In Kansas, honesty, hard work, and strong values are the norm—not the exception—which could be why this heartland state boasts dozens of impressively safe communities. In fact, according to the most recent FBI crime report in 2015, the average crime rate of the state’s twenty safest cities was nearly half the national average.
The occurrence of violent crime was especially low, with 45% of the cities on our list reporting fewer than ten violent crimes, and fifth-ranked Louisburg reporting just two. Residents of Prairie Village—the state’s third-safest city—can take pride in the fact that their hometown had the lowest violent crime rate among the cities on our list.
Keeping property safe is a top priority, too. For instance, almost three-quarters of the Sunflower State’s twenty safest cities reported fewer than fifty burglaries, and just over half cited fewer than 100 larceny-thefts. These cities also reported just fifty-one incidents of arson altogether.
Each city on our list has unique attributes that make it a wonderful place to live, but one thing they have in common is a safety-conscious citizenry. Working together with law enforcement, residents of these twenty safest cities are doing a remarkable job of keeping crime at bay. In fact, all but three cities below appear on our list for the second consecutive year.
To help make sure there’s no shortage of officers, several Kansas law enforcement agencies are using social media to bolster recruitment. Some agencies, like the Wichita Police Department, are even posting videos that follow recruits through the training academy. These videos often highlight female and minority recruits in an effort to encourage more people to apply.
Take a look at our list to learn which Kansas cities are the safest. Then refer to our Kansas Safety Directory for home security tips, general safety information, and a color-coded map of the state’s most and least burglarized counties.
1. Bel Aire ↑
Previous rank: 3
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.21
Property Crimes per 1,000: 8.76
2. Wamego ↑
Previous rank: 9
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.95
Property Crimes per 1,000: 8.44
3. Prairie Village ↓
Previous rank: 1
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.32
Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.28
4. Valley Center ↑
Previous rank: 10
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.27
Property Crimes per 1,000: 9.98
5. Louisburg ↓
Previous rank: 4
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.46
Property Crimes per 1,000: 12.03
6. Leawood ↓
Previous rank: 5
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.68
Property Crimes per 1,000: 12.04
7. Lansing ↓
Previous rank: 6
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 2.71
Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.83
8. Andover ↑
Previous rank: 21
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.58
Property Crimes per 1,000: 12.85
9. Ulysses ↑
Previous rank: 13
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.65
Property Crimes per 1,000: 13.81
10. Goddard ↓
Previous rank: 8
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.47
Property Crimes per 1,000: 13.01
11. Tonganoxie ↔
Previous rank: 11
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.76
Property Crimes per 1,000: 14.32
12. Russell ↑
Previous rank: 16
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 3.35
Property Crimes per 1,000: 12.73
13. Olathe ↓
Previous rank: 7
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.31
Property Crimes per 1,000: 15.57
14. Maize
Previous rank: Not ranked
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 2.36
Property Crimes per 1,000: 15.11
15. Lenexa ↓
Previous rank: 12
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.43
Property Crimes per 1,000: 17.18
16. Basehor ↓
Previous rank: 2
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.15
Property Crimes per 1,000: 18.51
17. Overland Park ↓
Previous rank: 15
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 2.13
Property Crimes per 1,000: 18.41
18. Shawnee ↓
Previous rank: 14
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.87
Property Crimes per 1,000: 18.98
19. Ottawa ↑
Previous rank: 35
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 2.11
Property Crimes per 1,000: 19.12
20. Emporia
Previous rank: Not ranked
Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.47
Property Crimes per 1,000: 20.26
How We Chose the Safest Cities in Kansas
To identify the 20 safest cities in Kansas, we reviewed the most recent FBI Crime Report statistics from 2015, along with population data. We eliminated all cities with fewer than 4,000 residents as well as any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI.
From there, we evaluated the remaining cities. We narrowed it down based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) and property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft) in each city. To further level the playing field, we calculated the likelihood of these crimes occurring out of 1,000 people in each city.
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.
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
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