Mississippi’s Safest Cities of 2025

See crime rates for the safest cities.

Mississippi residents who took our State of Safety survey were less likely to have experienced gun violence and other violent crimes in the 8 months leading up to our survey compared to the previous year. However, more than 7 in 10 Mississippians believes crime is on the rise.

Meanwhile, violent crime decreased in 9 of Mississippi's 10 safest cities. Every city from last year's list managed to stay in the top 10 for 2025.

We didn't have enough data to accurately calculate statewide crime rates for this year's report, but if Mississippi's 10 safest cities are any indication, violent crime may be decreasing across The Magnolia State.

Results from our annual State of Safety also suggest that violent crime, gun violence, and property crime occurred less often year over year. Package theft may be on the rise, however.

More than half of Mississippi respondents (54%) reported feeling safe in their state, which is up from 35% the previous year and higher than the nationwide average of 48%. Despite these positive signs, 72% believe crime is increasing—the highest percentage in the nation.

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The percentage of Mississippians who experienced property crime fell year over year and is now one of the lowest percentages in the nation. Concern about property crime decreased slightly too. On the other hand, Mississippians are more likely to experience package theft compared to the year before, but their level of concern has dropped significantly.

• 21% said they had personal experience with property crime during the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 28% the year before (US 27%).
• Residents of only six states reported less property crime than Mississippians: Georgia (20%), Wisconsin (20%), South Dakota (20%), Rhode Island (19%), North Carolina (17%), and Massachusetts (16%). 
• Daily concern about property crime decreased slightly from 60% to 59% year over year (US 54%). It's Mississippians' second biggest concern behind violent crime.
• Over 1 in 3 (34%) of Mississippi residents said they had personally experienced package theft in the 8 months prior to our survey, up from 31% the year before (US 37%).
• Daily concern about package theft fell from 56% to 42%—the fifth lowest percentage nationwide (US 52%).
• Mississippians prefer to protect their property with security cameras (47%), firearms (40%), and guard dogs (34%). 
• Nearly 4 in 10 respondents (39%) told us they increased their security measures in the 8 months prior to the survey (US 37%).

The percentage of Mississippians who told us they experienced violent crime in the 8 months prior to our survey fell considerably year over year but remains higher than the national average. Concern about violent crime rose during the same time period. 

• 17% of Mississippians experienced violent crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 23% the previous year (US 14%).
• The percentage of Mississippi residents who worry about violent crime on a daily basis increased from 56% to 62% year over year (US 59%).
• 46% of survey participants report using some form of personal protection—that's the fifth highest percentage nationwide (US 35%).
• Mississippi residents prefer to protect themselves with firearms (30%), pepper spray (22%), and pocket knives (19%).
• Mississippi residents report the second highest use of pepper spray behind Virginians.

• 15% of Mississippians experienced gun violence in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 21% the year before (US 11%).
• Residents of only six states were more likely to have experienced gun violence than Mississippians: Georgia (20%), Louisiana (19%), Kentucky (19%), Maine (18%), Oklahoma (16%), and Michigan (16%).
• The percentage of Mississippi residents who worry about gun violence on a daily basis increased from 53% to 58% year over year (US 57%).
• Mississippians worry about violent crime and property crime more than they worry about gun violence. 
• Guns are the most popular form of personal protection in Mississippi, with 30% saying they carry a concealed firearm (US 15%).
• Mississippians tie with Alabamans for being most likely to carry a concealed firearm. 
• Mississippi had 24 mass shootings in 2024, down from 25 in 2023. 

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.

• 35 cities met the criteria for ranking this year.
• Petal is Mississippi's safest city for the second year in a row.
• All 10 of the safest cities appeared on last year's list as well. 
• Every city except Clinton saw a year-over-year decrease in violent crime.
• Petal and Richland have seen drops in both violent and property crime rates for 2 years in a row, while Brandon and Long Beach saw declines in both categories just in the last year. 
• 2 cities reported zero murders, rapes, and robberies: Petal and Madison. 

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