Safest Places to Live in California of March 2024

ElitePersonalFinance
Last Update: March 11, 2023 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 March 2024

Rank:City:Population:Total Number of Crimes:Crime Score:
1Clayton12 35610,08
2Lafayette26 87240,15
3Imperial18 09050,28
4Palos Verdes Estates13 40040,30
5Coronado21 11590,43
6Hillsborough11 52150,43
7Laguna Woods16 04370,44
8Los Gatos30 793140,45
9Danville44 997230,51
10Aliso Viejo52 247270,52
11Los Alamitos11 54160,52
12Saratoga30 666160,52
13Benicia28 471160,56
14Yorba Linda68 225420,62
15Rancho Santa Margarita48 377300,62
16Irvine292 6731880,64
17Laguna Niguel66 671430,64
18Lincoln48 625320,66
19Murrieta116 413770,66
20Mission Viejo95 453650,68
21Los Altos30 716210,68
22Thousand Oaks127 811880,69
23Rancho Palos Verdes41 961290,69
24Moorpark36 826260,71
25La Canada Flintridge20 223150,74
26San Ramon76 387580,76
27Lake Forest86 691660,76
28Seal Beach24 120190,79
29Ripon16 103130,81
30Carpinteria13 514110,81
31Paradise26 879220,82
32Camarillo69 628580,83
33Orinda20 071170,85
34Pacific Grove15 605140,90
35Cupertino60 357550,91
36Central Marin34 793320,92
37Fountain Valley55 858530,95
38Grover Beach13 574130,96
39Riverbank25 045240,96
40Solana Beach13 440130,97
41Rocklin68 554670,98
42Poway49 928511,02
43Agoura Hills20 490211,02
44Folsom79 927821,03
45Laguna Hills31 123321,03
46Cypress49 085521,06
47San Marino13 196141,06
48La Palma15 571171,09
49Scotts Valley11 875131,09
50Chino Hills84 577951,12

Crime Score in All Cities in California of March 2024

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:
1Belvedere2 11410,47
2Hidden Hills1 90310,53
3Rolling Hills1 86810,54
4Ross2 47020,81
5Bradbury1 08910,92
6Sutter Creek2 62431,14
7Lake Shastina2 56631,17
8Yountville2 98851,67
9Biggs1 72631,74
10Stallion Springs2 64872,64
11Etna71622,79
12Fort Jones69022,90
13Ferndale1 36342,93
14Tulelake98533,05
15Alturas2 471104,05
16Del Rey Oaks1 67474,18
17Dorris89744,46
18Montague1 39985,72
19Isleton84978,24
20Dunsmuir1 564148,95
21Weed2 6733412,72
22Irwindale1 4692617,70
23Colma1 5122818,52
24Sand City407922,11
25Vernon11227241,07
26Industry20172358,21

3,000 – 10,000 Residents

Rank:City:Population:Total Number of Crimes:Crime Score:
1Monte Sereno3 50700,00
2Tiburon9 13500,00
3Los Altos Hills8 62230,35
4Buellton5 14230,58
5Hughson7 67150,65
6Villa Park5 84040,68
7La Habra Heights5 35740,75
8Kensington5 40750,92
9Sausalito7 11870,98
10Colusa5 90361,02
11Ojai7 49981,07
12Calistoga5 34161,12
13Rio Vista9 502111,16
14Fairfax7 56991,19
15Rolling Hills Estates8 151101,23
16Ione8 454111,30
17Firebaugh8 433111,30
18Waterford9 021131,44
19Winters7 374111,49
20Wheatland3 94061,52
21Angels Camp3 90961,53
22Westlake Village8 358131,56
23Del Mar4 36971,60
24Atherton7 222121,66
25Solvang5 962101,68
26Cloverdale8 910161,80
27Orange Cove9 635181,87
28St. Helena6 195121,94
29Guadalupe7 696151,95
30Bear Valley5 507112,00
31Gonzales8 408172,02
32Holtville6 774142,07
33Escalon7 644162,09
34Brisbane4 746102,11
35Indian Wells5 500132,36
36Calimesa9 073222,42
37Broadmoor4 446112,47
38Avalon3 722102,69
39Sebastopol7 815212,69
40Carmel3 877112,84
41Willits4 937163,24
42Rio Dell3 392113,24
43Crescent City6 716233,42
44Pismo Beach8 285293,50
45Gustine5 896213,56
46Woodlake7 682283,64
47Mount Shasta3 274123,67
48Corning7 537283,72
49Yreka7 527283,72
50Williams5 348203,74
51Fowler6 904294,20
52Orland7 679334,30
53Fort Bragg7 366324,34
54Gridley6 618294,38
55Nevada City3 150154,76
56Mammoth Lakes8 114425,18
57Cotati7 641405,23
58Sonora4 867265,34
59Jackson4 797306,25
60Lakeport4 959346,86
61Taft9 413677,12
62Bishop3 731349,11
63Huron7 3598311,28
64Dos Palos5 5946411,44
65Needles5 0017114,20
66Big Bear5 3117614,31

