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IAIowa rankings

Safest towns in Iowa

Ranked by crime reported to police per 1,000 residents, averaged over 2023–2025, with violent crimes counted four times as heavily as property crimes. Lower is safer. 103 towns with 2,500+ residents whose police reported every year.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Map of Rock Valley 1 Rock Valley 2.3 Violent 0.2 per 1,000 Map of Grundy Center 2 Grundy Center 3.7 Violent 0.4 per 1,000 Sioux Center 3 Sioux Center 3.8 Violent 0.2 per 1,000
#TownWeighted crime rateViolentProperty
1 Map of Rock Valley Rock Valley4,059 people 2.3 0.2 per 1,000 1.7 per 1,000
2 Map of Grundy Center Grundy Center2,809 people 3.7 0.4 per 1,000 2.3 per 1,000
3 Sioux Center Sioux Center8,454 people 3.8 0.2 per 1,000 2.9 per 1,000
4 Map of Asbury Asbury5,989 people 3.9 0.6 per 1,000 1.7 per 1,000
5 Map of Waukon Waukon3,792 people 4.9 0.4 per 1,000 3.5 per 1,000
6 Polk City Polk City6,037 people 5.3 0.4 per 1,000 3.9 per 1,000
7 Norwalk Norwalk14,183 people 5.7 0.7 per 1,000 2.9 per 1,000
8 Map of Dyersville Dyersville4,423 people 6.3 0.7 per 1,000 3.4 per 1,000
9 Mitchellville Mitchellville2,579 people 6.3 0.8 per 1,000 3.3 per 1,000
10 Map of Eldridge Eldridge6,818 people 6.4 0.6 per 1,000 3.9 per 1,000
11 North Liberty North Liberty21,125 people 7.2 0.9 per 1,000 3.4 per 1,000
12 Map of Huxley Huxley4,544 people 7.6 0.5 per 1,000 5.7 per 1,000
13 Decorah Decorah7,535 people 7.9 1.1 per 1,000 3.3 per 1,000
14 West Branch West Branch2,594 people 9.5 1.4 per 1,000 3.9 per 1,000
15 Map of Monticello Monticello4,071 people 9.8 0.4 per 1,000 8.2 per 1,000
16 Osage Osage3,561 people 9.9 1.3 per 1,000 4.6 per 1,000
17 Cherokee Cherokee5,154 people 10.0 1.8 per 1,000 3.0 per 1,000
18 Anamosa Anamosa5,629 people 10.2 1.3 per 1,000 4.9 per 1,000
19 Le Claire Le Claire4,735 people 10.2 1.8 per 1,000 2.9 per 1,000
20 Johnston Johnston24,384 people 10.5 0.9 per 1,000 7.1 per 1,000
21 Vinton Vinton4,948 people 10.6 1.5 per 1,000 4.6 per 1,000
22 Map of Urbandale Urbandale46,595 people 10.6 1.1 per 1,000 6.2 per 1,000
23 Map of Story City Story City3,398 people 10.6 0.9 per 1,000 7.1 per 1,000
24 Algona Algona5,377 people 10.9 2.3 per 1,000 1.6 per 1,000
25 Emmetsburg Emmetsburg3,648 people 11.0 1.6 per 1,000 4.6 per 1,000
26 Pella Pella10,720 people 11.1 0.9 per 1,000 7.5 per 1,000
27 Carlisle Carlisle4,255 people 11.7 1.3 per 1,000 6.5 per 1,000
28 Marion Marion41,896 people 12.0 1.6 per 1,000 5.7 per 1,000
29 Adel Adel6,430 people 12.0 1.0 per 1,000 8.2 per 1,000
30 Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 12.1 1.4 per 1,000 6.7 per 1,000
31 Map of Clarion Clarion2,770 people 12.4 2.1 per 1,000 4.0 per 1,000
32 Map of Waukee Waukee29,236 people 12.6 1.5 per 1,000 6.8 per 1,000
33 Denison Denison8,260 people 12.6 1.4 per 1,000 6.9 per 1,000
34 Bettendorf Bettendorf39,647 people 13.0 1.0 per 1,000 8.9 per 1,000
35 West Liberty West Liberty3,776 people 13.3 2.7 per 1,000 2.4 per 1,000
36 Map of Spencer Spencer11,400 people 13.3 0.8 per 1,000 10.1 per 1,000
37 Tipton Tipton3,106 people 13.5 1.9 per 1,000 6.0 per 1,000
38 Map of Independence Independence6,164 people 13.5 1.5 per 1,000 7.5 per 1,000
39 Map of Estherville Estherville5,839 people 14.3 2.8 per 1,000 3.2 per 1,000
40 Glenwood Glenwood5,144 people 14.5 1.7 per 1,000 7.9 per 1,000
41 Camanche Camanche4,550 people 14.7 2.3 per 1,000 5.6 per 1,000
42 Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant8,951 people 14.7 1.3 per 1,000 9.4 per 1,000
43 Le Mars Le Mars10,640 people 15.1 2.0 per 1,000 7.2 per 1,000
44 Carroll Carroll10,208 people 15.5 0.7 per 1,000 12.6 per 1,000
45 Williamsburg Williamsburg3,360 people 15.6 1.9 per 1,000 8.0 per 1,000
46 Missouri Valley Missouri Valley2,666 people 16.3 2.0 per 1,000 8.3 per 1,000
47 Ankeny Ankeny72,615 people 16.8 1.5 per 1,000 10.8 per 1,000
48 Map of Postville Postville2,979 people 17.1 2.9 per 1,000 5.4 per 1,000
49 Clive Clive19,012 people 18.6 1.8 per 1,000 11.4 per 1,000
50 Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 19.1 2.3 per 1,000 9.9 per 1,000
51 Ames Ames67,669 people 19.4 1.4 per 1,000 13.8 per 1,000
52 Oelwein Oelwein5,834 people 19.5 3.3 per 1,000 6.4 per 1,000
53 Map of Webster City Webster City7,769 people 19.7 1.9 per 1,000 11.9 per 1,000
54 Clarinda Clarinda5,353 people 19.7 2.4 per 1,000 10.0 per 1,000
55 Shenandoah Shenandoah4,892 people 19.9 3.7 per 1,000 5.1 per 1,000
56 Map of Sheldon Sheldon5,474 people 20.9 3.8 per 1,000 5.8 per 1,000
