Safest Places to Live in California of January 2025

Elite Personal Finance
Last Update: December 1, 2024 Living

California, the most populous US state, is home to almost 40,000,000 people. That is approximately 1/8 of the American population. Whenever we hear ‘West Coast,’ we instantaneously imagine Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, surfers, parties, the unforgettable spirit and laid-back lifestyle of San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge, the hospitality of San Jose and San Diego residents, and much more. Images rush through our minds as we picture ourselves at one of those places and surround by the positive vibes of Californians.

However, it is a dream state of many US residents. California has its problems that are not to be underestimated. The fact that it has some of the largest cities in the US presents the other side of the coin ‒ safety problems and crime rate.

Ranking Criteria

ElitePersonalFinance extracted the latest data from the FBI crime statistics in the United States. We took violent crime as the main criteria. To get our score, we used this formula:

Crime Score = ( Total Number of Violent Crimes / Population ) * 1,000

This way, safer cities got the lowest score, and those more vulnerable to crimes got higher scores.

The cities that did not report crimes to the FBI and those under 10,000 residents were not included in the list.

50 Safest Places in California of January 2025

Rank: City: Population: Total Number of Crimes: Crime Score:
1 Clayton 12 356 1 0,08
2 Lafayette 26 872 4 0,15
3 Imperial 18 090 5 0,28
4 Palos Verdes Estates 13 400 4 0,30
5 Coronado 21 115 9 0,43
6 Hillsborough 11 521 5 0,43
7 Laguna Woods 16 043 7 0,44
8 Los Gatos 30 793 14 0,45
9 Danville 44 997 23 0,51
10 Aliso Viejo 52 247 27 0,52
11 Los Alamitos 11 541 6 0,52
12 Saratoga 30 666 16 0,52
13 Benicia 28 471 16 0,56
14 Yorba Linda 68 225 42 0,62
15 Rancho Santa Margarita 48 377 30 0,62
16 Irvine 292 673 188 0,64
17 Laguna Niguel 66 671 43 0,64
18 Lincoln 48 625 32 0,66
19 Murrieta 116 413 77 0,66
20 Mission Viejo 95 453 65 0,68
21 Los Altos 30 716 21 0,68
22 Thousand Oaks 127 811 88 0,69
23 Rancho Palos Verdes 41 961 29 0,69
24 Moorpark 36 826 26 0,71
25 La Canada Flintridge 20 223 15 0,74
26 San Ramon 76 387 58 0,76
27 Lake Forest 86 691 66 0,76
28 Seal Beach 24 120 19 0,79
29 Ripon 16 103 13 0,81
30 Carpinteria 13 514 11 0,81
31 Paradise 26 879 22 0,82
32 Camarillo 69 628 58 0,83
33 Orinda 20 071 17 0,85
34 Pacific Grove 15 605 14 0,90
35 Cupertino 60 357 55 0,91
36 Central Marin 34 793 32 0,92
37 Fountain Valley 55 858 53 0,95
38 Grover Beach 13 574 13 0,96
39 Riverbank 25 045 24 0,96
40 Solana Beach 13 440 13 0,97
41 Rocklin 68 554 67 0,98
42 Poway 49 928 51 1,02
43 Agoura Hills 20 490 21 1,02
44 Folsom 79 927 82 1,03
45 Laguna Hills 31 123 32 1,03
46 Cypress 49 085 52 1,06
47 San Marino 13 196 14 1,06
48 La Palma 15 571 17 1,09
49 Scotts Valley 11 875 13 1,09
50 Chino Hills 84 577 95 1,12

Crime Score in All Cities in California of January 2025

If your city didn’t make our list, you could see our full list of California cities.

We can’t compare crime rates in small and large cities. That’s why ElitePersonalFinance made a detailed analysis and divided all places in California into the following categories:

  • Under 3,000 Residents
  • 3,000 – 10,000 Residents
  • 10,000 – 30,000 Residents
  • 30,000 – 100,000 Residents
  • Over 100,000 Residents

(Other sites don’t include places with under 3,000 residents, but we included them.)