10,000 – 30,000 Residents

Rank:City:Population:Total Number of Crimes:Crime Score:
1Clayton12 35610,08
2Lafayette26 87240,15
3Imperial18 09050,28
4Palos Verdes Estates13 40040,30
5Coronado21 11590,43
6Hillsborough11 52150,43
7Laguna Woods16 04370,44
8Los Alamitos11 54160,52
9Benicia28 471160,56
10La Canada Flintridge20 223150,74
11Seal Beach24 120190,79
12Ripon16 103130,81
13Carpinteria13 514110,81
14Paradise26 879220,82
15Orinda20 071170,85
16Pacific Grove15 605140,90
17Grover Beach13 574130,96
18Riverbank25 045240,96
19Solana Beach13 440130,97
20Agoura Hills20 490211,02
21San Marino13 196141,06
22La Palma15 571171,09
23Scotts Valley11 875131,09
24South Pasadena25 612291,13
25Hercules25 789311,20
26Piedmont11 307141,24
27Fillmore15 911201,26
28Moraga17 908231,28
29Canyon Lake11 353151,32
30King City14 170191,34
31Newman11 844161,35
32Sierra Madre10 917151,37
33Healdsburg12 208171,39
34Mill Valley14 343201,39
35Calabasas24 016351,46
36Arroyo Grande18 188271,48
37Kingsburg12 123181,48
38Kerman15 223231,51
39Belmont27 272451,65
40Laguna Beach23 020381,65
41Oakdale23 808401,68
42Norco26 557491,85
43Truckee16 611311,87
44Marina22 911431,88
45Port Hueneme22 232431,93
46Morro Bay10 624211,98
47Albany20 083401,99
48Patterson22 584462,04
49Soledad26 015532,04
50Windsor27 981582,07
51Chowchilla18 792392,08
52Fortuna12 317282,27
53Rancho Mirage18 481452,43
54Exeter10 557262,46
55Coalinga16 356412,51
56Duarte21 550552,55
57Shafter20 456532,59
58American Canyon20 452532,59
59Dixon20 775542,60
60Imperial Beach27 583722,61
61Hermosa Beach19 460512,62
62Livingston14 607402,74
63Monterey28 337782,75
64Galt26 796772,87
65Grand Terrace12 651372,92
66Capitola10 101302,97
67Greenfield17 809543,03
68Pinole19 439593,04
69Loma Linda24 512773,14
70Farmersville10 781353,25
71San Fernando24 621803,25
72Lomita20 553673,26
73Maywood27 286903,30
74Sonoma11 323383,36
75Selma24 983853,40
76Malibu12 794443,44
77Placerville11 123393,51
78Auburn14 201503,52
79Cudahy23 828893,74
80Suisun City29 9221143,81
81Arcata18 332723,93
82Parlier15 384624,03
83Artesia16 779724,29
84McFarland15 529674,31
85Twentynine Palms26 5881174,40
86Reedley25 7401174,55
87Brawley26 3791214,59
88Blythe19 889924,63
89Lemoore26 7281264,71
90East Palo Alto29 6861444,85
91Ridgecrest29 1011424,88
92South El Monte20 8521024,89
93El Segundo16 727824,90
94Tehachapi12 211604,91
95South Lake Tahoe22 1161115,02
96Lindsay13 708695,03
97Hawaiian Gardens14 320765,31
98Avenal12 991695,31
99Corcoran21 3531185,53
100Grass Valley12 919735,65
101Anderson10 545615,78
102California City14 319835,80
103Santa Fe Springs18 0411055,82
104El Cerrito25 8571525,88
105Sanger25 4431566,13
106Lemon Grove27 1751676,15
107Oroville19 2681226,33
108Dinuba24 6851616,52
109Ukiah16 1971106,79
110Atwater29 6322066,95
111Eureka26 9731957,23
112Mendota11 433837,26
113Yucca Valley21 8581607,32
114Clearlake15 4001197,73
115Signal Hill11 624958,17
116Desert Hot Springs29 1072558,76
117Arvin21 8111968,99
118Marysville12 5721169,23
119Red Bluff14 3081339,30
120Commerce12 80413810,78
121Barstow24 12127411,36
122Susanville14 87819613,17
123Emeryville12 38016613,41

