MoveFantastic
Relocation roundup · 2026

Safest Mid-Size US Cities in 2026

Real cities, not suburbs. Low crime, actual amenities.

"Safest" lists are usually suburbs in disguise. This roundup focuses on genuine mid-size cities, 100,000 to 500,000 people, with downtowns, restaurants, and jobs, where the crime stats still come in well below national medians.

What we look for

  • • Population between 100,000 and 500,000
  • • Violent crime rate below 250 per 100,000 (FBI UCR)
  • • Property crime rate in the bottom quartile nationally
  • • Active downtown with mixed-use density
  • • 5-year crime trend flat or declining

Cities on our shortlist

This roundup grows as we publish more city pages and paid reports. Each city below is a starting point for deeper relocation research.

1
Irvine, California
Consistently one of America's safest large cities, master-planned from the start.
2
Naperville, Illinois
Low crime, walkable downtown, strong community investment.
3
Cary, North Carolina
Low crime plus Research Triangle jobs, rare combination.
4
Gilbert, Arizona
Phoenix-metro with crime numbers closer to small-town levels.
5
Frisco, Texas
Corporate growth, strong policing investment, low violent crime.
6
Rochester, Minnesota
Mayo Clinic anchor, low crime, civic infrastructure.

Don't see your city?

Full relocation reports are available for supported U.S. cities with at least 5,000 residents and enough research coverage.

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