Vermont’s Safest Cities of 2025

See crime rates for the safest cities.

According to our most recent State of Safety report, people in Vermont hardly worry about crime or security. For the most part, they have fewer crime experiences than other Americans, but Vermonters' property crime experiences are surprisingly high. 

This seems to be the trend in Vermont's safest cities as well, where some report exceedingly high amounts of property crime but relatively few violent crimes. 

We didn't have enough viable data to accurately calculate statewide crime rates this year, but our annual State of Safety survey sheds some light on crime experiences and concerns in The Green Mountain State. 

Six in 10 (60%) of Vermonters say they feel safe in their state, which is one of the highest confidence levels nationwide but down from 65% the year before. Residents in nine other states, including Maine and Massachusetts, feel safer than Vermonters. 

Still, Vermont residents don't worry much about crime. They're the least concerned about violent crime nationwide, and they're also the least worried about their overall level of safety and security (VT 29%, US 47%). Only property crime stands out as more concerning for Vermonters, with 48% being concerned.

Although there's a lot to feel good about in this state, 35% of Vermont residents are adding security and safety measures, up from 21% the year before. Considering Vermonters are among those most likely to experience a property crime but least likely to protect against it, increased security may be a good idea. 

Find safety and security resources in Vermont.

Property crime is the only issue that has Vermonters more worried than the year before. The percentage of Vermonters who experience property crime is the seventh highest in the nation. Meanwhile, Vermonters are the least likely to experience package theft nationwide and, understandably, among those least likely to worry about it. 

• 33% said they experienced a property crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, which is the same percentage as the year before (US 27%).  
• Vermonters were more likely to experience property crime than other New Englanders. 
• Concern about property crime rose from 46% to 48% (US 54%).
• 29% said they experienced a package theft in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 32% the year before (US 37%). 
• Concern about package theft fell from 39% to 37% year over year (US 52%). 
• Residents in only 3 other states worry about package theft less than Vermonters: North Dakota (35%), Wyoming (32%), and Iowa (31%). 
• 38% said they use no property protection, which is the highest percentage in the nation.
• Vermont residents prefer to protect their properties with security cameras (33%), guard dogs (31%), and firearms (23%). 
• Vermont ties with Iowa for the lowest security system usage nationwide (VT 10%, US 27%). 

• 19% of Vermont residents evacuated due to a natural disaster in the 8 months prior to our survey. That's the second highest percentage nationwide behind Louisiana (23%). The national average is 9%.
• Flooding is the biggest concern for Vermonters, with 58% saying they worry about it. That's the second-highest level of concern in the nation behind Louisiana at 61%.
• Vermont residents are the least concerned about extreme temperatures nationwide (VT 35%, US 56%). 
• 13% of Vermonters worry about drought, which is the third lowest percentage in the nation behind Alaska (10%) and Maine (11%).
• Vermonters worry about hurricanes, fire/smoke, earthquakes, and strong winds less than average. 

• 58% of Vermonters say they're worried about cyber crime, which is the second-lowest percentage in the nation (US 69%). Only Nebraskans worry less (53%). 
• 26% say they use antivirus protections (US 34%). Again, only Nebraskans use it less (25%). 
• Vermont ties with Alabama for the lowest usage of credit monitoring services (VT 15%, US 23%). 
• 31% say they experienced a cyber crime in the 8 months prior to our survey (US 33%). 

Vermonters are the least concerned about violent crime nationwide and among those least likely to experience it. Both their reported experiences and concerns decreased year over year.

• 8% said they experienced a violent crime in the 8 months prior to our survey, down from 13% the year before (US 14%). 
• Only South Dakotans reported a lower level of violent crime experiences (6%) than Vermonters. 
• Concern about violent crime decreased from 40% to 39% year over year (US 59%). 
• 24% of Vermonters said they use personal protection. Only Hawaiians (23%) and Massachusetts residents (20%) are less likely to use personal protection. 
• Vermont residents prefer to protect themselves with pocket knives (16%), pepper spray (11%), and firearms (8%). 

• 8% of participants said they experienced gun violence during the 8 months prior to the survey, down from 9% the year before (US 11%).
• Concern about gun violence fell slightly from 39% to 38% year over year (US 57%). 
• Residents in only four other states worry less about gun violence than Vermonters: South Dakota (36%), North Dakota (34%), Alaska (33%), and Wyoming (31%).
• Vermont experienced no mass shooting events 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.

• 26 cities met the criteria for ranking this year.
• Reporting 2 violent crimes and 4 property crimes, Castleton is this year's safest city in Vermont.
• No murders were reported in this year's cities.
• Castleton and Stowe reported no rapes or robberies. 
• Shelburne also reported no robberies.
• Castleton, Northfield, and Swanton reported no motor vehicle thefts. 
• Castleton also reported no burglaries. 
• Stowe and Northfield saw year-over-year decreases in both property crime and violent crime. 
• Stowe's property crime rate is about 69 times higher than its violent crime rate. Shelburne's is 27 times higher. 

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