How we measured crime in California cities
No official agency ranks cities as "safe". What the state does publish is the number of crimes each police agency reports, and that is what we ranked. Our rule: every California city with at least 50,000 residents, ranked by the number of violent plus property crimes reported in 2024 for every 1,000 residents.
The crime counts: California DOJ OpenJustice
Every police department and sheriff reports to the California Department of Justice, which publishes the counts on OpenJustice. We used the Crimes and Clearances file covering 1985 to 2024, published in July 2025, the most recent year available in October 2026. Contract cities, which pay the county sheriff for policing, are reported under their own city name, so they are included.
What counts as violent and property crime
Violent crime in the file is homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crime is burglary, motor vehicle theft and larceny-theft. Arson is counted separately and not included in our totals. Drug offenses, fraud and most simple assaults are not part of these figures.
The population: Census Bureau estimates
To turn counts into rates, we divided by each city's July 1, 2024 population from the Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 estimates. A city of 50,000 or more is large enough that a handful of incidents does not swing the rate. That gives 177 cities.
For comparison, the whole state reported 188,146 violent and 815,854 property crimes in 2024, or 4.77 and 20.69 per 1,000 residents, about 25.5 combined. Those state totals include sheriffs, the Highway Patrol, transit and campus police.
The 25 California cities with the lowest crime rates
Out of 177 cities of 50,000 or more people, these reported the fewest crimes per 1,000 residents in 2024.
| Rank | City | County | Population (2024 est.) | Violent crimes per 1,000 | Property crimes per 1,000 | Total per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln | Placer | 56,268 | 0.94 | 5.60 | 6.5 |
| 2 | Santee | San Diego | 59,104 | 2.55 | 5.74 | 8.3 |
| 3 | Yorba Linda | Orange | 66,489 | 0.93 | 7.55 | 8.5 |
| 4 | San Marcos | San Diego | 96,620 | 2.16 | 6.42 | 8.6 |
| 5 | Lake Forest | Orange | 87,159 | 1.43 | 8.20 | 9.6 |
| 6 | Menifee | Riverside | 117,041 | 1.83 | 7.99 | 9.8 |
| 7 | Aliso Viejo | Orange | 50,457 | 1.33 | 8.56 | 9.9 |
| 8 | Laguna Niguel | Orange | 64,185 | 1.22 | 8.79 | 10.0 |
| 9 | Simi Valley | Ventura | 125,778 | 1.28 | 9.16 | 10.4 |
| 10 | Rocklin | Placer | 75,129 | 1.62 | 8.90 | 10.5 |
| 11 | Chino Hills | San Bernardino | 77,418 | 1.37 | 9.67 | 11.0 |
| 12 | Thousand Oaks | Ventura | 124,229 | 1.01 | 10.05 | 11.1 |
| 13 | Murrieta | Riverside | 112,539 | 1.83 | 9.40 | 11.2 |
| 14 | Encinitas | San Diego | 61,137 | 2.13 | 9.31 | 11.4 |
| 15 | Yucaipa | San Bernardino | 54,465 | 3.45 | 8.13 | 11.6 |
| 16 | Vista | San Diego | 99,322 | 3.13 | 8.55 | 11.7 |
| 17 | San Ramon | Contra Costa | 85,924 | 0.85 | 10.94 | 11.8 |
| 18 | Beaumont | Riverside | 59,502 | 2.07 | 10.32 | 12.4 |
| 19 | Mission Viejo | Orange | 91,601 | 1.00 | 11.62 | 12.6 |
| 20 | Santa Clarita | Los Angeles | 229,159 | 1.60 | 11.36 | 13.0 |
| 21 | Camarillo | Ventura | 69,881 | 1.27 | 11.78 | 13.1 |
| 22 | Elk Grove | Sacramento | 182,797 | 1.86 | 12.07 | 13.9 |
| 23 | Delano | Kern | 53,198 | 3.35 | 10.88 | 14.2 |
| 24 | Petaluma | Sonoma | 59,393 | 2.68 | 11.55 | 14.2 |
| 25 | Lodi | San Joaquin | 68,642 | 2.30 | 11.99 | 14.3 |
Most of the 25 are suburbs of the big metro areas: south Orange County, north and east San Diego County, southwest Riverside County, Ventura County and Placer County. Every city in the top 25 had a combined rate below 15 per 1,000, under 60% of the statewide figure.