57 Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 21.0 2.5 per 1,000 11.1 per 1,000
58 Marengo2,725 people 21.1 1.9 per 1,000 13.3 per 1,000
59 Charles City Charles City7,232 people 21.2 3.2 per 1,000 8.4 per 1,000
60 Perry Perry7,985 people 21.6 3.2 per 1,000 8.7 per 1,000
61 Waverly10,494 people 21.6 2.9 per 1,000 10.1 per 1,000
62 Map of Grinnell Grinnell9,505 people 21.7 2.3 per 1,000 12.7 per 1,000
63 Map of Evansdale Evansdale4,518 people 22.6 1.6 per 1,000 16.0 per 1,000
64 Albia Albia3,663 people 23.3 4.4 per 1,000 5.6 per 1,000
65 Map of Spirit Lake Spirit Lake5,518 people 23.5 2.3 per 1,000 14.2 per 1,000
66 Creston Creston7,435 people 23.9 3.5 per 1,000 10.1 per 1,000
67 Map of Altoona Altoona21,495 people 24.1 1.6 per 1,000 17.7 per 1,000
68 Map of West Des Moines West Des Moines71,083 people 24.5 1.6 per 1,000 18.1 per 1,000
69 Manchester Manchester5,191 people 24.7 2.7 per 1,000 14.1 per 1,000
70 Osceola5,523 people 24.9 1.6 per 1,000 18.5 per 1,000
71 DeWitt DeWitt5,546 people 25.4 3.6 per 1,000 11.1 per 1,000
72 Storm Lake11,428 people 26.3 2.7 per 1,000 15.4 per 1,000
73 Map of Centerville Centerville5,372 people 26.4 3.4 per 1,000 12.9 per 1,000
74 Clear Lake Clear Lake7,607 people 26.5 2.5 per 1,000 16.6 per 1,000
75 Coralville Coralville23,234 people 26.9 1.5 per 1,000 20.8 per 1,000
76 Newton Newton15,700 people 26.9 3.4 per 1,000 13.4 per 1,000
77 Map of Hiawatha Hiawatha7,206 people 27.0 3.9 per 1,000 11.4 per 1,000
78 Red Oak Red Oak5,510 people 27.8 3.8 per 1,000 12.6 per 1,000
79 Iowa Falls Iowa Falls5,038 people 29.1 3.5 per 1,000 15.1 per 1,000
80 Maquoketa Maquoketa6,075 people 29.3 3.0 per 1,000 17.4 per 1,000
81 Iowa City75,752 people 29.6 3.1 per 1,000 17.2 per 1,000
82 Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 30.2 3.4 per 1,000 16.7 per 1,000
83 Indianola Indianola16,044 people 30.5 2.2 per 1,000 21.8 per 1,000
84 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 30.5 3.5 per 1,000 16.7 per 1,000
85 Washington Washington7,290 people 30.8 3.1 per 1,000 18.5 per 1,000
86 Fort Madison Fort Madison10,133 people 31.4 3.1 per 1,000 18.8 per 1,000
87 Dubuque Dubuque59,174 people 31.6 4.1 per 1,000 15.3 per 1,000
88 Atlantic Atlantic6,763 people 32.2 3.2 per 1,000 19.5 per 1,000
89 Knoxville Knoxville7,473 people 32.6 4.9 per 1,000 13.1 per 1,000
90 Burlington Burlington23,728 people 34.2 4.1 per 1,000 18.0 per 1,000
91 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 36.6 2.6 per 1,000 26.2 per 1,000
92 Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids137,264 people 36.6 2.8 per 1,000 25.6 per 1,000
93 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 40.4 3.6 per 1,000 26.1 per 1,000
94 Waterloo Waterloo67,008 people 43.9 5.1 per 1,000 23.6 per 1,000
95 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 44.3 4.8 per 1,000 25.2 per 1,000
96 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 44.4 4.7 per 1,000 25.8 per 1,000
97 Windsor Heights Windsor Heights5,143 people 47.2 1.4 per 1,000 41.6 per 1,000
98 Sioux City Sioux City86,101 people 53.8 5.4 per 1,000 32.2 per 1,000
99 Des Moines212,421 people 58.3 6.8 per 1,000 31.0 per 1,000
100 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 60.7 6.4 per 1,000 35.0 per 1,000
101 Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 66.8 8.9 per 1,000 31.1 per 1,000
102 Eldora Eldora2,617 people 100.3 22.9 per 1,000 8.8 per 1,000
103 West Burlington West Burlington3,189 people 105.9 2.5 per 1,000 95.9 per 1,000

How this ranking works

For each town we add up the violent and property crimes its police reported to the FBI over 2023–2025 and divide by the population they served, giving a rate per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) count four times as much as property crimes (burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson), because they weigh more on how safe a place feels. The lowest weighted rate ranks #1.

These are crimes reported to police, not convictions, and towns with a campus, highway, beach or shopping center also count incidents involving visitors. A town is ranked only if its police department reported a full year in every one of these years; towns patrolled by a county sheriff or state police don't have their own figures. There is no “most dangerous” list, on purpose.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, offenses known to law enforcement by city. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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