offer if you're looking for a safe place to put down roots with a family. Coincidentally, it is one of the better states to raise a family.
Now, it wouldn't be right if we didn't mention that Missouri is ranked the 38th least safe states in the country. So, it's super important to know how to find the safest places to live in Missouri when moving.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table
So, what city is the safest to live in Missouri for 2025? Cottleville is the safest place to live in Missouri.
To see the ten safest places in Missouri, look below; if you don't find it there, head to the bottom to see how your favorite Missouri place compares.
For more reading on safe places to live in and around Missouri, check out:
- Safest States In America
- Safest Cities In America
- Best Places To Live In Missouri
- Cheapest Places To Live In Missouri
The 10 Safest Cities In Missouri For 2025
Population: 6,164
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 16 (safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 48 (second safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Cottleville: Real Estate
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Cottleville residents don't need to be coddled. Not with such safe streets. Cottleville has a property crime rate roughly nine times lower than the national average, earning the city the gold medal in this category. And you could count the number of violent crimes Cottleville saw in the last year of available data on one hand.
Did I mention that Cottleville also scores a perfect 10/10 on our overall snackability score? Really, whatever your priorities are for choosing a place to live, Cottleville probably has what you're looking for. Especially if one of those priorities is drinking a vanilla cream ale from Exit 6 Brewery.
Cottleville is a western suburb of St. Louis.
Population: 6,011
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 16 (second safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 365 (fifth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Glendale: Data | Real Estate
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Another safe suburb of St. Louis -- that was a fun little alliteration -- Glendale finds itself in the same position as last year near the top of our ranking.
Glendale's property and violent crime rates rank as the fifth safest and second safest, respectively, in the state at anywhere from 8-10x better than the national average. Add in the fact that over 75% of the population has at least college education, people make a ton of money, and housing is in super high demand and you actually have one of the single best places to live in MIssouri according to our data for this year.
Population: 16,108
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 37 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 211 (third safest)
Murders: 2
Murders Per 100k: 12
More on Poplar Bluff: Data | Real Estate
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Located in the southeast region of Missouri, Poplar Bluff is not only the county seat of Butler County but also a historic hub that has earned the nickname "The Gateway to the Ozarks." Poplar Bluff has maintained a steady growth and now forms the core of the Poplar Bluff Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Poplar Bluff's impressive safety record is reflected in its crime rates, with a total of 2 murders and an overall low 37/100k people violent crimes per capita. The city's commitment to safety is evident with fifth safest place ranking for violent crimes and a #3 for property crimes statewide. These statistics contribute to Poplar Bluff's designation as the third safest place to live in Missouri.
Population: 5,648
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 53 (tenth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 265 (fourth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Odessa: Data | Real Estate
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Population: 30,171
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 56 (11th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 483 (13th safest)
Murders: 1
Murders Per 100k: 3
More on Ballwin: Data | Real Estate
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While Missouri is home to two of the most dangerous cities in the country in St. Louis and Springfield, it's also home to gems like Ballwin.
A second-ring western suburb of St. Louis, it takes the reigns as the fifth safest place to live in Missouri for 2025.
The large 'burb of some 30,000 people boasts the 11th safest violent crime rate and 13th safest property crime rate in the state. Even better, there were zero murders and robberies here in the last reporting year.
Add in a highly educated adult population and it's no wonder people are flocking to the city -- it scores a 10/10 on our SnackAbility score and marks a best place to live in Missouri.
Population: 94,911
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 59 (13th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 479 (12th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on O'fallon: Real Estate
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O'Fallon, a key suburb within St. Charles County in Missouri, is celebrated as the sixth safest city statewide for 2025. The city boasts a robust economy and strong community infrastructure, contributing to its low crime rates. Despite its population of 94,911 and proximity to the St. Louis metropolitan area, O'Fallon's crime rates remain low with just 56 violent incidents. Property crimes are slightly higher with 455 occurrences, but still modest for its size.
Founded in 1856, O'Fallon has evolved into a pivotal suburb. Its effective police force has earned it rankings of 13th safest in violent crime and 12th safest in property crime within Missouri, reinforcing O'Fallon's status as a secure place to reside.
Population: 9,556
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 31 (fourth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 659 (21st safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Warrenton: Data | Real Estate
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Population: 6,156
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 81 (19th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 389 (sixth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Greenwood: Data | Real Estate
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Greenwood is no stranger to this ranking, as it still ranks as one of the safest cities to live in Missouri.
And don't just take our word for it -- several other organizations have ranked Greenwood the safest city in the state for the past couple of years. That also means our methodology is accurate, in case you were worried.
While the town still has crime rates that are 10x better than the national average, violent crime was up a tick from previous years.
Population: 26,094
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 45 (ninth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 605 (17th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Nixa: Data | Real Estate
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In Nixa, you can unlock your doors, flip the porch light on, and truly kick back and relax. That is because if there is one thing you do not have to fret about in this city, it is someone breaking into your home and stealing your valuables. Nixa ranks as the ninth safest place to live in Missouri for 2025.
