Indiana’s 20 Safest Cities of 2018

Collaboration between law enforcement and citizens is a top priority among the twenty safest cities in Indiana. This may be why they experienced an average violent crime rate nearly 85% lower than the state and a property crime rate 38% lower. Equally impressive is half of the cities on our list cited less than one violent crime per 1,000 people, based on the most recent FBI crime report.

The city of Zionsville exemplifies the collaboration we’re talking about. Partnership with community is paramount to the Zionsville Police Department, which hosts neighborhood watch programs, operates citizen and teen police academies, and offers a citizen surveillance camera program. With teamwork like this, it’s not surprising that thirteenth-ranked Zionsville reported the lowest property crime rate of any city on our list—citing just 108 property crimes, only five of which were burglaries. That’s remarkably few, especially for a city with a population of almost 27,000. Congratulations to Police Chief Robert R. Knox and the citizens of Zionsville.

Indiana’s state capital didn’t make our list, but we’re inspired by several of Indianapolis’s new initiatives—most notably OneCOP, which echoes the citizen-police alliance happening in many of Indiana’s safest cities. Short for One Congregation One Precinct, this program brings police officers, faith leaders, and congregations together to enhance communication and build safer communities. As Rev. Markel Hutchins, the founder and organizer of OneCOP, explains, “The whole point is to reduce bias and increase trust.”

We encourage you to stay informed about crime in your city and find ways to help make your community even safer. Start by looking at our Indiana Safety Directory, where you’ll find numerous crime prevention and emergency preparedness resources. Then, reach out to your local law enforcement agency or neighborhood watch for opportunities to work together.

The 20 Safest Cities in Indiana

How We Chose the Safest Cities in Indiana

To identify the twenty safest cities in Indiana, 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.