Arizona’s 20 Safest Cities of 2018

As you might expect, crime rates vary from state to state, and even region to region. For example, based on the most recent FBI crime report, the Western region of the US had a higher violent crime rate than many other areas of the country, including the Northeast, Midwest, and Middle Atlantic.

With that in mind, we were impressed to find the violent crime rate in Arizona (considered a Western state for FBI reporting purposes) was less than the national rate. Not only that, but on average, the twenty safest cities in Arizona cited just 1.7 violent crimes per 1,000 people—that’s approximately 63% less than the national rate of 4.64. Citizens and law enforcement officers of Arizona’s top six safest cities deserve special recognition; all of these cities reported fewer than one violent crime per 1,000 people.

Similar to violent crime rates, the cities on our list reported exceptionally low rates of property crime. Most notably, Florence cited a nominal 4.85 property crimes per 1,000 people, and Gilbert—with over 255,000 residents—had the third-lowest property crime rate among the state’s twenty safest cities.

SafeWise took a look at what the Chief of Gilbert’s police department, Michael Soelberg, is doing to help keep crime under control. According to Chief Soelberg, effective police operations are “highly dependent on community involvement and communication.” With opportunities for residents and police officers to work alongside one another through volunteer initiatives like the Police Cadet Program, Neighborhood Watch, and the Citizen Police Academy, we’re not surprised Gilbert’s property crime rate was less than half the national average. Using social media platforms to help spread awareness about particularly disturbing crimes, such as domestic abuse, is one more way the Gilbert Police Department takes a pro-active approach to crime fighting.

From big cities such as Chandler and Scottsdale to smaller ones like Nogales and Sahuarita, the Grand Canyon State offers many safe places. Whether you live in Arizona or you’re thinking of moving there, SafeWise recommends getting familiar with the resources in our Arizona Safety Directory. You’ll find everything from crime prevention tips and helpful safety information to a color-coded map of Arizona’s most and least burglarized counties.

The 20 Safest Cities in Arizona

1. Buckeye

Population: 64,563
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.54
Property crimes per 1,000: 15.88
Total crime: 3.40% violent, 96.60% property

2. Oro Valley

Population: 44,089
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.66
Property crimes per 1,000: 14.81
Total crime: 4.46% violent, 95.54% property

3. Florence

Population: 31,130
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.71
Property crimes per 1,000: 4.85
Total crime: 14.64% violent, 85.36% property

4. Gilbert

Population: 255,899
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.78
Property crimes per 1,000: 13.16
Total crime: 5.93% violent, 94.07% property

5. Sahuarita

Population: 25,792
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.89
Property crimes per 1,000: 14.54
Total crime: 6.12% violent, 93.88% property

6. Marana

Population: 42,808
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.93
Property crimes per 1,000: 24.41
Total crime: 3.81% violent, 96.19% property

7. Surprise

Population: 130,679
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.03
Property crimes per 1,000: 19.05
Total crime: 5.41 % violent, 94.59% property

8. San Luis

Population: 32,227
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.21
Property crimes per 1,000: 13.25
Total crime: 9.13% violent, 90.87% property

9. Scottsdale

Population: 240,885
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.53
Property crimes per 1,000: 23.65
Total crime: 6.47% violent, 93.53% property

10. Prescott Valley

Population: 42,900
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.82
Property crimes per 1,000: 23.17
Total crime: 7.85% violent, 92.15% property

11. Maricopa

Population: 49,627
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.95
Property crimes per 1,000: 13.06
Total crime: 14.93% violent, 85.07% property

12. Sierra Vista

Population: 42,988
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.98
Property crimes per 1,000: 29.73
Total crime: 6.66% violent, 93.34% property

13. Peoria

Population: 174,797
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 21.22
Total crime: 9.43% violent, 90.57% property

14. Chandler

Population: 265,922
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.10
Property crimes per 1,000: 23.13
Total crime: 9.08% violent, 90.92% property

15. El Mirage

Population: 34,376
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.15
Property crimes per 1,000: 30.60
Total crime: 7.03% violent, 92.97% property

16. Bullhead City

Population: 39,426
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.51
Property crimes per 1,000: 35.64
Total crime: 7.04% violent, 92.96% property

17. Lake Havasu City

Population: 53,746
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.62
Property crimes per 1,000: 22.66
Total crime: 11.56% violent, 88.44% property

18. Apache Junction

Population: 38,506
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.78
Property crimes per 1,000: 23.92
Total crime: 11.62% violent, 88.38% property

19. Avondale

Population: 81,605
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.86
Property crimes per 1,000: 39.97
Total crime: 7.16% violent, 92.84% property

20. Nogales

Population: 20,143
Violent crimes per 1,000: 3.08
Property crimes per 1,000: 24.92
Total crime: 12.36% violent, 87.64% property

How We Chose the Safest Cities in Arizona

To identify the twenty safest cities in Arizona, we reviewed the 2016 FBI crime report statistics and population data. Cities that fell below identified population thresholds or that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI were excluded from the ranking system.

Our evaluation is based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) in each city. If there was a tie, we also factored in the number of property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft). To level the playing field, we calculated the rate of crimes per 1,000 people in each city. This makes it easier to directly compare the likelihood of these crimes occurring in cities with vastly different populations.

Learn more about how we rank our Safest Cities reports.

How Safe Is Your Home?

Wherever you live, feeling safe in your home can bring greater peace of mind and happiness. Whether your city made our list or not, we recommend adding extra security to your home with monitored security services provided by the nation’s leading home security providers.

To learn more about the home security options available to you, check out SafeWise’s picks for Best Home Security Systems of 2018 or select the city nearest you in the drop down menu below.

If you would like to contact a SafeWise Safest Cities Analyst, please email info@safewise.com.