These are the results that we got:

Under 3,000 Residents

Rank: City: Population: Total Number of Crimes: Crime Score:
1 Belvedere 2 114 1 0,47
2 Hidden Hills 1 903 1 0,53
3 Rolling Hills 1 868 1 0,54
4 Ross 2 470 2 0,81
5 Bradbury 1 089 1 0,92
6 Sutter Creek 2 624 3 1,14
7 Lake Shastina 2 566 3 1,17
8 Yountville 2 988 5 1,67
9 Biggs 1 726 3 1,74
10 Stallion Springs 2 648 7 2,64
11 Etna 716 2 2,79
12 Fort Jones 690 2 2,90
13 Ferndale 1 363 4 2,93
14 Tulelake 985 3 3,05
15 Alturas 2 471 10 4,05
16 Del Rey Oaks 1 674 7 4,18
17 Dorris 897 4 4,46
18 Montague 1 399 8 5,72
19 Isleton 849 7 8,24
20 Dunsmuir 1 564 14 8,95
21 Weed 2 673 34 12,72
22 Irwindale 1 469 26 17,70
23 Colma 1 512 28 18,52
24 Sand City 407 9 22,11
25 Vernon 112 27 241,07
26 Industry 201 72 358,21

3,000 – 10,000 Residents

Rank: City: Population: Total Number of Crimes: Crime Score:
1 Monte Sereno 3 507 0 0,00
2 Tiburon 9 135 0 0,00
3 Los Altos Hills 8 622 3 0,35
4 Buellton 5 142 3 0,58
5 Hughson 7 671 5 0,65
6 Villa Park 5 840 4 0,68
7 La Habra Heights 5 357 4 0,75
8 Kensington 5 407 5 0,92
9 Sausalito 7 118 7 0,98
10 Colusa 5 903 6 1,02
11 Ojai 7 499 8 1,07
12 Calistoga 5 341 6 1,12
13 Rio Vista 9 502 11 1,16
14 Fairfax 7 569 9 1,19
15 Rolling Hills Estates 8 151 10 1,23
16 Ione 8 454 11 1,30
17 Firebaugh 8 433 11 1,30
18 Waterford 9 021 13 1,44
19 Winters 7 374 11 1,49
20 Wheatland 3 940 6 1,52
21 Angels Camp 3 909 6 1,53
22 Westlake Village 8 358 13 1,56
23 Del Mar 4 369 7 1,60
24 Atherton 7 222 12 1,66
25 Solvang 5 962 10 1,68
26 Cloverdale 8 910 16 1,80
27 Orange Cove 9 635 18 1,87
28 St. Helena 6 195 12 1,94
29 Guadalupe 7 696 15 1,95
30 Bear Valley 5 507 11 2,00
31 Gonzales 8 408 17 2,02
32 Holtville 6 774 14 2,07
33 Escalon 7 644 16 2,09
34 Brisbane 4 746 10 2,11
35 Indian Wells 5 500 13 2,36
36 Calimesa 9 073 22 2,42
37 Broadmoor 4 446 11 2,47
38 Avalon 3 722 10 2,69
39 Sebastopol 7 815 21 2,69
40 Carmel 3 877 11 2,84
41 Willits 4 937 16 3,24
42 Rio Dell 3 392 11 3,24
43 Crescent City 6 716 23 3,42
44 Pismo Beach 8 285 29 3,50
45 Gustine 5 896 21 3,56
46 Woodlake 7 682 28 3,64
47 Mount Shasta 3 274 12 3,67
48 Corning 7 537 28 3,72
49 Yreka 7 527 28 3,72
50 Williams 5 348 20 3,74
51 Fowler 6 904 29 4,20
52 Orland 7 679 33 4,30
53 Fort Bragg 7 366 32 4,34
54 Gridley 6 618 29 4,38
55 Nevada City 3 150 15 4,76
56 Mammoth Lakes 8 114 42 5,18
57 Cotati 7 641 40 5,23
58 Sonora 4 867 26 5,34
59 Jackson 4 797 30 6,25
60 Lakeport 4 959 34 6,86
61 Taft 9 413 67 7,12
62 Bishop 3 731 34 9,11
63 Huron 7 359 83 11,28
64 Dos Palos 5 594 64 11,44
65 Needles 5 001 71 14,20
66 Big Bear 5 311 76 14,31