The top 15, city by city
1. Lincoln: 6.5 crimes per 1,000
Lincoln had the lowest combined rate of any California city of 50,000 or more in 2024: 53 violent and 315 property crimes for 56,268 residents, or 6.5 per 1,000. That compares with 32 violent and 468 property crimes in 2019. Its violent rate, 0.94, was also among the lowest in the state.
The city lies north of Roseville in Placer County and grew by more than 280 percent after 2000 as new subdivisions spread north from Roseville. It has 25 city parks. For buyers, Redfin's median sale price was $620,704 in the three months to September 2026 (+3.5%), on 279 sales. Large newer subdivisions often carry Mello-Roos taxes, explained in our Mello-Roos guide. More in our Lincoln city guide.
2. Santee: 8.3 crimes per 1,000
Santee, in San Diego's East County, ranks second statewide at 8.3 per 1,000. It had the second-lowest property crime rate of any large city, 5.74, though its violent rate of 2.55 was higher than most of this top 15. Property offenses dropped from 561 in 2023 to 339 in 2024.
The San Diego River runs through the center of the city as a park corridor. Redfin's median sale price was $769,633, and homes sold in a median 19 days. Santee is policed under contract by the San Diego County Sheriff, and DOJ reports its figures under the city name. Compare it with other San Diego County cities in our best suburbs of San Diego ranking.
3. Yorba Linda: 8.5 crimes per 1,000
Yorba Linda, in northeastern Orange County, recorded 8.5 crimes per 1,000 in 2024, with a violent rate of 0.93. Violent offenses rose from 31 in 2023 to 62, a reminder that small counts move a lot from year to year; property crime fell from 751 to 502.
The city is the birthplace of Richard Nixon and home to his presidential library and museum. It has more than 100 miles of horse trails, and Savi Ranch is its main shopping district. Redfin's median sale price was $1,449,310 (+2.8%). The eastern hills border open space, so fire insurance deserves an early quote.
4. San Marcos: 8.6 crimes per 1,000
San Marcos placed fourth with 8.6 crimes per 1,000 residents (209 violent, 620 property). It is the largest city in the top five, at 96,620 people, and its property crime count has fallen from 955 in 2019.
Cal State San Marcos and Palomar College are here, linked by the SPRINTER rail line. Redfin's median sale price was $957,044, up 6.3% on the year, on 181 sales.
5. Lake Forest: 9.6 crimes per 1,000
Lake Forest had 125 violent and 715 property crimes in 2024 for 87,159 residents, 9.6 per 1,000. Its violent rate, 1.43, sits well under the state's 4.77.
The city was known as El Toro before it incorporated in 1991, and in 2000 it annexed the master-planned areas of Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills. Oakley and Panasonic Avionics have headquarters here. Redfin's median sale price was $1,201,428, with a median 50 days on market.
6. Menifee: 9.8 crimes per 1,000
Menifee is the most affordable city in the top ten. Redfin's median sale price was $570,728 over the three months to September 2026, with 401 sales. Its 2024 crime rate was 9.8 per 1,000 (214 violent, 935 property), and property crime has fallen by half since 2019, when it was 1,892.
Menifee, in southwestern Riverside County, incorporated in 2008 and includes Sun City, Quail Valley and Romoland. Interstate 215 runs through it, and Mt. San Jacinto College is its largest employer. Many newer tracts here pay Mello-Roos, so check the full tax bill.
7. Aliso Viejo: 9.9 crimes per 1,000
Aliso Viejo recorded 9.9 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2024 (67 violent, 432 property). It is a young city, incorporated in 2001 as Orange County's 34th city, in the San Joaquin Hills bordering Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park.
Medical device makers such as MicroVention and Glaukos are among its largest employers. Redfin's median sale price was $939,553 (-3.6%), and homes took a median 44 days to sell.
8. Laguna Niguel: 10.0 crimes per 1,000
Laguna Niguel had 10.0 crimes per 1,000 in 2024, with 78 violent and 564 property offenses for 64,185 residents. Its violent rate, 1.22, was lower than in neighboring Aliso Viejo and Lake Forest.