It turns out community members faced just 3 burglaries in the last reporting year. The data is even better when it comes to your odds of experiencing property crime at all. The chances of it happening to you are one in 165.
So, you could say the only suckers in this city are the fish at the Nixa Sucker Days Music, Arts and Crafts Festival, because criminals are certainly not pulling a fast one on anyone here.
Population: 5,493
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 109 (25th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 18 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Holts Summit: Real Estate
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Holts Summit, a serene city in Missouri's Callaway County, holds the title of the tenth safest city. With no incidents of serious crime in 2025, it has a violent crime rate of 109/100k people and a property crime rate of 18/100k people per capita. Ranking at 25th safest for violent crime and safest for property crime across the state, its safety credentials are solid.
From a general store in 1870, Holts Summit has evolved into a secure enclave near Jefferson City. Its connection to the Missouri Rhineland and its founding legacy enhances its tight community atmosphere.
Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in Missouri for 2025
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Missouri 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 Missouri.
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 4 crimes committed in Cottleville, with a reported population of 6,164. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0006, which translates into a 1 in 1,541 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at Missouri cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 127 of the biggest cities in Missouri to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 127 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 Missouri," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in Missouri, based on our criteria, is Cottleville. The most dangerous city in Missouri? Berkeley, where residents had a 1 in 11 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2025. This report marks our tenth time ranking the safest places to live in Missouri. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2024 report.
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Show Me State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Cottleville is as safe as they come in Missouri, according to science and data.
But as most Missouri 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 Missouri are .
Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in Missouri according to the data:
- Berkeley
- Vinita Park
- St. Louis
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Missouri
- Best Places To Buy A House In Missouri
- Best Places To Retire In Missouri
Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In Missouri For 2025?
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crimes Per 100k | Property Crimes Per 100k | Murders Per 100k | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cottleville, MO | 6,164 | 16 | 48 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Glendale, MO | 6,011 | 16 | 365 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Poplar Bluff, MO | 16,108 | 37 | 211 | 12 | 2 |
| 4 | Odessa, MO | 5,648 | 53 | 265 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Ballwin, MO | 30,171 | 56 | 483 | 3 | 1 |
| 6 | O'Fallon, MO | 94,911 | 59 | 479 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Warrenton, MO | 9,556 | 31 | 659 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Greenwood, MO | 6,156 | 81 | 389 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Nixa, MO | 26,094 | 45 | 605 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Holts Summit, MO | 5,493 | 109 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Lake St. Louis, MO | 19,334 | 56 | 605 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Savannah, MO | 5,078 | 118 | 472 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Ste. Genevieve, MO | 5,051 | 118 | 455 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Olivette, MO | 8,961 | 44 | 881 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Ladue, MO | 8,847 | 45 | 847 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Ozark, MO | 23,432 | 81 | 682 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Pleasant Hill, MO | 8,641 | 104 | 717 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Webster Groves, MO | 23,271 | 120 | 648 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Rogersville, MO | 5,559 | 71 | 917 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Wentzville, MO | 48,377 | 109 | 744 | 2 | 1 |