10,000 – 30,000 Residents

Rank: City: Population: Total Number of Crimes: Crime Score:
1 Clayton 12 356 1 0,08
2 Lafayette 26 872 4 0,15
3 Imperial 18 090 5 0,28
4 Palos Verdes Estates 13 400 4 0,30
5 Coronado 21 115 9 0,43
6 Hillsborough 11 521 5 0,43
7 Laguna Woods 16 043 7 0,44
8 Los Alamitos 11 541 6 0,52
9 Benicia 28 471 16 0,56
10 La Canada Flintridge 20 223 15 0,74
11 Seal Beach 24 120 19 0,79
12 Ripon 16 103 13 0,81
13 Carpinteria 13 514 11 0,81
14 Paradise 26 879 22 0,82
15 Orinda 20 071 17 0,85
16 Pacific Grove 15 605 14 0,90
17 Grover Beach 13 574 13 0,96
18 Riverbank 25 045 24 0,96
19 Solana Beach 13 440 13 0,97
20 Agoura Hills 20 490 21 1,02
21 San Marino 13 196 14 1,06
22 La Palma 15 571 17 1,09
23 Scotts Valley 11 875 13 1,09
24 South Pasadena 25 612 29 1,13
25 Hercules 25 789 31 1,20
26 Piedmont 11 307 14 1,24
27 Fillmore 15 911 20 1,26
28 Moraga 17 908 23 1,28
29 Canyon Lake 11 353 15 1,32
30 King City 14 170 19 1,34
31 Newman 11 844 16 1,35
32 Sierra Madre 10 917 15 1,37
33 Healdsburg 12 208 17 1,39
34 Mill Valley 14 343 20 1,39
35 Calabasas 24 016 35 1,46
36 Arroyo Grande 18 188 27 1,48
37 Kingsburg 12 123 18 1,48
38 Kerman 15 223 23 1,51
39 Belmont 27 272 45 1,65
40 Laguna Beach 23 020 38 1,65
41 Oakdale 23 808 40 1,68
42 Norco 26 557 49 1,85
43 Truckee 16 611 31 1,87
44 Marina 22 911 43 1,88
45 Port Hueneme 22 232 43 1,93
46 Morro Bay 10 624 21 1,98
47 Albany 20 083 40 1,99
48 Patterson 22 584 46 2,04
49 Soledad 26 015 53 2,04
50 Windsor 27 981 58 2,07
51 Chowchilla 18 792 39 2,08
52 Fortuna 12 317 28 2,27
53 Rancho Mirage 18 481 45 2,43
54 Exeter 10 557 26 2,46
55 Coalinga 16 356 41 2,51
56 Duarte 21 550 55 2,55
57 Shafter 20 456 53 2,59
58 American Canyon 20 452 53 2,59
59 Dixon 20 775 54 2,60
60 Imperial Beach 27 583 72 2,61
61 Hermosa Beach 19 460 51 2,62
62 Livingston 14 607 40 2,74
63 Monterey 28 337 78 2,75
64 Galt 26 796 77 2,87
65 Grand Terrace 12 651 37 2,92
66 Capitola 10 101 30 2,97
67 Greenfield 17 809 54 3,03
68 Pinole 19 439 59 3,04
69 Loma Linda 24 512 77 3,14
70 Farmersville 10 781 35 3,25
71 San Fernando 24 621 80 3,25
72 Lomita 20 553 67 3,26
73 Maywood 27 286 90 3,30
74 Sonoma 11 323 38 3,36
75 Selma 24 983 85 3,40
76 Malibu 12 794 44 3,44
77 Placerville 11 123 39 3,51
78 Auburn 14 201 50 3,52
79 Cudahy 23 828 89 3,74
80 Suisun City 29 922 114 3,81
81 Arcata 18 332 72 3,93
82 Parlier 15 384 62 4,03
83 Artesia 16 779 72 4,29
84 McFarland 15 529 67 4,31
85 Twentynine Palms 26 588 117 4,40
86 Reedley 25 740 117 4,55
87 Brawley 26 379 121 4,59
88 Blythe 19 889 92 4,63
89 Lemoore 26 728 126 4,71
90 East Palo Alto 29 686 144 4,85
91 Ridgecrest 29 101 142 4,88
92 South El Monte 20 852 102 4,89
93 El Segundo 16 727 82 4,90
94 Tehachapi 12 211 60 4,91
95 South Lake Tahoe 22 116 111 5,02
96 Lindsay 13 708 69 5,03
97 Hawaiian Gardens 14 320 76 5,31
98 Avenal 12 991 69 5,31
99 Corcoran 21 353 118 5,53
100 Grass Valley 12 919 73 5,65
101 Anderson 10 545 61 5,78
102 California City 14 319 83 5,80
103 Santa Fe Springs 18 041 105 5,82
104 El Cerrito 25 857 152 5,88
105 Sanger 25 443 156 6,13
106 Lemon Grove 27 175 167 6,15
107 Oroville 19 268 122 6,33
108 Dinuba 24 685 161 6,52
109 Ukiah 16 197 110 6,79
110 Atwater 29 632 206 6,95
111 Eureka 26 973 195 7,23
112 Mendota 11 433 83 7,26
113 Yucca Valley 21 858 160 7,32
114 Clearlake 15 400 119 7,73
115 Signal Hill 11 624 95 8,17
116 Desert Hot Springs 29 107 255 8,76
117 Arvin 21 811 196 8,99
118 Marysville 12 572 116 9,23
119 Red Bluff 14 308 133 9,30
120 Commerce 12 804 138 10,78
121 Barstow 24 121 274 11,36
122 Susanville 14 878 196 13,17
123 Emeryville 12 380 166 13,41

