Alaska’s Safest Cities of 2024

Cathy Habas
Mar 18, 2024
bullet3 min read

Here are the 5 Safest Cities in Alaska for 2024

See crime rates for the safest cities.

Alaska’s safest city of 2024—Sitka—is also the only newcomer to the top five. Last year's chart-topper Unalaska slid to second place. But it's not just folks in these cities that have reason to celebrate. Overall, Alaskans expressed lower levels of worry about crime and safety, with daily concern dipping 10% year over year, as per our State of Safety survey.

In this report

Download the full list of cities in your state
Enter your email to get the full list with crime stats.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

NOTE: If your city is missing from our full report, it means that it was below the population threshold or didn’t submit a complete crime report to the FBI in 2022.

2024 Alaska crime rates

We didn't have enough data to calculate statewide crime rates for Alaska this year, but the collective crime rates of the safest cities saw drops year over year, which can be an indicator that crime overall is on the decline in The Last Frontier.

The five safest cities in the state had a collective property crime rate of 8.0 incidents per 1,000 people, down from 9.9 in last year's report. Violent crime in Alaska's safest cities registered at 2.0 incidents per 1,000—a dramatic 56% drop year over year.

Alaska violent crime and property crime rates

Image: SafeWise
Crime rates reflect per capita crime rates for Alaska and nationwide averages from our 2023 report. Not enough statewide data to calculate for the 2024 report.

Property crime in Alaska: Fear vs. reality

Last year, Alaska experienced a 49% decrease in property crime—the largest in the nation and dropping Alaska below the national property crime rate for the first time since we started tracking the safest cities.

Results from our State of Safety survey don't necessarily reflect the same downward trend: 32% of Alaskan respondents said they had experienced a property crime in the 12 months prior to the survey, matching the prior year's results.

  • Alaska has the tenth-highest number of people who reported a personal experience with property crime in the US.
  • 43% of Alaskans are highly concerned about safety on a daily basis, down from 49% in last year's report, making Alaska the fifth least-concerned state.
  • 41% of Alaska residents reported experiencing package theft in our latest survey, which is 6 percentage points higher than the national average and 11% higher than last year.
  • Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) Alaskans increased their security measures in the 12 months prior to the survey, 11 points lower than the rest of the US.
  • The most popular forms of property protection among Alaskans are firearms (46%), security cameras (41%), and guard dogs (38%).

What security measures do Alaskans use most?

Security measures used most in Alaska: firearms, security cameras, guard dogs.

Image: SafeWise


Compare the best home security systems

Brand
Installation
Monthly cost bullet
Best for
Starter equipment price
Contract required
Smart home compatibility bullet
Learn more
ProfessionalBest professional home security$599.00No *Amazon,
Google,
Z-Wave
ProfessionalMost trusted security brand$0.00YesAmazon,
Google,
Z-Wave
DIY or ProBest customer ratingQuote requiredNo *Amazon, Google
Ring
DIYBest budget-friendly pick$199.99NoAmazon, Google, Z-Wave
DIY or ProBest DIY home security$245.00NoAmazon,
Google

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Read full disclaimer.
Full ADT disclaimer


What crimes are Alaska residents concerned about most?

Image: SafeWise

Violent crime in Alaska: Fear vs. reality

Alaskans worry less than the average American about violent crime (35% AK, 47% US), and their concern has decreased by 10% year-over-year. Contrarily, Alaska has the fifth-highest percentage of residents who experienced violent crime in the 12 months prior to our survey.

  • The safest cities in Alaska have a collective violent crime rate of 2.0 per 1,000 people (US 4.0).
  • Alaska's crime rate last year was 5.5 per 1,000, compared to the national rate of 4.0.
  • 64 total violent crimes were reported by the safest cities, with one homicide reported.
  • Rape made up 13% of the crimes reported in the safest cities, and aggravated assault was the most-reported violent crime, making up 75%.
  • 21% of Alaskans told us they had a personal experience with violent crime in the 12 months prior to the survey—a startling 75% jump year over year.
  • 43% of Alaska residents use some form of personal protection (US 36%) with pocket knives leading the way (47%).
  • Despite signs that violent crime may be declining, only 38% of Alaskans say they feel safe in their state.

Attitudes about gun violence in Alaska

  • In our latest State of Safety survey, 35% of Alaskans told us that they worried about gun violence, which represents a 10% decrease in concern year-over-year. 
  • 12% of Alaskans experienced a gun violence incident in the 12 months prior to the survey—matching the national average but a 71% increase compared to the previous year.
  • 0 mass shooting events occurred in Alaska in 2023, matching the previous two reporting uyears.
  • Firearms are the most common form of property protection (46%) and second-most used type of personal protection (44%) in Alaska.

