Minnesota’s Safest Cities of 2025

Cathy Habas
Cathy Habas
Mar 17, 2025
Icon Time To Read4 min read
Icon CheckEdited ByKit Smith
Icon CheckData Analysis ByDaniel Delgado

For over 11 years, SafeWise experts have conducted independent research and testing to write unbiased, human reviews (not robots). Learn more.

11th annual Safest Cities report banner

Here are the 10 Safest Cities in Minnesota for 2025

See crime rates for the safest cities.

In our most recent State of Safety survey, residents of Minnesota were less likely to worry about their safety on a daily basis than most Americans, but less than half (44%) feel safe in the state. Property crime and package theft experiences in The North Star State occur more often than the national average, while violent crime and gun violence experiences hover around the average mark.

Meanwhile, Minnesota's 20 safest cities report exceptionally low crime rates, and two saw no violent crime at all in the past year. 

In this report

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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 2023.

Do people feel safe in Minnesota? Survey insights for 2025

Bar chart comparing how safe Minnesota residents feel, with 44% feeling safe versus the 48% national average.

Bar chart comparing how safe Minnesota residents feel, with 44% feeling safe versus the 48% national average. Image: SafeWise

We didn't have enough data to accurately calculate statewide crime rates for our 2025 report, but our annual State of Safety survey offers a closer look at first-hand crime experiences and concerns across The North Star State. 

Minnesotans feel a little more safe in their state compared to last year's report, with the confidence level climbing from 41% to 44%. This still falls below the nationwide average of 48%. 

Our data doesn't suggest a clear reason for this low confidence level. Minnesotans are among those least likely to worry about crime in general, with just 39% saying they feel concerned about their safety and security on a daily basis. That's a four percentage point decline from the previous year and well below the national average of 47%. When asked specifically about different types of crimes, Minnesotans continued to say they worried less year over year, and their sentiments matched or fell below nationwide averages. 

On the other hand, Minnesotans reported an increase in property crime, package theft, and violent crime experiences, which suggests these incidents are on the rise across the state. Only first-hand gun violence experiences fell year over year. 

Find safety and security resources in Minnesota.

Property crime in Minnesota: Fear vs. reality

In our most recent survey, Minnesotans told us they're less worried about property crime and package theft compared to the previous year. Despite that drop in concern, Minnesotans were more likely to have experienced property crime and package theft year over year, and their experiences fall above the national averages.

  • 30% of Minnesotans experienced property crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, up from 28% the year before (US 27%).
  • The percentage of Minnesotans who worry about property crime on a daily basis fell from 54% to 41% year over year (US 54%).
  • Residents in only three states worry about property crime less than Minnesotans: Iowa (38%), Rhode Island (38%), and North Dakota (34%). 
  • 46% of survey respondents reported experiencing package theft in the 8 months prior to the survey, up from 41% the year before (US 37%).
  • Residents of only three states were more likely to experience package theft: Washington (48%), New Mexico (47%), and Colorado (47%).
  • The percentage of Minnesotans who worry about package theft fell from 58% to 48% year over year (US 52%).
  • 35% of respondents said they increased security measures in the 8 months prior to the survey.
  • Minnesotans prefer to protect their property with security cameras (58%), security systems (31%), and guard dogs (31%).
"The feeling of being safe is what made me buy it—the relief of not having to worry as much."
—Minnesota resident*

What security measures do Minnesotan use most?

Top security measures used in Minnesota: security cameras, guard dogs, and firearms, compared to national trends.

Top security measures used in Minnesota: security cameras, guard dogs, and firearms, compared to national trends. Image: SafeWise

What crimes are Minnesota residents concerned about most?

Alt text: Bar chart of top crime concerns in Minnesota, showing violent crime, property crime, gun violence, and package theft rates.

Alt text: Bar chart of top crime concerns in Minnesota, showing violent crime, property crime, gun violence, and package theft rates. Image: SafeWise

Violent crime in Minnesota: Fear vs. reality

In our State of Safety survey, Minnesotans reported a slight uptick in violent crime experiences and an even smaller drop in daily concern about violent crime. Minnesotans matched the national average in both experience and concern. 

  • 14% of survey participants reported having a personal experience with violent crime in the 8 months prior to our survey—2 percentage points higher than the previous year (US 14%).
  • 59% of Minnesotans worry about violent crime on a daily basis, down from 60% the year before (US 59%).
  • 27% of respondents use some form of personal protection—lower than the national average of 35%.
  • Minnesotans prefer to protect themselves with pocket knives (14%), firearms (13%), and pepper spray (12%). 
"The violence rate in my community has risen in the past few years, and I'm not comfortable going out at night anymore."
—Minnesota resident*

Attitudes about gun violence in Minnesota

  • 10% of Minnesotans said they had experienced gun violence in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 12% the year before (US 11%).
  • 51% of Minnesotans said they were concerned about gun violence on a daily basis, down from 56% the previous year (57%).
  • Minnesotans are less likely to use firearms for personal and property protection compared to the average American.
  • There were 9 mass shootings in Minnesota in 2024, down from 12 the previous year. That's the first decline in three years.
"My biggest concern is gun violence. With school shootings to gang violence, you can’t escape it."
—Minnesota resident*

*Quotes collected from our latest State of Safety survey.