30,000 – 100,000 Residents

Rank: City: Population: Total Number of Crimes: Crime Score:
1 Los Gatos 30 793 14 0,45
2 Danville 44 997 23 0,51
3 Aliso Viejo 52 247 27 0,52
4 Saratoga 30 666 16 0,52
5 Yorba Linda 68 225 42 0,62
6 Rancho Santa Margarita 48 377 30 0,62
7 Laguna Niguel 66 671 43 0,64
8 Lincoln 48 625 32 0,66
9 Mission Viejo 95 453 65 0,68
10 Los Altos 30 716 21 0,68
11 Rancho Palos Verdes 41 961 29 0,69
12 Moorpark 36 826 26 0,71
13 San Ramon 76 387 58 0,76
14 Lake Forest 86 691 66 0,76
15 Camarillo 69 628 58 0,83
16 Cupertino 60 357 55 0,91
17 Central Marin 34 793 32 0,92
18 Fountain Valley 55 858 53 0,95
19 Rocklin 68 554 67 0,98
20 Poway 49 928 51 1,02
21 Folsom 79 927 82 1,03
22 Laguna Hills 31 123 32 1,03
23 Cypress 49 085 52 1,06
24 Chino Hills 84 577 95 1,12
25 Foster City 34 624 39 1,13
26 Morgan Hill 46 118 52 1,13
27 Monrovia 36 730 43 1,17
28 Oakley 43 014 51 1,19
29 Milpitas 82 344 102 1,24
30 Eastvale 66 310 83 1,25
31 Walnut 30 108 38 1,26
32 Diamond Bar 56 364 72 1,28
33 Palo Alto 66 938 86 1,28
34 Goleta 30 930 40 1,29
35 Pleasanton 84 017 112 1,33
36 San Clemente 65 018 87 1,34
37 Encinitas 63 320 86 1,36
38 Claremont 36 681 51 1,39
39 Arcadia 58 899 84 1,43
40 Menlo Park 34 871 50 1,43
41 Menifee 94 595 145 1,53
42 Davis 69 767 107 1,53
43 Dana Point 33 779 52 1,54
44 Manhattan Beach 35 583 55 1,55
45 La Verne 32 344 51 1,58
46 Newport Beach 85 325 135 1,58
47 Wildomar 37 939 61 1,61
48 La Quinta 42 044 68 1,62
49 Dublin 66 072 107 1,62
50 Paso Robles 32 528 53 1,63
51 Brea 44 155 72 1,63
52 Santee 58 701 98 1,67
53 Walnut Creek 70 546 120 1,70
54 Newark 48 945 85 1,74
55 San Juan Capistrano 36 209 63 1,74
56 Tustin 80 356 141 1,75
57 La Mirada 48 702 86 1,77
58 Temple City 36 192 64 1,77
59 Tracy 92 895 166 1,79
60 Beaumont 50 990 92 1,80
61 Alhambra 84 837 161 1,90
62 Mountain View 84 599 165 1,95
63 San Marcos 98 598 193 1,96
64 Pacifica 38 938 79 2,03
65 Alameda 78 907 162 2,05
66 Campbell 42 697 89 2,08
67 Monterey Park 60 424 126 2,09
68 Livermore 91 418 193 2,11
69 Atascadero 30 579 65 2,13
70 Martinez 38 692 83 2,15
71 Redwood City 87 427 189 2,16
72 San Jacinto 49 452 108 2,18
73 La Habra 62 416 140 2,24
74 San Dimas 34 059 78 2,29
75 Seaside 34 036 78 2,29
76 Calexico 40 327 94 2,33
77 Redondo Beach 67 473 160 2,37
78 Manteca 83 523 199 2,38
79 Burlingame 30 677 74 2,41
80 San Gabriel 40 422 98 2,42
81 South San Francisco 68 251 166 2,43
82 Lake Elsinore 70 262 173 2,46
83 Whittier 86 158 213 2,47
84 Baldwin Park 75 862 188 2,48
85 Stanton 38 276 95 2,48