A closer look at the safest cities in Alaska

For the purposes of this report, the terms “dangerous” and “safest” refer explicitly to crime rates as calculated from FBI crime data—no other characterization of any community is implied or intended.

  • 12 Alaskan cities met the criteria to be considered for ranking.
  • Two of the safest cities are new to the top 5 this year: Sitka (1) and Kodiak (4).
  • Ketchikan and Unalaska held on to their safest cities status from last year, with Ketchikan moving up one place to third and Unalaska sliding from first to second.

Property crime in Alaska's safest cities

  • Each city in our top 5 reported property crimes below the national average.
  • 4 of the 5 safest cities in Alaska reported fewer than 10 property crimes per 1,000 people.
  • Ketchikan and Kodiak fell into single digits for property crime rates for the first time in 3 years—with Ketchikan dropping from 30.1 in 2022 to 9.3 this year.
  • Sitka is the only safest city to report 0 burglaries.
  • Every city on our list reported fewer than 100 total property crimes, with 75 in Homer being the most of any city we ranked.

Violent crime in Alaska's safest cities

  • Except for Homer, which reported 1, Alaska's safest cities reported 0 murders during the 2024 reporting year.
  • Each of the top 5 cities reported fewer than 25 total violent crimes.
  • Sitka had the lowest violent crime rate (1.0) and the lowest property crime rate (4.3).

The 5 safest cities in Alaska

Map of Safest Cities in Alaska 2024

Image: SafeWise

map image of Sitka, AK
#1
Sitka
(
New
)
  • bullet
    Population
    8,392
  • bullet
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.0, N/A, N/A
  • bullet
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    4.3, N/A, N/A
  • bullet
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
map image of unalaska,ak
#2
Unalaska
(
-1
bullet
)
  • bullet
    Population
    3,908
  • bullet
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.3, 3.3, 2.0
  • bullet
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    5.1, 6.2, 12.2
  • bullet
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
map image of Ketchikan, Ak
#3
Ketchikan
(
+1
bullet
)
  • bullet
    Population
    7,953
  • bullet
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.6, 3.0, 4.5
  • bullet
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.3, 12.8, 30.1
  • bullet
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#4
Kodiak
(
+3
bullet
)
  • bullet
    Population
    5,357
  • bullet
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    2.8, 9.0, 5.7
  • bullet
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.6, 12.3, 15.7
  • bullet
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
map image of Homer, AK
#5
Homer
(
-0-
)
  • bullet
    Population
    5,894
  • bullet
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    3.9, 3.7, 2.8
  • bullet
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    12.7, 13.0, 16.8
  • bullet
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime

How we determined the safest cities

Learn how we identified the safest cities on our methodology page.

How to make a safe home anywhere

Over 6 in 10 Americans surveyed don't have a home security system, despite over 50% of all burglaries being residential. Unfortunately, a majority of people who have a security system added it after they had a break-in. One of the best ways to stop a burglary before it happens—and get immediate help if a break-in is detected—is to add a monitored home security system.

bullet
Get a home security system

Find out which companies we recommend for every budget and lifestyle in our roundup of the Best Home Security Systems—and learn the basics with our guide on Everything You Need to Know About Home Security

Find security and safety resources in your area

Find the safest cities in each state

Click on the state image or dropdown menu below to check out the safest cities for each state.

Related articles on SafeWise


Endnotes and sources

Find all endnotes and sources in our full methodology.

FBI Crime Data Explorer, "Documents & Downloads." Accessed March 18, 2024.

  • 2022 and 2021 Crime in the United States Annual Reports
    • Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
  • 2022 NIBRS Estimation Tables

Bureau of Justice Statistics, "National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)." Accessed March 18, 2024.

Gun Violence Archive, "Mass Shootings." Accessed March 18, 2023.

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review. We may earn money when you buy through our links.

Cathy Habas
Written by
Cathy Habas
With over eight years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She is a certified Safe Sleep Ambassador and has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

Recent Articles

medical alert products on an illustrated background
Best Medical Alert Systems
See which medical alert system is the best to keep you and your loved one...
Man and woman couple wife husband set up surveillance security camera
Best Apartment Security Systems
These renter-friendly apartment security systems help keep you safe and require less commitment than your...
diy-security-system-on-ipad
Best DIY Home Security Systems of 2024
SimpliSafe is the best DIY home security system because it's cost-efficient, effective, and easy to...
woman adjusting thermostat in bright home
Best Home Security Systems
After thousands of hours of tests and research, we picked Vivint and SimpliSafe as the...