A closer look at the safest cities in Minnesota

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.

  • 135 cities qualified for ranking this year.
  • No city reported more than 1 violent crime per 1,000 residents.
  • Montevideo held on to the #1 spot for the third consecutive year.
  • Montevideo reported zero violent crimes and zero property crimes.
  • Hibbing also reported zero violent crimes.
  • Minnesota's 20 safest cities reported zero murders.
  • Montevideo, West Hennepin, Lonsdale, and St. James reported zero motor vehicle thefts.
  • West Hennepin's 10 property crimes were all larceny/theft. 
  • Every safest city reported fewer than 7 property crimes per 1,000 people.
  • The majority of Minnesota's 20 safest cities saw a year-over-year decrease in property crime. Half saw a decline in both property crime and violent crime.
  • Three cities have seen declining property and violent crime rates for the second year in a row: Lino Lakes, North Branch, and Lake City.
  • Notable movers on this year's list include #13 Lino Lakes (up 22 positions), #16 North Branch (up 42 positions), and #20 St. James (up 34 positions).

The 20 safest cities in Minnesota

Map of the safest cities in Minnesota for 2025, listing top 20 ranked cities based on SafeWise crime data.

Map of the safest cities in Minnesota for 2025, listing top 20 ranked cities based on SafeWise crime data. Image: SafeWise

Geographic location of Montevideo, MN
#1
Montevideo
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,247
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.0, 0.0, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.0, 0.4, 0.0
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
West Hennepin, MN map
#2
West Hennepin
(
+15
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,245
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.2, 0.4, 0.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    1.9, 6.8, 5.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Corcoran, MN map
#3
Corcoran
(
+3
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    8,017
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 0.3, 0.1
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    1.1, 3.4, 5.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
South Lake Minnetonka, MN map
#4
South Lake Minnetonka
(
+9
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    12,150
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.2, 0.3, 0.6
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    3.3, 6.1, 6.3
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
La Crescent, Minnesota
#5
La Crescent
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,346
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.2, 0.4, 0.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    3.6, 1.9, 8.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#6
Lonsdale
(
+1
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,012
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.6, 0.4, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    2.6, 2.6, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#7
Hibbing
(
+11
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    15,992
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.0, 0.3, 0.3
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    6.4, 7.8, 6.2
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Big Lake, Minnesota
#8
Big Lake
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    12,749
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, 0.6, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    3.7, 2.6, 4.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
New Ulm, Minnesota map
#9
New Ulm
(
-6
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    13,991
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.3, 0.0, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    5.1, 1.6, 9.6
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Minnetrista, Minnesota map
#10
Minnetrista
(
+6
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    10,992
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.3, 0.4, 0.3
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    6.0, 6.8, 8.0
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#11
New Prague
(
+10
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    8,336
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.6, 0.6, 0.6
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    4.0, 7.3, 4.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Rosemount, Minnesota
#12
Rosemount
(
+3
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    27,754
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, 0.5, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    4.5, 5.9, 6.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Lino Lakes, Minnesota map
#13
Lino Lakes
(
+22
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    22,228
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 0.7, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    5.9, 9.5, 10.3
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Dayton, MN map
#14
Dayton
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    10,307
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, 0.2, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    5.4, 6.5, 4.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#15
East Grand Fork
(
+14
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    8,997
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.8, 1.1, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    3.8, 5.3, 4.4
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#16
North Branch
(
+42
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    11,851
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, 1.6, 2.7
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    5.6, 12.2, 13.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#17
Buffalo
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    16,615
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 0.1, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    6.3, 7.5, 7.7
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#18
Lake City
(
+9
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,335
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 0.6, 0.8
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    6.9, 8.6, 14.7
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Chaska, Minnesota map
#19
Chaska
(
+18
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    28,458
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, 1.0, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    6.0, 8.3, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#20
St. James
(
+34
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    4,664
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 1.5, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    6.9, 11.8, N/A
  • Info
    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.

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Get a home security system

Find out which companies we recommend for every budget and lifestyle in our roundup of the best security systems—and learn the basics of how to choose a security system

Compare top security systems

Brand
Installation type
Self-monitoring option
Monthly cost Icon Tooltip  Dark
Contract required
Learn more
SimpliSafe
DIY
Icon Yes  LightYes
No
Vivint
Pro
Icon No  LightNo
No *
Cove
DIY
Icon No  LightNo
No *
ADT Shield
Pro
Icon No  LightNo
Yes

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

Find the safest cities in each state

Click on the state below to check out the safest cities for each state.

Find all endnotes and sources in our full methodology.

FBI Crime Data Explorer, "Documents & Downloads." Accessed March 17, 2025.

  • 2023 Crime in the United States Annual Reports
    • Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
  • 2023 NIBRS Estimation Tables

Bureau of Justice Statistics, "National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)." Accessed March 17, 2025.

Gun Violence Archive, "Mass Shootings." Accessed March 17, 2025.

Cathy Habas
Written by
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.

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