86 Pleasant Hill 35 125 88 2,51
87 Cerritos 50 642 127 2,51
88 Palm Desert 53 776 136 2,53
89 Brentwood 65 483 166 2,54
90 Cathedral City 55 346 144 2,60
91 Novato 56 134 148 2,64
92 Coachella 46 485 126 2,71
93 Lakewood 80 151 222 2,77
94 Hollister 40 399 114 2,82
95 Montebello 62 650 178 2,84
96 Westminster 91 086 259 2,84
97 Azusa 50 405 144 2,86
98 La Mesa 59 865 174 2,91
99 Rancho Cordova 75 869 225 2,97
100 Glendora 52 211 155 2,97
101 Buena Park 82 627 246 2,98
102 Beverly Hills 34 211 103 3,01
103 Santa Paula 30 098 91 3,02
104 Petaluma 62 425 190 3,04
105 San Bruno 43 297 138 3,19
106 Porterville 60 209 192 3,19
107 Rosemead 54 489 175 3,21
108 El Centro 44 303 143 3,23
109 Perris 80 500 262 3,25
110 Bell Gardens 42 366 147 3,47
111 Lodi 67 612 237 3,51
112 Napa 79 526 280 3,52
113 Los Banos 40 607 143 3,52
114 Chino 93 348 329 3,52
115 Citrus Heights 88 496 313 3,54
116 Covina 47 985 171 3,56
117 Redlands 71 941 257 3,57
118 Yuba City 67 164 241 3,59
119 Woodland 61 176 224 3,66
120 Union City 75 202 277 3,68
121 Yucaipa 53 964 200 3,71
122 Placentia 51 756 192 3,71
123 Pico Rivera 62 880 234 3,72
124 La Puente 39 916 151 3,78
125 Lawndale 32 751 125 3,82
126 Upland 77 398 298 3,85
127 Delano 53 002 205 3,87
128 West Sacramento 54 372 212 3,90
129 Colton 55 059 215 3,90
130 San Rafael 58 819 230 3,91
131 Hemet 86 082 343 3,98
132 Tulare 65 134 261 4,01
133 San Luis Obispo 47 735 192 4,02
134 Gilroy 60 106 251 4,18
135 Bellflower 77 196 327 4,24
136 Ceres 49 134 209 4,25
137 Banning 31 450 136 4,32
138 Santa Barbara 91 717 400 4,36
139 Hanford 57 232 257 4,49
140 Apple Valley 74 051 339 4,58
141 Culver City 39 252 182 4,64
142 Bell 35 759 168 4,70
143 Hesperia 95 915 462 4,82
144 Carson 91 947 444 4,83
145 San Leandro 90 297 454 5,03
146 Madera 66 250 334 5,04
147 Gardena 59 833 324 5,42
148 Palm Springs 48 846 267 5,47
149 Indio 92 803 530 5,71
150 Turlock 74 120 426 5,75
151 Chico 95 826 557 5,81
152 Montclair 39 787 234 5,88
153 National City 61 791 364 5,89
154 Santa Cruz 65 263 389 5,96
155 Watsonville 54 261 328 6,04
156 Rohnert Park 44 131 267 6,05
157 Pittsburg 73 637 446 6,06
158 San Pablo 31 336 194 6,19
159 Paramount 54 422 347 6,38
160 Lynwood 70 619 454 6,43
161 Merced 83 854 540 6,44
162 Highland 55 686 362 6,50
163 South Gate 94 445 622 6,59
164 Lompoc 42 818 291 6,80
165 Santa Monica 91 621 664 7,25
166 Hawthorne 87 305 636 7,28
167 Huntington Park 58 181 458 7,87
168 West Hollywood 37 173 294 7,91
169 Adelanto 34 491 276 8,00
170 Compton 96 638 1 104 11,42

