crimebycounty

Safest Counties in California

Top 15 California counties ranked by safety score — based on FBI UCR crime data.

Safest County

Shasta County

84/100

State Avg Safety Score

20/100

Counties Ranked

58

of 58 total

Top 15 Safest Counties in California

1

Shasta County

Shasta County, California

Violent: 39.6 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 343.7 per 100K
84/100

Safety Score

2

Mendocino County

Mendocino County, California

Violent: 201.9 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 689.0 per 100K
61/100

Safety Score

3

San Benito County

San Benito County, California

Violent: 336.7 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 786.1 per 100K
50/100

Safety Score

4

Sierra County

Sierra County, California

Violent: 342.9 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 788.8 per 100K
50/100

Safety Score

5

El Dorado County

El Dorado County, California

Violent: 273.8 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 1090.7 per 100K
40/100

Safety Score

6

Nevada County

Nevada County, California

Violent: 484.7 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1015.4 per 100K
35/100

Safety Score

7

Sonoma County

Sonoma County, California

Violent: 325.1 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 1195.9 per 100K
35/100

Safety Score

8

Modoc County

Modoc County, California

Violent: 554.8 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1005.7 per 100K
33/100

Safety Score

9

Placer County

Placer County, California

Violent: 222.1 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 1350.2 per 100K
33/100

Safety Score

10

Ventura County

Ventura County, California

Violent: 203.6 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 1368.4 per 100K
33/100

Safety Score

11

Mariposa County

Mariposa County, California

Violent: 432.0 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1348.5 per 100K
27/100

Safety Score

12

Napa County

Napa County, California

Violent: 329.7 per 100K(↓ vs national avg)Property: 1491.4 per 100K
26/100

Safety Score

13

Kings County

Kings County, California

Violent: 425.5 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1398.6 per 100K
26/100

Safety Score

14

Glenn County

Glenn County, California

Violent: 572.3 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1259.7 per 100K
26/100

Safety Score

15

Monterey County

Monterey County, California

Violent: 421.2 per 100K(↑ vs national avg)Property: 1448.1 per 100K
25/100

Safety Score

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest county in California?

Shasta County is the safest county in California with a safety score of 84/100, based on FBI UCR violent and property crime data.

How are California county safety scores calculated?

Safety scores are calculated on a 0–100 scale using FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. The score factors in violent crime rate and property crime rate per 100,000 residents. Higher scores indicate safer counties.

What are the top 5 safest counties in California?

The top 5 safest counties in California are: 1. Shasta County (84/100), 2. Mendocino County (61/100), 3. San Benito County (50/100), 4. Sierra County (50/100), 5. El Dorado County (40/100).

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Data Sources

Crime data sourced from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (UCR) and County Health Rankings. Safety scores are derived composite metrics.

Data is informational only. Not legal or security advice. Coverage varies by county and reporting year.

Data as of 2026-03-10.

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