Pennsylvania’s Safest Cities of 2025

John Carlsen
Cathy Habas
Mar 17, 2025
Icon Time To Read3 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 Pennsylvania for 2025

See crime rates for the safest cities.

In our latest State of Safety survey, Pennsylvania residents' crime experiences fell at or below the national averages. Violent crime and gun violence experiences fell year over year, while package theft and property crime experiences became more common.

Meanwhile, violent crime seems to be on the rise in Pennsylvania's safest cities. 

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 Pennsylvania? Survey insights for 2025

Bar chart comparing how safe Pennsylvania residents feel, with 55% feeling safe versus the 48% national average.

Bar chart comparing how safe Pennsylvania residents feel, with 55% 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 offers a glimpse into Pennsylvanians' crime experiences and concerns. 

The percentage of Pennsylvanians who feel safe in the state increased year over year from 42% to 55%. That means residents of The Keystone State feel safer than the average American (US 48%). 

However, 57% said they worry about their overall safety and security on a daily basis, which is the fourth-highest percentage nationwide. This concern may stem from Pennsylvanians' heightened worries about violent crime and gun violence. 

Find safety and security resources in Pennsylvania.

Property crime in Pennsylvania: Fear vs. reality

According to our State of Safety survey, Pennsylvanians are more likely to experience package theft than any other crime, but they've been less worried about it lately. It's also the least worrisome crime issue for residents of The Keystone State. Meanwhile, property crime experiences and concerns continue to rise, albeit slowly. 

  • 37% of Pennsylvanians said they personally experienced a package theft in the 8 months prior to our survey, up from 33% the year before (US 37%). 
  • Concern about package theft dropped from 53% to 47% year over year (US 52%).
  • 26% said they experienced a property crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, up from 24% the previous year (US 27%).
  • Concern about property crime increased from 51% to 53% year over year. 
  • Pennsylvania residents prefer to protect their property with security cameras (45%), security systems (27%), and firearms (26%). 
  • Philadelphia ranked second on our list of the worst metro areas for package theft
"Neighbors have talked of people coming late at night and trying to steal stuff from cars. I have not experienced this myself, but our neighborhood used to be completely safe."
—Pennsylvania resident*

What security measures do Pennsylvanians use most?

Top security measures used in Pennsylvania: security cameras, security systems, and firearms, compared to national trends.

Top security measures used in Pennsylvania: security cameras, security systems, and firearms, compared to national trends. Image: SafeWise

What crimes are Pennsylvania residents concerned about most?

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

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

Violent crime in Pennsylvania: Fear vs. reality

The percentage of Pennsylvanians who personally experienced a violent crime in the 8 months before our survey decreased compared to the previous year, but residents feel more concerned about this type of crime. 

  • More than 6 in 10 survey respondents (61%) reported a high level of concern about violent crime, up from 59% the year before (US 59%).
  • 12% said they personally experienced a violent crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 16% the previous year (US 14%).
  • Pennsylvania residents reported the sixth lowest percentage of violent crime experiences nationwide.
  • 31% of survey respondents use some form of personal protection (US 35%).
  • Pennsylvania residents prefer to protect themselves with firearms (13%), pocket knives (13%), and pepper spray (11%). 
"I am scared of walking the streets at night, scared of being harassed, as well as the fear of gun violence taking place."
—Pennsylvania resident*

Attitudes about gun violence in Pennsylvania

  • 10% said they experienced gun violence in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 11% the year before (US 11%).
  • Concern about gun violence increased from 57% to 61% year over year (US 57%).
  • Mass shooting incidents fell from 35 to 31 in 2024. 
  • Pennsylvania saw the fourth highest number of mass shootings nationwide in 2024.
"My biggest concerns are people having automatic weapons and people shooting randomly [at] automobiles and others."
—Pennsylvania resident*

A closer look at the safest cities in Pennsylvania

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.

  • 33 cities met the criteria for ranking this year.
  • Cecil Township is the safest city in Pennsylvania thanks to its low crime rates.
  • Cecil Township reported no murders, rapes, or burglaries.
  • Dallas Township reported no murders, rapes, or motor vehicle thefts.
  • Upper Allen Township and Shaler Township have seen decreases in property crime for two years in a row. 
  • None of the safest cities saw a decrease in violent crime.

The 5 safest cities in Pennsylvania

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

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

Map of Cecil Township, Pennsylvania, one of the safest cities in 2025, showing its location.
#1
Cecil Township
(
NEW
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    15,079
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.2, N/A, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    1.9, N/A, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#2
Dallas Township
(
NEW
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    9,203
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, N/A, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    3.2, N/A, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#3
Hampden Township
(
-2
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    34,375
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 0.4, 0.3
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    4.1, 2.9, 4.1
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#4
Upper Allen Township
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    23,808
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.5, 0.5, 0.5
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    3.7, 3.9, 4.2
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#5
Shaler Township
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    27,122
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    0.4, 0.3, 0.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2025, 2024, 2023
    5.1, 6.4, 7.6
  • 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

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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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.

John Carlsen
Written by
John is a technology journalist specializing in smart home devices, security cameras, and home security systems. He has over a decade of experience researching, testing, and reviewing the latest tech—he was the Smart Home Editor for Top Ten Reviews and wrote for ASecureLife before joining SafeWise as a Staff Writer in 2020. John holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism emphasis from Utah Valley University. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and starting countless DIY projects he has yet to complete.

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