SafeWise is happy to release our fifth annual Safest Cities report. Here are the 50 Safest Cities in California for 2019. See if your city made the list.
California saw some big challenges in 2018—and one of our safest cities, Thousand Oaks, went through two major events. This community faced a mass shooting and a devastating wildfire. But it was able to limit both violent and property crime to below state and national averages in 2017, making it our 28th safest California city.
Overall 86% of this year’s safest cities are on the list for the second consecutive year. And Northern California gained one more city this year, to claim 40% of the state’s safest cities—plus the number one city, Danville, is from the north. But Southern California continues to dominate, with 30 of its cities making the list.
The five safest cities in California in 2019 are Danville, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita, Yorba Linda, and Murrieta.
Take a look at the full list to find out how your city ranks, and whether it’s one of the Golden State’s safest places to live.

Interesting Findings
- Every city on the list had fewer than two violent crimes per 1,000 people, and 26% saw fewer than one.
- California’s violent crime rate is slightly higher (4.51) than the national rate of 4.49.
- At 26.08, the state beats the national property crime rate of 27.11.
- 92% of cities had lower property crime rates than both state and national averages.
- Despite lower property crime rates, Californians ranked property crime as their biggest safety concern on our State of Safety survey, with 64% ranking it number one—that’s five points above the national average.
- 21% of respondents cited personal experience with property crime in the past year, and 16% reported experiencing a violent crime.
California’s Earthquake Fear Factor
Earthquakes were the number two environmental concern of Californians on our State of Safety report—60% named quakes their biggest natural disaster fear, coming in behind air quality with 72%.

The 50 Safest Cities in California
#1 Danvil
Population45,088 Median Income$152,798 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.35 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)7.83

#2 Irvine
Population: 276,115 Median Income: $95,573 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 0.61 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):13.16

#3 Rancho Santa Margarita
Population: 49,144 Median Income: $106,939 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 0.65 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 6.67

#4 Yorba Linda
Population: 68,889 Median Income:$123,962 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000):0.65 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):10.36

Population68,889Median Income$123,962Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.65Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)10.36
#5 Murrieta
Population113,016 Median Income$80,373 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.71 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)14.00

Population113,016Median Income$80,373Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.71Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)14.00
#6 San Ramon
Population76,325 Median Income$142,718 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.73 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)12.76

#7 Rancho Palos Verdes
Population 42,563 Median Income$124,552 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000) 0.78 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)10.48

#8 Folsom
Population78,155 Median Income$106,718 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.82 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)15.73

#9 Laguna Niguel
Population65,700Median Income$99,206Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.82Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)8.72

#10 Aliso Viejo
Population51,984Median Income$106,353Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.85Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)7.58

#11 Chino Hills
Population79,480Median Income$102,746Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.88Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)17.14

#12 Eastvale
Population62,422Median Income$110,685Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.88Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)21.13

#13 Lincoln
Population47,741Median Income$78,647Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)0.92Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)12.67

#14 Diamond Bar
Population56,996Median Income$94,531Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)1.00Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)18.30

#15 Temecula
Population115,220Median Income$87,115Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)1.02Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)22.69

#16 Rocklin
Population63,735Median Income$91,995Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)1.04Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)17.81

#17 Mission Viejo
Population: 96,928 Median Income: $107,988 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.04 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)1: 0.00

#18 Poway
Population: 50,438 Median Income: $102,338 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000) : 1.15 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000) :11.42

#19 Pleasanton
Population: 84,440 Median Income : $138,269 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.17 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):19.67

#20 Sunnyvale
Population: 154,919 Median Income: $118,314 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000) 1.17 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):17.31

#21 Fountain Valley
Population: 56,704Median Income: $86,602 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.20 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 27.88

#22 Foster City
Population: 34,808 Median Income: $136,383 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.24 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 10.03

#23 Oakley
Population: 41,509 Median Income: $89,392 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.25 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000) : 11.78

#24 Cupertino
Population: 60,970 Median Income: $153,449 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.26 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):15.91

#25 Moorpark
Population: 36,813 Median Income: $102,145 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.30 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):9.02

#26Central Marin
Population: 35,060 Median Income:$104,703 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.31 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 25.44

#27 Corona
Population: 169,164 Median Income: $73,594 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.32 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):19.49

#28 Thousand Oaks
Population: 129,240 Median Income:$103,793 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.33 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 13.05

#29 Palo Alto
Population: 67,441Median Income: $147,537 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.33 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 26.44

#30 Glendale
Population: 202,381Median Income: $58,657 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.35 Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):15.41

#31 Menifee
Population: 90,403Median Income: $60,808 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.36Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 21.81

#32 Dublin
Population: 62,235Median Income:$138,007 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.37Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 19.20

#33 Davis
Population: 68,540Median Income: $63,071Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.37Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 23.62

#34 Yucaipa
Population: 53,614Median Income: $58,166Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.38Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 17.29

#35 San Clemente
Population: 65,596Median Income: $101,843Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.39Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 12.38

#36 Martinez
Population: 38,619Median Income: $98,102Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.40Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):16.03

#37 Cypress
Population: 49,064Median Income: $90,345 Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000: )1.41Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 14.80

#38 Newport Beach
Population: 86,910Median Income: $119,379Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.43Property Crime Rate (per 1,000): 24.43

#39 Milpitas
Population: 79,503Median Income: $110,752Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.43Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):24.88

#40 Simi Valley
Population: 126,635Median Income: $93,516Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.45Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):14.40

#41 Temple City
Population: 36,500Median Income: $69,853Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.48Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):15.12

#42 Walnut Creek
Population: 69,953Median Income: $86,845Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.50Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):32.94

#43 Wildomar
Population: 36,683Median Income: $67,510Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.53Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):18.62

#44 Orange
Population: 141,130Median Income: $83,500Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.54Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):18.31

#45 Menlo Park
Population: 34,195Median Income: $132,928Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.55Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):19.18

#46 Lake Forest
Population: 84,224Median Income: $93,963Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.58Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):8.99

#47 Camarillo
Population: 67,714Median Income: $92,780Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.58Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):16.04

#48 Morgan Hill
Population: 45,277Median Income: $107,161Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.59Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):15.95

#49 La Quinta
Population: 41,528Median Income: $76,131Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.61Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):28.82

#50 Novato
Population: 56,698Median Income: $89,812Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000): 1.62Property Crime Rate (per 1,000):16.35

How We Determined the Safest Cities
Learn how we identified the safest cities on our methodology page.
Beyond Safest Cities: What Are the Biggest Safety Concerns in Your State?
Crime statistics are one thing, but do they line up with what people are really worried about when it comes to safety? To find out, SafeWise conducted a nationwide survey. See what the biggest safety concern is in your state—and learn more about what your neighbors are nervous about—in our State of Safety report.
If you would like to contact a SafeWise Safest Cities Analyst, please email info@safewise.com.
How to Make a Safe Home Anywhere
Wherever you live, feeling safe in your home can bring greater peace of mind and happiness. Whether your city made our list or not, we recommend adding extra security to your home with monitored security services.
To learn more about the home security options available to you, check out SafeWise’s picks for Best Home Security Systems.
Didn’t Find Your City in the Top 50?
See how the remaining cities ranked in the list below.
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