30,000 – 100,000 Residents

Rank:City:Population:Total Number of Crimes:Crime Score:
1Los Gatos30 793140,45
2Danville44 997230,51
3Aliso Viejo52 247270,52
4Saratoga30 666160,52
5Yorba Linda68 225420,62
6Rancho Santa Margarita48 377300,62
7Laguna Niguel66 671430,64
8Lincoln48 625320,66
9Mission Viejo95 453650,68
10Los Altos30 716210,68
11Rancho Palos Verdes41 961290,69
12Moorpark36 826260,71
13San Ramon76 387580,76
14Lake Forest86 691660,76
15Camarillo69 628580,83
16Cupertino60 357550,91
17Central Marin34 793320,92
18Fountain Valley55 858530,95
19Rocklin68 554670,98
20Poway49 928511,02
21Folsom79 927821,03
22Laguna Hills31 123321,03
23Cypress49 085521,06
24Chino Hills84 577951,12
25Foster City34 624391,13
26Morgan Hill46 118521,13
27Monrovia36 730431,17
28Oakley43 014511,19
29Milpitas82 3441021,24
30Eastvale66 310831,25
31Walnut30 108381,26
32Diamond Bar56 364721,28
33Palo Alto66 938861,28
34Goleta30 930401,29
35Pleasanton84 0171121,33
36San Clemente65 018871,34
37Encinitas63 320861,36
38Claremont36 681511,39
39Arcadia58 899841,43
40Menlo Park34 871501,43
41Menifee94 5951451,53
42Davis69 7671071,53
43Dana Point33 779521,54
44Manhattan Beach35 583551,55
45La Verne32 344511,58
46Newport Beach85 3251351,58
47Wildomar37 939611,61
48La Quinta42 044681,62
49Dublin66 0721071,62
50Paso Robles32 528531,63
51Brea44 155721,63
52Santee58 701981,67
53Walnut Creek70 5461201,70
54Newark48 945851,74
55San Juan Capistrano36 209631,74
56Tustin80 3561411,75
57La Mirada48 702861,77
58Temple City36 192641,77
59Tracy92 8951661,79
60Beaumont50 990921,80
61Alhambra84 8371611,90
62Mountain View84 5991651,95
63San Marcos98 5981931,96
64Pacifica38 938792,03
65Alameda78 9071622,05
66Campbell42 697892,08
67Monterey Park60 4241262,09
68Livermore91 4181932,11
69Atascadero30 579652,13
70Martinez38 692832,15
71Redwood City87 4271892,16
72San Jacinto49 4521082,18
73La Habra62 4161402,24
74San Dimas34 059782,29
75Seaside34 036782,29
76Calexico40 327942,33
77Redondo Beach67 4731602,37
78Manteca83 5231992,38
79Burlingame30 677742,41
80San Gabriel40 422982,42
81South San Francisco68 2511662,43
82Lake Elsinore70 2621732,46
83Whittier86 1582132,47
84Baldwin Park75 8621882,48
85Stanton38 276952,48
86Pleasant Hill35 125882,51
87Cerritos50 6421272,51
88Palm Desert53 7761362,53
89Brentwood65 4831662,54
90Cathedral City55 3461442,60
91Novato56 1341482,64
92Coachella46 4851262,71
93Lakewood80 1512222,77
94Hollister40 3991142,82
95Montebello62 6501782,84
96Westminster91 0862592,84
97Azusa50 4051442,86
98La Mesa59 8651742,91
99Rancho Cordova75 8692252,97
100Glendora52 2111552,97
101Buena Park82 6272462,98
102Beverly Hills34 2111033,01
103Santa Paula30 098913,02
104Petaluma62 4251903,04
105San Bruno43 2971383,19
106Porterville60 2091923,19
107Rosemead54 4891753,21
108El Centro44 3031433,23
109Perris80 5002623,25
110Bell Gardens42 3661473,47
111Lodi67 6122373,51
112Napa79 5262803,52
113Los Banos40 6071433,52
114Chino93 3483293,52
115Citrus Heights88 4963133,54
116Covina47 9851713,56
117Redlands71 9412573,57
118Yuba City67 1642413,59
119Woodland61 1762243,66
120Union City75 2022773,68
121Yucaipa53 9642003,71
122Placentia51 7561923,71
123Pico Rivera62 8802343,72
124La Puente39 9161513,78
125Lawndale32 7511253,82
126Upland77 3982983,85
127Delano53 0022053,87
128West Sacramento54 3722123,90
129Colton55 0592153,90
130San Rafael58 8192303,91
131Hemet86 0823433,98
132Tulare65 1342614,01
133San Luis Obispo47 7351924,02
134Gilroy60 1062514,18
135Bellflower77 1963274,24
136Ceres49 1342094,25
137Banning31 4501364,32
138Santa Barbara91 7174004,36
139Hanford57 2322574,49
140Apple Valley74 0513394,58
141Culver City39 2521824,64
142Bell35 7591684,70
143Hesperia95 9154624,82
144Carson91 9474444,83
145San Leandro90 2974545,03
146Madera66 2503345,04
147Gardena59 8333245,42
148Palm Springs48 8462675,47
149Indio92 8035305,71
150Turlock74 1204265,75
151Chico95 8265575,81
152Montclair39 7872345,88
153National City61 7913645,89
154Santa Cruz65 2633895,96
155Watsonville54 2613286,04
156Rohnert Park44 1312676,05
157Pittsburg73 6374466,06
158San Pablo31 3361946,19
159Paramount54 4223476,38
160Lynwood70 6194546,43
161Merced83 8545406,44
162Highland55 6863626,50
163South Gate94 4456226,59
164Lompoc42 8182916,80
165Santa Monica91 6216647,25
166Hawthorne87 3056367,28
167Huntington Park58 1814587,87
168West Hollywood37 1732947,91
169Adelanto34 4912768,00
170Compton96 6381 10411,42