Over 100,000 Residents

Rank: City: Population: Total Number of Crimes: Crime Score:
1 Irvine 292 673 188 0,64
2 Murrieta 116 413 77 0,66
3 Thousand Oaks 127 811 88 0,69
4 Glendale 202 601 231 1,14
5 Simi Valley 126 025 146 1,16
6 Santa Clarita 218 103 277 1,27
7 Orange 139 830 180 1,29
8 Temecula 116 630 166 1,42
9 Santa Clara 131 173 214 1,63
10 Fremont 240 887 400 1,66
11 Sunnyvale 154 859 259 1,67
12 Corona 170 875 291 1,70
13 Burbank 103 738 189 1,82
14 Roseville 141 744 259 1,83
15 Huntington Beach 201 843 386 1,91
16 Torrance 145 183 280 1,93
17 Carlsbad 117 220 240 2,05
18 Elk Grove 175 492 372 2,12
19 Clovis 114 170 243 2,13
20 Daly City 107 748 232 2,15
21 West Covina 106 335 260 2,45
22 San Mateo 106 020 266 2,51
23 El Monte 115 830 304 2,62
24 Fullerton 140 194 373 2,66
25 Costa Mesa 114 047 312 2,74
26 Rancho Cucamonga 179 247 500 2,79
27 Jurupa Valley 110 111 317 2,88
28 Garden Grove 172 832 505 2,92
29 Downey 112 330 352 3,13
30 Anaheim 353 915 1 120 3,16
31 Vacaville 101 147 331 3,27
32 Chula Vista 275 230 904 3,28
33 Hayward 161 588 552 3,42
34 Fontana 215 883 739 3,42
35 Oxnard 211 349 724 3,43
36 Vista 102 227 354 3,46
37 Escondido 153 215 536 3,50
38 Ontario 183 322 659 3,59
39 San Diego 1 441 737 5 215 3,62
40 Fairfield 118 383 442 3,73
41 Moreno Valley 210 979 847 4,01
42 Oceanside 177 129 712 4,02
43 Ventura 111 596 458 4,10
44 Norwalk 105 067 432 4,11
45 Concord 130 615 541 4,14
46 Palmdale 157 138 658 4,19
47 Pasadena 141 913 613 4,32
48 Visalia 134 961 586 4,34
49 Santa Ana 333 664 1 453 4,35
50 San Jose 1 040 008 4 559 4,38
51 Bakersfield 388 080 1 766 4,55
52 Santa Rosa 177 884 857 4,82
53 Salinas 156 943 782 4,98
54 Berkeley 122 788 618 5,03
55 Riverside 333 260 1 686 5,06
56 Long Beach 467 974 2 369 5,06
57 El Cajon 103 686 552 5,32
58 Rialto 103 965 595 5,72
59 Antioch 112 641 648 5,75
60 Inglewood 109 386 671 6,13
61 Pomona 152 776 940 6,15
62 Sacramento 513 934 3 223 6,27
63 San Francisco 886 007 5 933 6,70
64 Los Angeles 4 015 546 29 400 7,32
65 Victorville 123 089 988 8,03
66 Modesto 216 542 1 758 8,12
67 Vallejo 122 657 1 037 8,45
68 Lancaster 159 335 1 359 8,53
69 Richmond 110 988 1 034 9,32
70 Oakland 434 036 5 520 12,72
71 San Bernardino 216 715 2 858 13,19
72 Stockton 313 604 4 380 13,97

Is your city safe enough? Are you worried because of the crime rate in your town? Do you have any thoughts on safety levels in the country? How safe do you feel?

If you want to share anything, feel free to leave a comment. That way, you can help us understand your perspective better.

Thank you!

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