Every state has its challenges, but safety isn’t at the top of the list in Idaho. Based on the most recent FBI crime report, Idaho reported approximately 33,000 crimes in 2016. While that’s a slight increase over 2015, the Gem State’s crime rate was nearly 25% lower than the national average.
Crime was even less problematic in Idaho’s safest cities, with 70% of the cities on our list reporting fewer than ten violent crimes. The top five cities cited less than one violent crime per 1,000 people, and seventh-ranked Meridian—the most populated city on our list with over 90,000 residents—reported just 1.12 violent crimes for every 1,000 residents. Robberies were especially rare in Idaho’s ten safest communities; a mere eleven of these crimes were reported in all. That’s impressively few considering a robbery takes place roughly every 1.6 minutes in the US, according to the FBI’s Crime Clock. In addition to low violent crime rates, there were few reports of property crime among the safest cities in Idaho. In fact, 40% of the cities on our list reported fewer than 100 property crimes.
Recognizing that effective communication is essential to keeping Idaho’s crime under control, Governor Otter has embraced the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. This highly advanced wireless communication platform helps ensure emergency responders have access to timely, secure, and reliable information. It also aims to expand communication coverage to rural areas, which is particularly useful as Idaho is one of the least densely populated states. With an enhanced wireless communication network in place, Idaho’s already praiseworthy low crime rate may drop even further in the coming years.
Read on and find out if your town is honored as one of Idaho’s ten safest. Then, open our Idaho Safety Directory for information on everything from crime prevention to emergency preparedness.
The 10 Safest Cities in Idaho
1. Rexburg
Population: 28,112
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.32
Property crimes per 1,000: 6.72
Total crime: 4.76% violent, 95.24% property
2. Moscow
Population: 25,307
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.71
Property crimes per 1,000: 19.16
Total crime: 3.71% violent, 96.29% property
3. Preston
Population: 5,214
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.77
Property crimes per 1,000: 14.77
Total crime: 5.21% violent, 94.79% property
4. Gooding
Population: 3,497
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.86
Property crimes per 1,000: 14.01
Total crime: 6.14% violent, 93.86% property
5. Rigby
Population: 4,040
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.99
Property crimes per 1,000: 14.11
Total crime: 7.02% violent, 92.98% property
6. Rathdrum
Population: 7,681
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.04
Property crimes per 1,000: 25.00
Total crime: 4.16% violent, 95.84% property
7. Meridian
Population: 94,113
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.12
Property crimes per 1,000: 15.48
Total crime: 7.24% violent, 92.76% property
8. Weiser
Population: 5,281
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.14
Property crimes per 1,000: 13.26
Total crime: 8.60% violent, 91.40% property
9. Buhl
Population: 4,305
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.16
Property crimes per 1,000: 20.91
Total crime: 5.55% violent, 94.45% property
10. Lewiston
Population: 32,665
Violent crimes per 1,000: 1.41
Property crimes per 1,000: 40.72
Total crime: 3.46% violent, 96.54% property
How We Chose the Safest Cities in Idaho
To identify the ten safest cities in Idaho, 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 to Make a Safe Home Anywhere
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.
If you would like to contact a SafeWise Safest Cities Analyst, please email info@safewise.com.
Written by Alexia Chianis
Wanderlust junky and mom of two, Alexia is a former police officer and U.S. Army Captain who draws on her experiences to write about a myriad of safety topics. Learn more