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NCNorth Carolina rankings

Safest towns in North Carolina

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. 138 towns with 2,500+ residents whose police reported every year.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Map of Whispering Pines 1 Whispering Pines 2.9 Violent 0.1 per 1,000 Davidson 2 Davidson 4.7 Violent 0.3 per 1,000 Pinehurst 3 Pinehurst 5.1 Violent 0.5 per 1,000
#TownWeighted crime rateViolentProperty
1 Map of Whispering Pines Whispering Pines5,211 people 2.9 0.1 per 1,000 2.7 per 1,000
2 Davidson Davidson15,660 people 4.7 0.3 per 1,000 3.6 per 1,000
3 Pinehurst Pinehurst18,256 people 5.1 0.5 per 1,000 3.0 per 1,000
4 Rolesville Rolesville10,766 people 5.6 0.5 per 1,000 3.8 per 1,000
5 Map of Waxhaw Waxhaw22,275 people 6.4 0.6 per 1,000 4.2 per 1,000
6 Map of Elon Elon11,032 people 6.5 0.6 per 1,000 4.0 per 1,000
7 Map of Fuquay-Varina Fuquay-Varina40,485 people 8.3 0.7 per 1,000 5.5 per 1,000
8 Map of Holly Ridge Holly Ridge4,904 people 9.1 0.7 per 1,000 6.5 per 1,000
9 Map of Stallings Stallings16,886 people 9.5 0.6 per 1,000 7.1 per 1,000
10 Leland Leland29,607 people 11.7 1.1 per 1,000 7.4 per 1,000
11 Winterville10,725 people 12.9 1.5 per 1,000 7.0 per 1,000
12 Mint Hill Mint Hill27,556 people 13.2 0.9 per 1,000 9.4 per 1,000
13 Map of China Grove China Grove4,530 people 13.5 0.8 per 1,000 10.3 per 1,000
14 Black Mountain Black Mountain8,513 people 13.9 0.5 per 1,000 12.0 per 1,000
15 Cornelius Cornelius32,783 people 14.5 1.2 per 1,000 9.5 per 1,000
16 Map of Boone Boone20,032 people 14.7 1.2 per 1,000 10.0 per 1,000
17 Map of Gibsonville Gibsonville9,467 people 14.8 1.5 per 1,000 8.8 per 1,000
18 Map of Wendell Wendell13,064 people 14.9 1.1 per 1,000 10.5 per 1,000
19 Map of Ranlo Ranlo4,617 people 14.9 2.0 per 1,000 6.8 per 1,000
20 Cary Cary179,306 people 15.0 0.8 per 1,000 11.7 per 1,000
21 Concord Concord108,719 people 15.2 1.3 per 1,000 10.0 per 1,000
22 Map of Hudson Hudson3,772 people 15.4 0.5 per 1,000 13.3 per 1,000
23 Fletcher Fletcher8,098 people 16.7 0.5 per 1,000 14.8 per 1,000
24 Archdale Archdale12,087 people 17.2 1.0 per 1,000 13.2 per 1,000
25 Wake Forest Wake Forest52,844 people 18.0 1.3 per 1,000 12.9 per 1,000
26 Map of Clayton Clayton29,320 people 18.5 1.4 per 1,000 13.0 per 1,000
27 Map of Raeford Raeford4,552 people 18.7 1.4 per 1,000 13.1 per 1,000
28 Huntersville Huntersville63,969 people 19.0 1.5 per 1,000 13.0 per 1,000
29 Map of King King7,408 people 19.3 0.7 per 1,000 16.4 per 1,000
30 Boiling Spring Lakes Boiling Spring Lakes6,347 people 20.4 2.1 per 1,000 12.0 per 1,000
31 Mount Holly Mount Holly18,208 people 21.0 1.8 per 1,000 13.9 per 1,000
32 Creedmoor Creedmoor4,997 people 21.5 2.4 per 1,000 12.1 per 1,000
33 Map of Lowell Lowell3,768 people 22.6 2.1 per 1,000 14.4 per 1,000
34 Butner8,065 people 24.6 2.9 per 1,000 12.8 per 1,000
35 Kannapolis Kannapolis57,890 people 25.0 1.9 per 1,000 17.5 per 1,000
36 Map of Burgaw Burgaw3,850 people 25.8 2.2 per 1,000 17.0 per 1,000
37 Map of Youngsville Youngsville3,011 people 26.2 1.1 per 1,000 21.7 per 1,000
38 Valdese Valdese4,704 people 27.2 2.1 per 1,000 18.7 per 1,000
39 Emerald Isle Emerald Isle3,934 people 27.3 2.0 per 1,000 19.4 per 1,000
40 Newport4,441 people 27.3 2.9 per 1,000 15.6 per 1,000
41 Map of Windsor Windsor3,269 people 27.6 4.0 per 1,000 11.5 per 1,000
42 Map of Yadkinville Yadkinville3,004 people 28.3 2.5 per 1,000 18.1 per 1,000
43 Chapel Hill Chapel Hill61,607 people 28.6 1.4 per 1,000 22.9 per 1,000
