Wisconsin is filled with happy cows, happy people, and super safe places to live.
And here at HomeSnacks, we wanted to know just how safe is America's Dairyland. More importantly, where are the safest cities in The Badger State? So, we consulted the numbers. We looked at important factors like property crimes and violent crimes per capita for every place with over 5,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 134 cities.
We discovered that Wisconsin's violent crime and property crime numbers are way below the national average. That is probably why Michigan is the 12th safest state.
More importantly, we discovered that there are safe places in Wisconsin for every budget. For instance, Wisconsin has safe college towns like Madison, hip, safe places like Appleton for professionals just starting out, and great, safe, family-friendly places like Oconomowoc.
Want to know more? Grab a basket of fried cheese curds and read on to learn about Wisconsin's safest places to live.
0 violent / 273 property per 100k
Evansville cracks the top ten safest places to live in Wisconsin.
The city has the second safest violent crime rate which is big jump up from the previous year and helped move the city into the top ten.
And, for reference, it's so safe you can keep the doors to your house unlocked as you take a stroll to Leonard Leota Park with your family -- the best park in town according to the internet.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
30 violent / 210 property per 100k
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
16 violent / 308 property per 100k
Located in
Waukesha County, WisconsinOconomowoc, located in Waukesha County of the Lake Country region, is rated as the third safest city in Wisconsin for 2026. Its population of only 18,830 contributes to its tight-knit community atmosphere, which has an incredibly low rate of violent crime of 15/100k people per capita, including a count of 0 murder cases. The city also has a property crime per capita rate of 308/100k people, reflecting residents' confidence in their safety.
Historically rooted in the Potawatomi presence and settlement since the 1830s, Oconomowoc's legacy enhances its safety profile, evidenced by its rank at #10 safest for total crime per capita, a testament to effective law enforcement and community vigilance.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
37 violent / 55 property per 100k
You might mistake yourself for being in Switzerland when you enter Geneva, but, no, you're only in Wisconsin.
Much like Geneva Switzerland, you can expect to be safe and cold.
Located in the very south of Wisconsin, it ranks as the safest for property crime and 17th safest violent crime. It also managed to break the top ten for the second year in a row.
0 violent / 496 property per 100k
Located in
Waukesha County, WisconsinData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
44 violent / 227 property per 100k
Hobart-Lawrence has a hyphenated name because it's kinda like a modern family -- it's a combination of Hobart and Lawrence that the FBI combines together for reporting purposes. And so there's really two cities that can claim the honor of 8th safest in Wisconsin.
While the violent crime rate is better than average, the cities really shine when it comes to property crime -- the sixth safest in the state.
Make sure to check out T.Bacon's BBQ in Hobart -- the best ranked place on Yelp. Or Lawrence University in Lawrence as that's the only thing that came up there in our quick Google search.
0 violent / 533 property per 100k
Located in
Waushara County, WisconsinData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
42 violent / 279 property per 100k
Located in
Dane County, WisconsinData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
47 violent / 268 property per 100k
Located in
Marathon County, WisconsinData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
53 violent / 159 property per 100k
If you were thinking of Grand Rapids, MI you need to flip that M upside down for this list as Grand Rapids, WI is the tenth safest spot in Wisconsin.
You know you can trust your neighbors and friends as there were a total of 0 murders here. In fact, there were a total of 0 violent crimes here in the last reporting year which is pretty amazing for a city of this size.
Grand Rapids is located right in the middle of Wisconsin -- the heartland of the heartland if you will.
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Wisconsin's statewide median. Lower is safer.
Wisconsin statewide median: 114
Wisconsin statewide median: 1,075
Wisconsin statewide median: 0
On the map
Where the safety is in Wisconsin
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in Wisconsin for 2026
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
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 16 crimes committed in Evansville, with a reported population of 5,851. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0027, which translates into a 1 in 365 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at Wisconsin cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 134 of the biggest cities in Wisconsin to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 134 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 Wisconsin," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in Wisconsin, based on our criteria, is Evansville. The most dangerous city in Wisconsin? Milwaukee, where residents had a 1 in 24 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 Wisconsin. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2024 report.
