The Safest US Cities for 2023

There are plenty of safe travel destinations across the United States to explore in 2023 but some places offer more security and peace of mind than others.

With safety a top priority for many Americans when planning travel, let’s dive into the numbers to find out which destinations fare the best.

SmartAsset recently analyzed data from 200 of the largest cities in the U.S. across the five key safety metrics, including violent crime, property crime, vehicular mortality rate, drug poisoning mortality rate and the percentage of the population engaging in excessive drinking to determine the safest places in the nation.

Texas and California dominate the list, with Frisco, McKinney and McAllen, Texas ranked first, second and third, respectively. Santa Clarita, California and Plano, Texas round out the top five and are joined in the top 10 by Alexandria, Virginia; Laredo, Texas; Glendale, California; Sunnyvale, California and Yonkers, New York.

When it comes to America’s safest large cities, Los Angeles leads the way, ranking 46th and best among cities that have a population of over 1 million. The other safest large cities, according to SmartAsset, include San Diego (50th), San Antonio (113th), Philadelphia (115th), New York (126th), Dallas (130th), Chicago (139th), Phoenix (148th) and Houston (157th).

In terms of affordability, Cary, North Carolina is the safest wallet-friendly destination as the median annual housing costs ($18,804) represent just 15.18 percent of the median household income ($123,857). Frisco ranks fifth for affordability and is joined in the top five by Olathe, Kansas; Naperville, Illinois and Overland Park, Kansas.