44 Map of Wilson's Mills Wilson's Mills2,753 people 28.7 4.3 per 1,000 11.3 per 1,000
45 Tabor City Tabor City3,777 people 28.7 2.7 per 1,000 18.1 per 1,000
46 Morrisville Morrisville31,422 people 28.7 1.0 per 1,000 24.7 per 1,000
47 Weaverville Weaverville4,687 people 29.1 0.6 per 1,000 26.8 per 1,000
48 Mooresville Mooresville52,381 people 29.5 2.2 per 1,000 20.7 per 1,000
49 Map of Ayden Ayden5,150 people 30.1 3.6 per 1,000 15.6 per 1,000
50 Carrboro Carrboro21,204 people 30.1 2.4 per 1,000 20.6 per 1,000
51 Map of Troy Troy2,926 people 30.1 3.0 per 1,000 18.1 per 1,000
52 Surf City Surf City4,396 people 30.8 3.4 per 1,000 17.1 per 1,000
53 Graham Graham18,048 people 31.3 3.5 per 1,000 17.5 per 1,000
54 Edenton Edenton4,494 people 31.5 4.1 per 1,000 15.2 per 1,000
55 New Bern New Bern32,734 people 31.6 3.5 per 1,000 17.8 per 1,000
56 Cherryville Cherryville6,226 people 32.0 2.1 per 1,000 23.6 per 1,000
57 Carolina Beach Carolina Beach6,745 people 32.2 3.5 per 1,000 18.1 per 1,000
58 Pittsboro Pittsboro4,752 people 32.3 2.0 per 1,000 24.4 per 1,000
59 Southern Pines Southern Pines16,420 people 33.8 3.5 per 1,000 19.8 per 1,000
60 Map of North Wilkesboro North Wilkesboro4,421 people 33.8 2.4 per 1,000 24.2 per 1,000
61 Map of Granite Falls Granite Falls4,929 people 34.3 1.5 per 1,000 28.3 per 1,000
62 Mount Airy Mount Airy10,633 people 34.8 2.5 per 1,000 25.0 per 1,000
63 Map of Franklin Franklin4,268 people 35.0 2.1 per 1,000 26.4 per 1,000
64 Map of Knightdale Knightdale20,214 people 35.6 2.3 per 1,000 26.4 per 1,000
65 Lincolnton Lincolnton11,783 people 36.8 3.2 per 1,000 23.9 per 1,000
66 Newton Newton13,333 people 37.2 4.1 per 1,000 20.9 per 1,000
67 Belmont Belmont15,546 people 38.8 3.1 per 1,000 26.2 per 1,000
68 Siler City Siler City7,995 people 39.1 4.2 per 1,000 22.3 per 1,000
69 Morehead City Morehead City9,806 people 39.1 3.2 per 1,000 26.5 per 1,000
70 Elizabeth City Elizabeth City18,871 people 39.6 3.9 per 1,000 24.1 per 1,000
71 Zebulon8,711 people 39.8 3.6 per 1,000 25.3 per 1,000
72 Map of Erwin Erwin4,687 people 39.8 3.8 per 1,000 24.7 per 1,000
73 Map of Murfreesboro Murfreesboro3,170 people 39.9 4.6 per 1,000 21.7 per 1,000
74 Haw River2,824 people 40.3 3.4 per 1,000 26.7 per 1,000
75 Map of Lenoir Lenoir18,299 people 41.2 2.7 per 1,000 30.5 per 1,000
76 Aberdeen Aberdeen9,228 people 41.5 2.5 per 1,000 31.6 per 1,000
77 Hendersonville Hendersonville15,408 people 41.6 3.0 per 1,000 29.5 per 1,000
78 Rutherfordton Rutherfordton3,680 people 41.9 2.4 per 1,000 32.2 per 1,000
79 Map of High Point High Point116,245 people 42.0 4.7 per 1,000 23.1 per 1,000
80 Map of Kernersville Kernersville27,830 people 42.2 2.5 per 1,000 32.0 per 1,000
81 Marion Marion7,579 people 42.3 2.0 per 1,000 34.2 per 1,000
82 Map of Troutman Troutman3,995 people 42.5 2.4 per 1,000 32.8 per 1,000
83 Map of Eden Eden15,356 people 42.7 4.5 per 1,000 24.9 per 1,000
84 Mebane19,538 people 43.3 3.0 per 1,000 31.3 per 1,000
85 Raleigh Raleigh481,031 people 44.3 4.7 per 1,000 25.6 per 1,000
86 Wrightsville Beach Wrightsville Beach2,665 people 44.5 3.2 per 1,000 31.8 per 1,000
87 Wilson Wilson48,370 people 45.0 5.3 per 1,000 23.9 per 1,000
88 Map of Nags Head Nags Head3,160 people 45.8 3.1 per 1,000 33.4 per 1,000
89 Greenville Greenville92,857 people 47.3 4.8 per 1,000 28.1 per 1,000
90 Map of Kings Mountain Kings Mountain12,039 people 47.4 5.9 per 1,000 23.7 per 1,000
91 Map of Tarboro Tarboro10,770 people 47.4 5.8 per 1,000 24.2 per 1,000