The city covers hilly terrain in the San Joaquin Hills close to the coast, with neighborhoods such as Bear Brand Ranch, Monarch Point and Marina Hills. It is served by Capistrano Unified School District. Redfin's median sale price was $1,370,847. See our Laguna Niguel guide and Laguna Niguel crime data.
9. Simi Valley: 10.4 crimes per 1,000
Simi Valley is the largest city in the top ten, with 125,778 residents and 10.4 crimes per 1,000 in 2024 (161 violent, 1,152 property). Its totals have been steady for years: 146 violent and 1,188 property crimes in 2019.
The city sits in its own valley in southeastern Ventura County, ringed by the Santa Susana Mountains and the Simi Hills. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is here, and commuters reach Los Angeles on State Route 118 or Metrolink. Redfin's median sale price was $814,612 (+2.7%).
10. Rocklin: 10.5 crimes per 1,000
Rocklin, Lincoln's neighbor in Placer County, recorded 10.5 crimes per 1,000 in 2024 (122 violent, 669 property), down from 983 property crimes in 2019.
Interstate 80 and State Route 65 meet in Rocklin, and its Amtrak station is on the Capitol Corridor line. Sierra College and William Jessup University have campuses here, and Rocklin Unified School District runs the public schools. Redfin's median sale price was $721,406. Read our Rocklin guide and Rocklin crime data.
11. Chino Hills: 11.0 crimes per 1,000
Chino Hills had 11.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2024 (106 violent, 749 property). Both counts rose from 2023, when it reported 60 violent and 489 property crimes, so watch the next release.
At the western end of the Inland Empire, much of the city is undeveloped rolling hills, including Chino Hills State Park with about 60 miles of trails. Chino Valley Unified School District serves the city. Redfin's median sale price was $984,531.
12. Thousand Oaks: 11.1 crimes per 1,000
Thousand Oaks had a violent crime rate of just 1.01 per 1,000 in 2024, among the lowest in the state, and a combined rate of 11.1 (125 violent, 1,249 property).
The second-largest city in Ventura County forms the core of the Conejo Valley and includes Newbury Park and much of Westlake. Amgen is its largest employer, followed by Conejo Valley Unified School District and Los Robles Hospital. Redfin's median sale price was $1,056,997 (-6.0%). Hillside open space surrounds the city, so check wildfire zones by address.
13. Murrieta: 11.2 crimes per 1,000
Murrieta recorded 11.2 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2024 (206 violent, 1,058 property). Its property crime count has fallen from 1,512 in 2019.
The city borders Temecula to the south and grew by more than 130% between 2000 and 2010. Rancho Springs Medical Center and Murrieta Valley Unified School District are the largest employers, and the city has 52 parks. Redfin's median sale price was $654,688, among the lowest in this top 15. Neighboring Temecula has its own guide.
14. Encinitas: 11.4 crimes per 1,000
Encinitas is the only beach city in the top 15. It logged 11.4 crimes per 1,000 in 2024 (130 violent and 569 property), against 86 violent and 605 property crimes in 2019.
It is also the most expensive city here, with a Redfin median sale price of $2,059,019 over July to September 2026. The city combines Leucadia, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Olivenhain and Old and New Encinitas. Read our Encinitas guide and Encinitas crime data.
15. Yucaipa: 11.6 crimes per 1,000
Yucaipa, east of Redlands in San Bernardino County, rounds out the list at 11.6 per 1,000. Its property rate of 8.13 was low, but the violent count jumped from 56 in 2023 to 188 in 2024, close to its 2019 level of 200. A swing that size often reflects reporting changes as well as real change, so look at several years.
Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District serves the city, and Yucaipa Regional Park and Wildwood Canyon State Park are nearby open space. Redfin's median sale price was $614,707, up 9.3%.
