North Dakota’s Safest Cities of 2025

See crime rates for the safest cities.

In our most recent State of Safety survey, just one third of respondents in North Dakota said that they regularly worry about their safety overall. This makes North Dakota the third least-concerned state in the country. The lack of concern lines up with survey participants' decline in crime experiences. 

We didn't have enough viable data to accurately calculate statewide crime rates this year, but our annual State of Safety survey suggests some promising declines across The Peace Garden State. 

North Dakotans reported a drop in crime experiences across the board, with package theft and property crime decreasing more dramatically than violent crime and gun violence. Interestingly, North Dakota's five safest cities demonstrated the opposite trend, with decreases in violent crime rates more common than decreases in property crime rates.

Survey respondents say they're not as worried about property crime and package theft as they were the previous year, but violent crime and gun violence concerns have increased. 

About 68% of North Dakotans say they feel safe in their state, which is the third highest percentage in the country. Only folks in Nebraska (71%) and Idaho (70%) reported a higher confidence level. 

Three in ten North Dakota residents told us they increased their security or safety measures in the 8 months prior to our survey, which is one of the lowest percentages in the country. It also represents a year-over-year decline from 31%.

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North Dakotans reported fewer experiences with property crime and package theft year over year, and they're among those least likely to experience these crimes nationwide. Their concern has also dropped year over year and falls well below national averages.

• 22% of North Dakotans said they personally experienced a property crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 28% the year before (US 27%).
• Concern about property crime fell from 40% to 34%—the lowest percentage in the nation (US 54%).
• 30% said they experienced a package theft in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 38% the previous year (US 37%).
• Only people in Vermont were less likely to have experienced a package theft than North Dakotans (VT 29%).
• 32% said they don't use any form of property protection, which is the fifth highest percentage in the nation and the highest percentage west of the Mississippi River (US 22%).
• North Dakota residents prefer to protect their property with security cameras (35%), firearms (30%), and guard dogs (26%).

Violent crime is the most worrisome crime issue for North Dakotans, and their concerns have increased year over year. That said, North Dakotans worry less about violent crime than the majority of Americans. They also reported a slightly decrease in their violent crime experiences. 

• 12% told us they had a personal experience with violent crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 13% the year before (US 14%).
• Concern about violent crime in North Dakota jumped from 30% to 43% year over year but remains well below the national average of 59%.
• Only people in Vermont (39%) and Alaska (41%) worry less about violent crime than North Dakotans.
• 32% of survey participants report using some form of personal protection (US 35%).
• North Dakota residents prefer to protect themselves with pepper spray (18%), firearms (16%), and pocket knives (12%). 
• North Dakotans are more likely to use a whistle or personal safety alarm than the average American (ND 7%, US 4%).

• 6% of North Dakotans said they personally experienced gun violence in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 8% the year before (US 11%).
• Residents in only 3 other states were less likely to experience gun violence than North Dakotans: Nebraska, Delaware, and Rhode Island (5% each).
• North Dakotans' concern about gun violence increased year over year from 29% to 34% (US 57%).
• Only Wyomingites (31%) and Alaskans (33%) worry less about gun violence than North Dakotans.
• There were no mass shooting events in North Dakota in 2024.

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.

• 21 cities met the criteria for ranking this year.
• New Town is the safest city in North Dakota this year, reporting 3 crimes total: 2 larceny/theft incidents and 1 motor vehicle theft. 
• Lisbon reported no violent crimes for the second year in a row. 
• Lincoln cut its violent crime rate in half compared to the year before.
• Violent crime rates stayed the same or decreased year over year in all 5 cities.
• Property crime rates went up in each city except New Town and Lincoln. 
• Collectively, the 5 safest cities reported 4 aggravated assaults, 0 murders, 2 rapes, and 0 robberies. 
• New Town and Lisbon were the only 2 cities to report 0 burglaries, while Carrington was the only city to report 0 motor vehicle thefts. 

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