Summary
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Badger State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Evansville is as safe as they come in Wisconsin, according to science and data.
But as most Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin are .
For more reading, check out:
The full plate
Where Are The Safest Cities In Wisconsin For 2026?
Click any column to sort. All 134 ranked Wisconsin cities.
| Rank | City | Population | Violent / 100k | Property / 100k | Murders / 100k | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evansville, WI | 5,851 | 0 | 273 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Bloomfield, WI | 6,666 | 30 | 210 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Oconomowoc, WI | 18,830 | 15 | 308 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Geneva Town, WI | 5,448 | 36 | 55 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Elm Grove, WI | 6,251 | 0 | 495 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Hobart-Lawrence, WI | 18,035 | 44 | 227 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Berlin, WI | 5,624 | 0 | 533 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Oregon, WI | 11,833 | 42 | 278 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Kronenwetter, WI | 8,597 | 46 | 267 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids, WI | 7,550 | 52 | 158 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Milton, WI | 5,636 | 35 | 425 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Fox Point, WI | 6,557 | 0 | 594 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | New London, WI | 7,412 | 53 | 337 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Cedarburg, WI | 12,649 | 47 | 395 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Holmen, WI | 11,889 | 50 | 462 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Mayville, WI | 5,121 | 58 | 390 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Port Washington, WI | 12,888 | 38 | 566 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Mequon, WI | 25,586 | 39 | 558 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Hartland, WI | 10,259 | 68 | 341 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Caledonia, WI | 25,323 | 63 | 469 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Elkhorn, WI | 10,218 | 58 | 538 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Columbus, WI | 5,418 | 73 | 461 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Waunakee, WI | 15,227 | 105 | 210 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Whitefish Bay, WI | 14,537 | 13 | 935 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Menomonee Falls, WI | 40,076 | 67 | 528 | 4 | 2 |
| 26 | Verona, WI | 16,443 | 48 | 662 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Delavan Town, WI | 5,298 | 37 | 811 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Mount Horeb, WI | 7,755 | 116 | 167 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Sturtevant, WI | 6,677 | 89 | 464 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Summit, WI | 5,451 | 110 | 311 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Plymouth, WI | 8,897 | 22 | 1,034 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | De Pere, WI | 25,319 | 75 | 568 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Plover, WI | 14,306 | 20 | 1,097 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Grafton, WI | 12,788 | 78 | 617 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Sheboygan Falls, WI | 8,181 | 61 | 855 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Monroe, WI | 10,373 | 28 | 1,147 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Mcfarland, WI | 9,602 | 62 | 822 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Cottage Grove, WI | 9,518 | 115 | 451 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Sturgeon Bay, WI | 9,928 | 90 | 654 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Slinger, WI | 6,471 | 139 | 370 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Fox Crossing, WI | 18,926 | 89 | 745 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Deforest, WI | 11,195 | 80 | 812 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | New Berlin, WI | 40,186 | 62 | 992 | 2 | 1 |