Over 100,000 Residents

Rank:City:Population:Total Number of Crimes:Crime Score:
1Irvine292 6731880,64
2Murrieta116 413770,66
3Thousand Oaks127 811880,69
4Glendale202 6012311,14
5Simi Valley126 0251461,16
6Santa Clarita218 1032771,27
7Orange139 8301801,29
8Temecula116 6301661,42
9Santa Clara131 1732141,63
10Fremont240 8874001,66
11Sunnyvale154 8592591,67
12Corona170 8752911,70
13Burbank103 7381891,82
14Roseville141 7442591,83
15Huntington Beach201 8433861,91
16Torrance145 1832801,93
17Carlsbad117 2202402,05
18Elk Grove175 4923722,12
19Clovis114 1702432,13
20Daly City107 7482322,15
21West Covina106 3352602,45
22San Mateo106 0202662,51
23El Monte115 8303042,62
24Fullerton140 1943732,66
25Costa Mesa114 0473122,74
26Rancho Cucamonga179 2475002,79
27Jurupa Valley110 1113172,88
28Garden Grove172 8325052,92
29Downey112 3303523,13
30Anaheim353 9151 1203,16
31Vacaville101 1473313,27
32Chula Vista275 2309043,28
33Hayward161 5885523,42
34Fontana215 8837393,42
35Oxnard211 3497243,43
36Vista102 2273543,46
37Escondido153 2155363,50
38Ontario183 3226593,59
39San Diego1 441 7375 2153,62
40Fairfield118 3834423,73
41Moreno Valley210 9798474,01
42Oceanside177 1297124,02
43Ventura111 5964584,10
44Norwalk105 0674324,11
45Concord130 6155414,14
46Palmdale157 1386584,19
47Pasadena141 9136134,32
48Visalia134 9615864,34
49Santa Ana333 6641 4534,35
50San Jose1 040 0084 5594,38
51Bakersfield388 0801 7664,55
52Santa Rosa177 8848574,82
53Salinas156 9437824,98
54Berkeley122 7886185,03
55Riverside333 2601 6865,06
56Long Beach467 9742 3695,06
57El Cajon103 6865525,32
58Rialto103 9655955,72
59Antioch112 6416485,75
60Inglewood109 3866716,13
61Pomona152 7769406,15
62Sacramento513 9343 2236,27
63San Francisco886 0075 9336,70
64Los Angeles4 015 54629 4007,32
65Victorville123 0899888,03
66Modesto216 5421 7588,12
67Vallejo122 6571 0378,45
68Lancaster159 3351 3598,53
69Richmond110 9881 0349,32
70Oakland434 0365 52012,72
71San Bernardino216 7152 85813,19
72Stockton313 6044 38013,97

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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