Lowest violent crime rates
If violent crime is your main concern, the order changes. These ten cities of 50,000 or more had the lowest violent crime rates in 2024.
| Rank | City | County | Violent crimes, 2024 | Per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diamond Bar | Los Angeles | 40 | 0.76 |
| 2 | Irvine | Orange | 267 | 0.84 |
| 3 | San Ramon | Contra Costa | 73 | 0.85 |
| 4 | Eastvale | Riverside | 66 | 0.93 |
| 5 | Yorba Linda | Orange | 62 | 0.93 |
| 6 | Lincoln | Placer | 53 | 0.94 |
| 7 | Mission Viejo | Orange | 92 | 1.00 |
| 8 | Thousand Oaks | Ventura | 125 | 1.01 |
| 9 | Cupertino | Santa Clara | 63 | 1.07 |
| 10 | Pleasanton | Alameda | 84 | 1.11 |
Diamond Bar and Irvine make this list but not the overall top 25, because their property crime rates are higher. Irvine stands out: with 318,683 residents, it is by far the largest city with a violent rate under 1 per 1,000. See our Irvine guide.
Smaller cities with low crime rates
For cities of 10,000 to 49,999 people, rates swing more from year to year. These had the lowest combined rates in 2024.
| City | County | Population | Violent crimes | Property crimes | Total per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial | Imperial | 22,102 | 17 | 40 | 2.6 |
| Newman | Stanislaus | 12,292 | 14 | 52 | 5.4 |
| Moraga | Contra Costa | 16,698 | 15 | 80 | 5.7 |
| Clayton | Contra Costa | 10,933 | 9 | 55 | 5.9 |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | Orange | 46,353 | 37 | 239 | 6.0 |
| Rio Vista | Solano | 10,248 | 25 | 39 | 6.2 |
| Danville | Contra Costa | 43,410 | 27 | 250 | 6.4 |
| Saratoga | Santa Clara | 30,486 | 26 | 175 | 6.6 |
| Calexico | Imperial | 38,744 | 56 | 204 | 6.7 |
| Avenal | Kings | 14,108 | 67 | 29 | 6.8 |
| Poway | San Diego | 49,435 | 64 | 279 | 6.9 |
| Soledad | Monterey | 26,345 | 61 | 125 | 7.1 |
Read small-city figures with care. Some towns host state prisons. Avenal's Census population, for example, includes the inmates of Avenal State Prison, and Soledad also has a state prison, so their per-resident rates are not comparable with ordinary suburbs. In very small or rural places, a single incident changes the rate noticeably.
How the largest California cities compare
Large cities have more visitors, commuters and commercial districts, which add to crime counts. Here are all California cities of 250,000 or more, from lowest to highest rate in 2024.
| City | Population | Violent per 1,000 | Property per 1,000 | Total per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine | 318,683 | 0.84 | 13.81 | 14.7 |
| Chula Vista | 278,546 | 3.69 | 11.13 | 14.8 |
| San Diego | 1,404,452 | 4.08 | 16.52 | 20.6 |
| Santa Ana | 316,184 | 4.84 | 16.71 | 21.5 |
| Anaheim | 344,561 | 5.86 | 20.95 | 26.8 |
| Bakersfield | 417,468 | 5.53 | 24.62 | 30.1 |
| San Jose | 997,368 | 5.82 | 24.83 | 30.6 |
| Sacramento | 535,798 | 7.42 | 25.04 | 32.5 |
| Riverside | 323,757 | 5.83 | 28.01 | 33.8 |
| Los Angeles | 3,878,704 | 7.50 | 26.37 | 33.9 |
| Stockton | 324,975 | 11.25 | 25.92 | 37.2 |
| Fresno | 550,105 | 7.31 | 32.52 | 39.8 |
| Long Beach | 450,901 | 6.66 | 34.27 | 40.9 |
| San Francisco | 827,526 | 5.79 | 38.12 | 43.9 |
| Oakland | 443,554 | 18.88 | 70.92 | 89.8 |
Irvine and Chula Vista had lower rates than any other city this size. Within every large city, rates vary sharply between neighborhoods, so a citywide figure tells you little about a specific street.