| 44 | Kaukauna, WI | 17,622 | 102 | 680 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | Fox Valley Metro, WI | 23,754 | 176 | 362 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Lake Mills, WI | 6,731 | 118 | 549 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | Muskego, WI | 25,389 | 11 | 1,532 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Greendale, WI | 14,461 | 82 | 940 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | Germantown, WI | 21,066 | 61 | 1,120 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | Franklin, WI | 35,535 | 50 | 1,207 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | Shorewood, WI | 13,629 | 22 | 1,702 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | Cudahy, WI | 17,683 | 113 | 774 | 0 | 0 |
| 53 | Burlington, WI | 11,042 | 99 | 959 | 0 | 0 |
| 54 | Brookfield, WI | 42,019 | 83 | 1,097 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | Hales Corners, WI | 7,515 | 146 | 598 | 13 | 1 |
| 56 | Middleton, WI | 23,353 | 107 | 890 | 8 | 2 |
| 57 | Hartford, WI | 15,959 | 131 | 689 | 0 | 0 |
| 58 | Altoona, WI | 9,623 | 31 | 1,808 | 10 | 1 |
| 59 | New Richmond, WI | 10,890 | 110 | 909 | 0 | 0 |
| 60 | Waukesha, WI | 70,202 | 113 | 874 | 1 | 1 |
| 61 | Stevens Point, WI | 25,784 | 162 | 620 | 3 | 1 |
| 62 | River Falls , WI | 17,171 | 128 | 861 | 5 | 1 |
| 63 | Two Rivers, WI | 11,138 | 215 | 484 | 0 | 0 |
| 64 | Ripon, WI | 7,738 | 180 | 646 | 0 | 0 |
| 65 | Dodgeville, WI | 5,120 | 39 | 1,855 | 0 | 0 |
| 66 | Waupun, WI | 10,873 | 285 | 377 | 9 | 1 |
| 67 | Pewaukee Village, WI | 8,180 | 36 | 2,139 | 0 | 0 |
| 68 | St. Francis, WI | 9,524 | 104 | 1,165 | 0 | 0 |
| 69 | Mukwonago, WI | 8,568 | 105 | 1,167 | 0 | 0 |
| 70 | North Fond Du Lac, WI | 5,361 | 223 | 578 | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | West Salem, WI | 5,305 | 113 | 1,131 | 0 | 0 |
| 72 | Onalaska, WI | 19,068 | 36 | 2,291 | 0 | 0 |
| 73 | Whitewater, WI | 15,473 | 200 | 717 | 6 | 1 |
| 74 | Beloit Town, WI | 7,748 | 129 | 1,071 | 12 | 1 |
| 75 | Menasha, WI | 18,008 | 177 | 882 | 0 | 0 |
| 76 | Chippewa Falls, WI | 14,626 | 218 | 670 | 0 | 0 |
| 77 | Monona, WI | 8,511 | 35 | 3,137 | 0 | 0 |
| 78 | Delafield, WI | 7,206 | 55 | 2,081 | 0 | 0 |
| 79 | Beaver Dam, WI | 16,473 | 145 | 1,123 | 0 | 0 |
| 80 | Lake Geneva, WI | 8,816 | 102 | 1,633 | 0 | 0 |
| 81 | Fort Atkinson, WI | 12,274 | 236 | 757 | 0 | 0 |
| 82 | Neenah, WI | 27,480 | 156 | 1,142 | 0 | 0 |
| 83 | Watertown, WI | 22,612 | 190 | 1,048 | 0 | 0 |
| 84 | Rhinelander, WI | 8,152 | 98 | 1,717 | 0 | 0 |
| 85 | Menomonie, WI | 16,595 | 132 | 1,211 | 0 | 0 |
| 86 | Portage, WI | 9,978 | 80 | 2,014 | 0 | 0 |
| 87 | Manitowoc, WI | 34,546 | 208 | 969 | 0 | 0 |
| 88 | Hudson, WI | 15,714 | 114 | 1,648 | 0 | 0 |
| 89 | Minocqua, WI | 5,151 | 97 | 2,038 | 0 | 0 |
| 90 | Mount Pleasant, WI | 27,731 | 111 | 1,734 | 0 | 0 |
| 91 | Kenosha, WI | 97,652 | 285 | 866 | 3 | 3 |
| 92 | South Milwaukee, WI | 20,178 | 158 | 1,298 | 4 | 1 |
| 93 | Marshfield, WI | 18,669 | 214 | 1,114 | 5 | 1 |
| 94 | Greenfield, WI | 36,919 | 92 | 2,307 | 0 | 0 |
| 95 | Delavan, WI | 10,091 | 188 | 1,218 | 0 | 0 |
| 96 | Stoughton, WI | 12,996 | 192 | 1,261 | 0 | 0 |
| 97 | Oak Creek, WI | 37,665 | 146 | 1,685 | 0 | 0 |
| 98 | Reedsburg, WI | 10,243 | 126 | 1,884 | 0 | 0 |
| 99 | Wausau, WI | 39,949 | 295 | 1,008 | 2 | 1 |
| 100 | Shawano, WI | 9,236 | 216 | 1,201 | 0 | 0 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
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