The 10 Safest Cities In North Dakota For 2026

Last year we ranked Lincoln as the safest city in North Dakota, so this year's #1 ranking represents a small drop. But Lincoln is still nowhere near dangerous. In fact, the

Lincoln Police Department has worked hard to give Lincoln the safest rate of property and second safest rate of violent crime in North Dakota. The violent crime rate in Lincoln is eight times lower than the national average, and the property crime rate is seven times lower. It's easy to see how low crime rates helped Lincoln get named the best place to live in North Dakota.

Lincoln is a southeastern suburb of Bismarck.

Grafton is located in the northeast corner of North Dakota, a short drive from the Minnesota border. And while it has only 4,027 residents, it still ranks as the number 14.0 population center in the state. It also represents one of North Dakota's safest towns.

Named after the area of New Hampshire where many of the town's early settlers came from, Grafton serves as the county seat of Walsh County. Over the course of a year, the town saw just 24 property crimes, including 1 burglaries. There were 2 violent crimes in a year, leading to a per-capita pace of 49/100k people.

Residents of Grafton have a median income of $65428 and home prices in the area hover at a median level of $216525. The unemployment rate is 3.39%.

Located just 15 minutes west of Hazen, Beulah is the third safest city in North Dakota. Beulah had the fourth safest rate of violence in the state, with only 3 violent crimes committed in 2024. Beulah also had the second safest rate of property crime in North Dakota, with less than one property crime committed each month. So you'll be totally safe for your picnic or game of frisbee golf at Riverside Park.

Beulah also got top marks on our snackability scale in jobs, affordability, and commute time, so it's an all-around sweet place to call home.

Located an hour and some change southeast of Fargo, Lisbon ranks as our fourth safest city in North Dakota. Lisbon had the third safest rate of violent crime in the state, with about eight times less violence than the average American city.

And with the infrequency of property crime, you'll have a better chance of spotting an eagle at Sheyenne National Grasslands than of getting mugged.

Valley City, known as the "City of Bridges," is celebrated as the seventh safest place in North Dakota. The county seat of Barnes County boasts an impressively low count of 10 violent crimes, including 0 murders, ranking it seventh safest in violent crime safety. The city also enjoys a low number of 62 property crime cases, placing it at sixth safest for property crime safety.

The crime per capita rates of 152/100k people for violence and 947/100k people for property crimes reflect a strong law enforcement presence in the Valley.

West Fargo's population has been growing at a rate of nearly 5% a year, and it's not hard to see why. We already named it the second bestplace to live in North Dakota, so its track record on safety is just icing on the cake. With all the amenities available at Rendezvous Park, who's got time to commit a crime?

But seriously, for the biggest city on this list, West Fargo posts some seriously impressive crime stats. With about half as much violence as the average American city, West Fargo has the eighth safest rate of violence in North Dakota. Property crime in West Fargo is also the seventh safest statewide.

Located in the northwestern part of the state in Mountrail County, Stanley is the ninth safest city in North Dakota. Residents can enjoy a day out at Wilson Park without worrying about having their valuables taken, because Stanley has the tenth safest rate of property crime in the state. In fact, Stanley averaged just one property crime a season in 2024. Stanley also had the ninth safest rate of violent crime in the state. These low crime numbers contributed to Stanley being named the fourth best city to raise a family in North Dakota.

Located in the southeastern part of the state on the border of Minnesota, Wahpeton is the tenth safest city in North Dakota. Wahpeton averaged less than one violent crime a month in 2024, giving the city the tenth safest rate in the state. Wahpeton's middle-of-the-pack property crime numbers hold it back from being higher on this list.

Wahpeton is home to the Chahinkapa Zoo, where visitors can also camp close to the animals. With amenities like this, and high marks in affordability, commute time, and jobs, it's no wonder Wahpeton scored a 8/10 on our overall snackability scale.