Safest Cities in California
The Top 50 Safest Cities in California
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California’s Safest Cities
California conjures images of surfing and sunny beaches on the Pacific, Hollywood, Silicon Valley and the world class wineries of Napa Valley. And while it certainly has it’s areas of crime hotbeds, California is also home to some of the safest communities in the country.
The average state crime ratings are:
California State Average Violent Crimes
(per 100,000 residents)
California State Average Property Crimes
(per 100,000 residents)
However, California is home to a number of communities with outstanding reputations for low crime rates which are well below these numbers.
The most populated state in the U.S., California is home to almost 40 million residents. With dense urban populations in the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas, one is not surprised that the violent crime rate in California is in the upper 25% of the US.
However, half of our 10 safest neighborhoods in California experienced 10 or less violent crimes in 2018.
In a state with a $2.75 trillion dollar economy, California can support a substantial upper middle-class population that can enjoy a very comfortable to even lavish lifestyle. The state has much to offer from sunny beaches, Disneyland, The Golden Gate Bridge, and Hollywood…to the Big City life of LA….to the vineyards of Napa Valley- California seems to have it all.
But, where there is abundance, there is often crime. And while the numbers are not so attractive in some of the major urban areas, the property crime rate in California is fairly middle of the road. Imperial, Moraga, Los Altos Hills, Guadalupe and Ione all reported 100 or fewer property crimes.
If you are looking to relocate and make a home for you and your family in The Golden State, this list of California’s safest cities is a good place to start.
Following are the top cities with populations above 5,000 which have been recognized as the safest communities in California.
What are the Top 10 Safest Cities in California?
1. Imperial
2. Soledad
3. Moraga
4. Orinda
5. Los Altos Hills
6. Laguna Woods
7. Guadalupe
8. Ione
9. Rancho Santa Margarita
10. Danville
Safest Cities in California Video Summary
List of California’s Safest Cities
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Population

48,918

Violent Crimes

46

Property Crimes

316
The Rest of the Top 50
11-20
Moorpark
St. Helena
Palos Verdes Estates
Hillsborough
Saratoga
Tiburon
Huron
Sierra Madre
Solvang
Lafayette
31-40
Villa Park
Rancho Palos Verdes
Buelton
Orange Cove
Mammoth Lakes
Windsor
Avenal
San Ramon
Laguna Niguel
San Juan Capistrano
21-30
Gonzales
Kensington
Truckee
Ojai
Canyon Lake
Fillmore
Lincoln
Aliso Viejo
Los Altos
Cudahy
41-50
Laguna Niguel
Foster City
Pacifica
Hughson
Paradise
Clayton
Calistoga
Mission Viejo
Newman
Twenty Nine Pines
Safe Cities with Populations over 50,000
Califonia Cities with Populations over 50K with Low Crime Rates
Statistically, smaller towns and cities typically fare better in comparisons of this nature. While larger cities often have some of the safest neighborhoods in California, often times more urban areas may have much higher crime rates.
Because the larger cities have to struggle with many challenges that smaller towns and communities might not have to deal with, The Home Security Advisor recognizes some of the larger cities in California that have done an admirable job providing safe communities for their residents.
Methodology – How the Top 50 Were Chosen
To determine the most secure towns and cities throughout California, our staff members reviewed the most up-to-date (2018) FBI Uniform Crime Report results with respect to towns and cities with Five thousand residents or higher, who recorded their crime data..
Our staff members considered both “Violent” (aggravated assault, murder, rape and robbery) and “Property Crimes” (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft).
In order to reflect the seriousness of the crimes, these figures were weighted. Property crimes were factored by .50 and were added to the violent crimes.
The sum of the two was then divided by the population in the community. For comparison purposes, we normalized the mathematical finding to reflect weighted criminal offenses per 100,000.
The Best Places to Live in California – Crime Ratings
While it’s true no rating system is infallible, this provides a very good mathematical gauge of the overall safety and security in the community. If you’re considering transferring to California, these residential districts are amongst the top rated safest metropolitan areas within which one could take up residence.
Nevertheless, it is advisable to understand that not every town and city reports their records.
Additionally, certain areas inside any community may very well be much less hazardous compared to others. This is especially valid in more robust cities. Therefore, one needs to check into specific neighborhoods within the community and communicate with law enforcement to obtain a better overall impression of the security and safety on a local level.
To get more detailed information on keeping your family and home safer, we recommend you consider an overview of Strategies for Home Security…and consider a top rated professionally monitored home security system.
2018 Safest Cities in California - Top 10 List
Video Summary of California’s Safest Cities- 2019
The 2018 Top 10 List of the Safest Cities in California
1. Imperial
2. Rancho Santa Margarita
3. Fillmore
4. Ione
5. Los Altos Hills
6. Orinda
7. Palos Verdes Estates
8. Danville
9. Moraga
10. Ojai
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