| 21 | Clayton, MO | 17,501 | 102 | 794 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Parkville, MO | 9,377 | 117 | 735 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Wright City, MO | 5,529 | 144 | 488 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Battlefield, MO | 6,285 | 159 | 477 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Town And Country, MO | 11,523 | 26 | 1,240 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Ellisville, MO | 9,742 | 143 | 728 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Ashland, MO | 5,076 | 197 | 413 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Jackson, MO | 15,842 | 82 | 1,035 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Eureka, MO | 13,566 | 132 | 862 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Willard, MO | 6,573 | 197 | 441 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Manchester, MO | 17,912 | 44 | 1,300 | 5 | 1 |
| 32 | St. Charles, MO | 72,143 | 134 | 887 | 4 | 3 |
| 33 | Sunset Hills, MO | 8,995 | 77 | 1,222 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Oak Grove, MO | 9,157 | 65 | 1,354 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Marshall, MO | 13,591 | 139 | 1,015 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Peculiar, MO | 6,253 | 143 | 975 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Republic, MO | 20,578 | 126 | 1,059 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Chesterfield, MO | 48,907 | 96 | 1,286 | 2 | 1 |
| 39 | Troy, MO | 15,240 | 144 | 977 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Smithville, MO | 10,888 | 183 | 707 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Kearney, MO | 11,267 | 213 | 612 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Crestwood, MO | 12,103 | 99 | 1,487 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | Trenton, MO | 5,635 | 283 | 585 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Carl Junction, MO | 8,446 | 272 | 639 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | Bolivar, MO | 11,523 | 173 | 1,024 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Raymore, MO | 26,124 | 149 | 1,110 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | Monett, MO | 10,133 | 128 | 1,401 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Bonne Terre, MO | 6,413 | 233 | 779 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | Festus, MO | 13,693 | 182 | 1,029 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | Grain Valley, MO | 16,930 | 177 | 1,228 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | Pacific, MO | 7,647 | 183 | 1,124 | 13 | 1 |
| 52 | St. Peters, MO | 59,993 | 206 | 1,058 | 1 | 1 |
| 53 | Maryland Heights, MO | 27,351 | 168 | 1,330 | 3 | 1 |
| 54 | Carthage, MO | 15,549 | 173 | 1,286 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | Fulton, MO | 12,431 | 209 | 1,085 | 0 | 0 |
| 56 | Perryville, MO | 8,489 | 294 | 895 | 0 | 0 |
| 57 | Herculaneum, MO | 5,436 | 202 | 1,232 | 0 | 0 |
| 58 | Chillicothe, MO | 9,215 | 347 | 748 | 0 | 0 |
| 59 | Pevely, MO | 6,069 | 230 | 1,103 | 0 | 0 |
| 60 | Creve Coeur, MO | 18,340 | 163 | 1,717 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 | Moberly, MO | 13,206 | 318 | 1,022 | 0 | 0 |
| 62 | Maryville, MO | 10,208 | 176 | 1,733 | 9 | 1 |
| 63 | Park Hills, MO | 8,812 | 147 | 2,065 | 0 | 0 |
| 64 | Kirkwood, MO | 29,082 | 213 | 1,396 | 0 | 0 |
| 65 | Washington, MO | 15,707 | 254 | 1,241 | 6 | 1 |
| 66 | Liberty, MO | 30,986 | 203 | 1,571 | 0 | 0 |
| 67 | Marshfield, MO | 7,967 | 138 | 2,497 | 0 | 0 |
| 68 | Lee's Summit, MO | 105,053 | 149 | 2,294 | 0 | 1 |
| 69 | Des Peres, MO | 9,070 | 66 | 4,244 | 0 | 0 |
| 70 | Macon, MO | 5,509 | 235 | 1,542 | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | Waynesville, MO | 5,463 | 439 | 951 | 0 | 0 |
| 72 | University City, MO | 33,799 | 298 | 1,574 | 5 | 2 |
| 73 | St. Ann, MO | 12,547 | 406 | 1,211 | 7 | 1 |
| 74 | Webb City, MO | 13,406 | 223 | 2,125 | 0 | 0 |
| 75 | Boonville, MO | 7,848 | 280 | 1,898 | 0 | 0 |
| 76 | Richmond, MO | 5,942 | 319 | 1,767 | 0 | 0 |
| 77 | Brentwood, MO | 8,021 | 149 | 3,889 | 0 | 0 |
| 78 | Neosho, MO | 13,581 | 272 | 2,142 | 0 | 0 |
| 79 | Blue Springs, MO | 61,096 | 235 | 2,448 | 4 | 3 |
| 80 | Florissant, MO | 50,695 | 341 | 1,832 | 3 | 2 |
| 81 | Gladstone, MO | 27,404 | 375 | 1,696 | 0 | 0 |
| 82 | Belton, MO | 26,058 | 333 | 1,872 | 0 | 0 |
| 83 | Cameron, MO | 6,827 | 410 | 1,567 | 0 | 0 |
| 84 | Jefferson City, MO | 42,561 | 333 | 2,039 | 0 | 0 |
| 85 | West Plains, MO | 12,734 | 361 | 1,806 | 0 | 0 |
| 86 | Excelsior Springs, MO | 10,621 | 329 | 2,391 | 0 | 0 |
| 87 | Columbia, MO | 130,354 | 347 | 2,317 | 9 | 13 |
| 88 | Kirksville, MO | 17,472 | 417 | 1,934 | 5 | 1 |
| 89 | Warrensburg, MO | 19,785 | 313 | 2,623 | 5 | 1 |
| 90 | Lebanon, MO | 15,567 | 417 | 2,055 | 0 | 0 |
| 91 | Harrisonville, MO | 9,762 | 553 | 1,761 | 10 | 1 |
| 92 | Dexter, MO | 7,856 | 292 | 2,813 | 0 | 0 |
| 93 | Hannibal, MO | 16,762 | 357 | 2,404 | 0 | 0 |
| 94 | Shrewsbury, MO | 6,192 | 177 | 10,142 | 0 | 0 |
| 95 | Union, MO | 13,209 | 393 | 2,324 | 0 | 0 |
| 96 | Farmington, MO | 18,574 | 323 | 2,751 | 0 | 0 |
| 97 | Rolla, MO | 20,591 | 373 | 2,539 | 0 | 0 |
| 98 | Overland, MO | 15,358 | 527 | 2,181 | 19 | 3 |
| 99 | St. John, MO | 6,405 | 608 | 1,951 | 0 | 0 |
| 100 | Hazelwood, MO | 24,678 | 490 | 2,520 | 12 | 3 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In Missouri
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.
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