92 Warsaw2,746 people 48.5 5.2 per 1,000 27.7 per 1,000
93 Hickory Hickory44,258 people 48.6 4.9 per 1,000 29.1 per 1,000
94 Waynesville Waynesville10,502 people 50.2 4.9 per 1,000 30.6 per 1,000
95 Hillsborough Hillsborough9,724 people 51.2 2.9 per 1,000 39.6 per 1,000
96 Wilmington Wilmington120,805 people 51.3 4.6 per 1,000 33.0 per 1,000
97 Spring Lake Spring Lake11,573 people 52.4 5.2 per 1,000 31.6 per 1,000
98 Map of Smithfield Smithfield12,116 people 53.6 3.9 per 1,000 37.9 per 1,000
99 Map of Reidsville Reidsville14,585 people 53.9 6.0 per 1,000 30.0 per 1,000
100 Jonesville Jonesville2,860 people 54.2 2.4 per 1,000 44.5 per 1,000
101 Map of Selma Selma6,817 people 54.8 7.5 per 1,000 24.7 per 1,000
102 Map of Wallace Wallace3,457 people 55.4 4.1 per 1,000 39.0 per 1,000
103 Map of Washington Washington9,726 people 55.7 5.7 per 1,000 32.9 per 1,000
104 Map of Marshville Marshville2,615 people 56.5 7.5 per 1,000 26.4 per 1,000
105 Monroe Monroe36,759 people 57.4 6.7 per 1,000 30.5 per 1,000
106 Garner34,473 people 57.5 4.3 per 1,000 40.1 per 1,000
107 Clinton Clinton8,304 people 57.8 5.9 per 1,000 34.2 per 1,000
108 Map of Fayetteville Fayetteville210,815 people 58.1 7.1 per 1,000 29.7 per 1,000
109 Wilkesboro Wilkesboro3,646 people 58.4 3.4 per 1,000 44.9 per 1,000
110 Benson Benson4,282 people 60.0 7.1 per 1,000 31.5 per 1,000
111 Durham Durham291,467 people 60.6 5.9 per 1,000 37.1 per 1,000
112 Map of Winston-Salem Winston-Salem252,037 people 62.2 8.1 per 1,000 29.7 per 1,000
113 Map of Shelby Shelby22,100 people 63.3 9.6 per 1,000 25.0 per 1,000
114 Burlington Burlington59,610 people 63.5 8.0 per 1,000 31.3 per 1,000
115 Map of Farmville Farmville4,514 people 63.8 9.9 per 1,000 24.3 per 1,000
116 Rocky Mount Rocky Mount54,297 people 66.2 7.7 per 1,000 35.4 per 1,000
117 Map of Oxford Oxford8,914 people 66.9 8.4 per 1,000 33.1 per 1,000
118 Gastonia Gastonia82,884 people 67.7 8.4 per 1,000 33.9 per 1,000
119 Map of Sylva Sylva2,646 people 69.0 7.0 per 1,000 41.2 per 1,000
120 Salisbury Salisbury35,825 people 72.3 8.4 per 1,000 38.8 per 1,000
121 Map of Ahoskie Ahoskie4,764 people 72.5 9.5 per 1,000 34.3 per 1,000
122 Roxboro Roxboro8,182 people 74.1 9.6 per 1,000 35.7 per 1,000
123 Map of Asheville Asheville94,535 people 74.4 8.0 per 1,000 42.6 per 1,000
124 Map of Louisburg Louisburg3,263 people 75.3 5.6 per 1,000 52.8 per 1,000
125 Forest City Forest City7,363 people 75.4 5.0 per 1,000 55.4 per 1,000
126 Map of Roanoke Rapids Roanoke Rapids14,856 people 75.4 8.6 per 1,000 41.2 per 1,000
127 Red Springs3,125 people 76.3 6.6 per 1,000 49.8 per 1,000
128 Dunn Dunn8,559 people 77.5 7.0 per 1,000 49.7 per 1,000
129 Map of Kinston Kinston19,505 people 77.7 8.8 per 1,000 42.6 per 1,000
130 Map of Plymouth Plymouth3,250 people 83.4 13.3 per 1,000 30.2 per 1,000
131 Map of Goldsboro Goldsboro34,383 people 102.6 12.3 per 1,000 53.5 per 1,000
132 Pembroke Pembroke2,822 people 108.9 7.6 per 1,000 78.4 per 1,000
133 Map of Laurinburg Laurinburg15,087 people 111.2 16.4 per 1,000 45.8 per 1,000
134 Pineville Pineville11,055 people 111.6 7.2 per 1,000 83.0 per 1,000
135 Henderson14,885 people 115.1 15.6 per 1,000 52.6 per 1,000
136 Whiteville Whiteville4,696 people 120.1 8.7 per 1,000 85.4 per 1,000
137 Map of Wadesboro Wadesboro4,972 people 149.3 19.8 per 1,000 70.1 per 1,000
138 Map of Lumberton Lumberton18,859 people 166.8 16.5 per 1,000 100.9 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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