Counties with the Lowest Violent Crime Rates

Published May 2, 2026

Violent crime — murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault — is the type of crime that most directly threatens personal safety. For families, retirees, and anyone evaluating where to live, violent crime rates are typically the first metric they research. We identified the 25 counties with the lowest violent crime rates in America.

Many of these counties report violent crime rates below 10 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of approximately 381. Some rural counties report zero violent crimes in an entire year.

Counties with the Lowest Violent Crime Rates

These 25 counties have the lowest violent crime rates in the nation:

RankCountyStateViolent Crime RateProperty Crime RateTotal Crime RateSafety Score
1Hale CountyAL00097.5
2Aleutians East BoroughAK00097.5
3Dillingham Census AreaAK00097.5
4Hoonah-Angoon Census AreaAK00097.5
5Skagway MunicipalityAK038438483.7
6Conejos CountyCO029129187
7Costilla CountyCO00097.5
8Mineral CountyCO00097.5
9Sedgwick CountyCO025125188.4
10Franklin CountyFL00097.5
11Glades CountyFL00097.5
12Gulf CountyFL07794.7
13Highlands CountyFL00097.5
14Lafayette CountyFL00097.5
15Liberty CountyFL00097.5
16Suwannee CountyFL00097.5
17Wakulla CountyFL0121294.5
18Baker CountyGA00097.5
19Chattahoochee CountyGA00097.5
20Dade CountyGA00097.5
21Dooly CountyGA00097.5
22Johnson CountyGA00097.5
23Miller CountyGA00097.5
24Quitman CountyGA00097.5
25Stewart CountyGA00097.5

Counties with the Highest Violent Crime Rates

For comparison, these 10 counties have the highest violent crime rates in the nation:

RankCountyStateViolent Crime RateProperty Crime RateSafety Score
1Martin CountyTX12510508230
2Osage CountyOK8969441050
3Cass CountyMO7370257870.1
4Clay CountyTX4947290480.1
5Ogle CountyIL409976620.4
6Fort Bend CountyTX3355140460.3
7Jones CountyTX3118131090.3
8Canadian CountyOK2981145400.2
9Christian CountyMO2843104360.4
10Delaware CountyOH2365163510.2

Important

Violent crime rates in very small counties can be statistically volatile. A single assault in a county of 1,000 people produces a rate of 100 per 100,000. Always consider population size when interpreting county-level violent crime data.

Methodology

Violent crime includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault as defined by the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program (2022 data year). Rates are per 100,000 residents. Counties are ranked from lowest to highest violent crime rate. Data is supplemented by County Health Rankings (2024) where FBI data is incomplete.

Data sources: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program (2022), County Health Rankings (2024). All figures are estimates and may differ from other published analyses due to methodology differences.

More Articles

Understanding Crime Rates by County: What the Data Shows

A data-driven analysis of crime rates across all 3,143 US counties. Which counties are safest, which are most dangerous, and what patterns emerge from the FBI UCR data.

Safest Counties in America: How Safety Scores Are Calculated

The 25 safest counties in the United States ranked by FBI crime data. How safety scores work, geographic patterns, and what makes these counties so safe.

Property Crime vs. Violent Crime: A County-Level Analysis

How violent crime and property crime rates differ across US counties. Which counties have the highest concentration of each type, and why the distinction matters for families.

Most Dangerous Counties in America by Crime Rate

The 25 US counties with the highest total crime rates. Analysis of where crime is most concentrated and what drives dangerous conditions at the county level.

Counties with the Highest Property Crime Rates

The 25 US counties with the highest property crime rates. Analysis of burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft patterns across American counties.

Safest Counties in the Midwest

The top 25 safest counties in the Midwest region. How Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and neighboring states produce some of the safest communities in America.

Urban vs Rural Crime: A County-Level Comparison

How crime patterns differ between urban and rural counties across America. Analysis of density, opportunity, and community factors that drive the urban-rural crime divide.

Counties with the Best Crime Data Coverage

Which US counties have the most complete FBI crime reporting? Analysis of law enforcement agency participation and why data coverage matters for accurate crime comparisons.

Counties with the Highest Violent Crime Rates

The 25 US counties where violent crime is most concentrated. Analysis of murder, rape, robbery, and assault patterns across American communities.

Safest Counties in the South

The top 25 safest counties in the Southern United States. Proving that safety thrives across Texas, Florida, Georgia, and the broader South.

Counties with the Lowest Total Crime Rates

The 25 US counties with the lowest overall crime rates. Where both violent and property crime are remarkably rare — the safest communities in America.