Crime rates in the cities we cover
Each of these cities has its own page on this site with year-by-year DOJ figures and the local police crime map. Rates are 2024, per 1,000 residents.
| City (links to its crime data page) | Population | Violent per 1,000 | Total per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danville | 43,410 | 0.62 | 6.4 |
| Laguna Niguel | 64,185 | 1.22 | 10.0 |
| Rocklin | 75,129 | 1.62 | 10.5 |
| Dana Point | 32,585 | 1.87 | 10.6 |
| Laguna Beach | 22,564 | 1.64 | 10.9 |
| Encinitas | 61,137 | 2.13 | 11.4 |
| San Juan Capistrano | 35,469 | 1.61 | 12.1 |
| Los Altos | 30,864 | 0.75 | 12.3 |
| Camarillo | 69,881 | 1.27 | 13.1 |
| Lafayette | 25,371 | 0.79 | 13.2 |
| Irvine | 318,683 | 0.84 | 14.7 |
| Los Gatos | 32,952 | 1.43 | 15.3 |
| Folsom | 88,091 | 1.79 | 16.0 |
| Cupertino | 58,710 | 1.07 | 16.1 |
| Roseville | 163,304 | 2.19 | 16.3 |
| Santa Rosa | 177,524 | 3.38 | 16.4 |
| Carlsbad | 113,575 | 1.98 | 17.0 |
| Temecula | 112,431 | 1.49 | 18.1 |
| Cypress | 49,286 | 2.80 | 18.4 |
| Garden Grove | 172,361 | 2.67 | 19.8 |
| Sunnyvale | 156,792 | 2.35 | 20.7 |
| Oceanside | 170,941 | 4.53 | 21.0 |
| Newport Beach | 82,970 | 2.48 | 21.0 |
| Fairfield | 122,646 | 4.90 | 21.5 |
| Huntington Beach | 193,151 | 2.04 | 21.6 |
| Redding | 93,502 | 6.41 | 23.7 |
| Santa Barbara | 87,291 | 6.35 | 24.1 |
| Chino | 94,010 | 2.97 | 25.0 |
| Citrus Heights | 86,909 | 4.34 | 25.3 |
| Ventura | 109,831 | 4.05 | 25.8 |
| Manhattan Beach | 33,453 | 1.46 | 26.2 |
| Redondo Beach | 68,075 | 2.44 | 27.7 |
| Hermosa Beach | 18,687 | 3.85 | 27.9 |
| Whittier | 85,589 | 4.77 | 27.9 |
| Mountain View | 87,316 | 2.84 | 28.7 |
| Lakewood | 78,494 | 4.43 | 29.7 |
| Bakersfield | 417,468 | 5.53 | 30.1 |
| Torrance | 139,576 | 3.05 | 30.3 |
| San Jose | 997,368 | 5.82 | 30.6 |
| Santa Cruz | 62,581 | 6.01 | 30.7 |
| Walnut Creek | 70,817 | 2.73 | 30.9 |
| Palo Alto | 67,658 | 2.04 | 31.2 |
| Hawthorne | 83,633 | 7.13 | 31.3 |
| Sacramento | 535,798 | 7.42 | 32.5 |
| Riverside | 323,757 | 5.83 | 33.8 |
| Los Angeles | 3,878,704 | 7.50 | 33.9 |
| Long Beach | 450,901 | 6.66 | 40.9 |
| Beverly Hills | 31,027 | 5.06 | 48.8 |
| El Segundo | 16,544 | 5.02 | 58.5 |
What a crime rate does not tell you
Reported crime is not all crime
The figures cover crimes reported to police. Some offenses, such as theft from cars, often go unreported, and reporting habits differ between places.
Rates follow where people go, not only where they live
Malls, beaches, stadiums and tourist areas draw large numbers of non-residents but rates divide by residents only. That is why small resort and retail cities, such as El Segundo and Beverly Hills, show high property rates.
One year can mislead
Counts can jump when an agency changes how it records offenses. Look at three to five years on OpenJustice before you draw a conclusion.
Crime is one kind of risk
For a California home, wildfire, earthquake and flood can matter as much. Look up an address in our wildfire zones guide, read about earthquake insurance, and check what cover costs in our homeowners insurance guide.
How to check crime near a specific address
- Start with the city's police or sheriff crime map. Most California agencies publish recent incidents online, either on their own site or through a regional system such as ARJIS in San Diego County.
- Look at the trend on OpenJustice. The DOJ portal shows crimes, clearances and arrests by agency, back to 1985.
- Compare nationally on the FBI Crime Data Explorer. It reports rates for agencies that submit data to the FBI.
- Visit at different times. Walk the street on a weekday evening and a weekend.
- Ask the local police non-emergency line about patterns on a block you are considering.
For regional comparisons that also weigh how fast homes sell, see our rankings of the best suburbs of San Diego and the best suburbs of San Francisco.