North Dakota’s Safest Cities of 2025

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

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11th annual Safest Cities report banner

Here are the 5 safest cities in North Dakota for 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. 

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 North Dakota? Survey insights for 2025

Bar chart comparing how safe North Dakota residents feel, with 68% feeling safe versus the 48% national average.

Bar chart comparing how safe North Dakota residents feel, with 68% feeling safe versus the 48% national average. Image: SafeWise

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%.

Find safety and security resources in North Dakota.

"I live in North Dakota. I don't have major concerns. My biggest concerns are my kids in school and college and if they are safe."
—North Dakota resident*

Property crime in North Dakota: Fear vs. reality

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%).
"We decided to purchase and place home security cameras inside and around the outside of our home because we know that reports have grown in our area for crime."
—North Dakota resident*

What security measures do North Dakotans use most?

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

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

What crimes are North Dakota residents most concerned about?

Bar chart of top crime concerns in North Dakota, showing violent crime, property crime, gun violence, and package theft rates.

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

Violent crime in North Dakota: Fear vs. reality

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%).
"My town is declining with lots of stabbings, killings, shootings, and burglaries."
—North Dakota resident*

*Quotes collected from our latest State of Safety survey.

Attitudes about gun violence in North Dakota

  • 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.

A closer look at the safest cities in North Dakota

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. 

The 5 safest cities in North Dakota

Map of the safest cities in North Dakota for 2025, listing top 5 ranked cities based on SafeWise crime data.

Map of the safest cities in North Dakota for 2025, listing top 5 ranked cities based on SafeWise crime data. Image: SafeWise

New Town, ND map
#1
New Town
(
+5
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    2,584
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.0, 1.8, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    1.2, 1.8, 1.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Lisbon, North Dakota
#2
Lisbon
(
+1
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    2,177
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.0, 0.0, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.3, 6.4, 5.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Lincoln, ND map
#3
Lincoln
(
+4
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    4,402
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.7, 1.4, 1.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    5.0, 5.5, 5.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Rugby, ND map
#4
Rugby
(
+4
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    2,471
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 2.0, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    7.3, 6.4, 7.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Carrington, North Dakota
#5
Carrington
(
-1
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    2,040
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    1.0, 1.0, 0.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    4.9, 2.0, 4.6
  • 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

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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.

Alina Bradford
Written by
Alina is a safety and security expert with over 25 years of experience. She has contributed her insights to CNET, CBS, Digital Trends, MTV, Top Ten Reviews, and many others. After testing thousands of devices, apps, services, and more, her goal is to make safety and security gadgets less mystifying one article at a time. In the early 2000s, Alina worked as a volunteer firefighter, earning her first responder certification and paving the way to her current career. Plus, she has tested hundreds of pieces of security and safety equipment over the years. Places published: CBS, MTV, CVS, Rachael Ray, eBay, Reader’s Digest, ConsumerAffairs, and more. Certifications: Fire Service Training, Oklahoma State University. Awards: Received the Experience Leader certificate from Authority, putting her “in the top 25% among the thousands of professional content creators analyzed by Authory for the Fall 2023 audit.” You can view more of Alina's work at alinabradford.com.

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