Safest Cities In California

Which state has the most national parks?

Is the largest US agricultural producer (with top crops of grapes, almonds, and pistachios)?

Is the first state to reach $1 trillion in Gross Domestic Product- making it the world’s fifth largest economy and largest in the US?

Is where the first blue jeans, first workable internet prototype, first McDonald’s, and first motion picture theater started?

Is the state where it’s always 75 degrees and sunny, and everyone is a movie star?

If you answered “California” to all of the above questions, you are almost correct. That last trick question was based on prevalent myths- CA is not always 75 and sunny- it has deserts, mountains, fog, and rain. And everyone in the state is not a movie star (though LA has about 10,000 celebrity residents). With a thriving economy, wide range of jobs, and beautiful places to live, California has benefits that make it a great place to relocate.

The safest cities in California stretch CA’s length for 800 miles, south to north. So this article will roughly divide California’s safest cities into two sections- South (e.g. San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, Santa Barbara, Fresno), and North/North-Central (San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose).

What are Southern California’s safest cities?

Rancho Santa Margarita in Orange County consistently tops safe city lists- all its neighborhoods have a low crime rate of 5.15 crimes per 1,000 people. Median listings for homes here are $1M, and rents for a 1 bedroom are $2,509/mo. The community is up against the Santa Ana Mountains, with nearby O’Neill Regional Park noted for its trails and mountain biking. RSM is considered family-friendly with good schools, pools, and parks. Commuting by car is mostly a necessity here. Buses are the primary public transportation available- the train station and airport are not easily close to RSM.

Irvine is another suburban-style Orange County city that has a strong reputation for safety. This master-planned community has top schools and universities, along with a robust business environment. Its safety rating is 17.21 crimes per 1,000 residents. Median home listings here are a hefty $1.8M, apartment costs are pricey ($2,909 for a 1 br), and living costs are 64.9% higher than the US average. But Irvine has abundant job options, plus a location that gives easy access to both San Diego and Los Angeles. 39.5% of Irvine residents are foreign-born (e.g. Asian, Iranian, etc.) and the majority of residents are employed in white collar management, finance, and computer industries. Public transportation is challenging here, so a car is needed and traffic is heavy at times.

Moorpark, a city 50 miles from LA in Ventura County, is one of California’s safest neighborhoods with a good security rating to brag about- overall crime is 6.84 per 1,000 residents. Affordability however is CA high, with typical home values in Moorpark hovering at $922,862, and 1 bedroom rents around $2,031/mo. Residents here enjoy a Metrolink with stops from Oxnard to LA Union Station, nearby universities, many parks, and Moorpark College’s America’s Teaching Zoo, with 200 exotic animals and birds.

Kingsburg, in the central part of the state, is one of the safest towns in California. This town of about 21,000 residents draws young families looking for more affordability, good schools and charming safe neighborhoods. About 25 minutes from Fresno, suburban Kingsburg has median house prices of $356,900 and median rents of $1,117/mo. Crime here is 40% below the California average. Kingsburg celebrates its Swedish heritage with several Scandinavian restaurants and shops- its Swedish Coffee Pot Water Tower and old Kingsburg Jail are also part of its historic downtown, just off its main Draper Street.

Imperial is another small CA city located near CA’s southern border that is considered safe– its population of about 21,000 only contends with 5.37 crimes per 1,000 residents. Median homes sales are $425,000 and 1 bedroom rents are $1,125/mo. There is easy access from Imperial to nearby San Diego, Phoenix or the Mexican border, and the community has a quiet suburban/rural mix. About two thirds of the residents here own their own home. Healthcare, manufacturing, and the Imperial Irrigation District are the primary employers. Imperial’s temperatures consist of a hot season lasting for 3.6 months with highs of 99 degrees (air conditioning is a must). Cool season is Nov to Feb, with lows of 43 degrees and highs of 69.

What are Northern California’s safest cities?

Danville is said to be one of the safest cities in San Francisco Bay- a peaceful retreat from the bustle of nearby Bay Area cities. It is quite affluent with a high cost of living and housing (average home value is $1,922,527, average rental starts at $2,332/month). Danville is known for its excellent schools, 14 parks, bike trails, and outdoor recreation. There is limited public transport here, so having a car and dealing with traffic is expected. Danville has a substantial Asian community but is not otherwise known for its population diversity.

San Ramon is another of the safest cities in San Francisco’s area, home to Chevron Corp, AT&T, Toyota, and others. This city’s crime levels come in as 53% safer than national crime levels. Due to transportation by car on I-680 or on the BART system, there is commuting access to San Francisco and Oakland as well, for amenities and jobs. Housing is expensive, with home median sale prices at $1.38M and rents of 1 bedroom apartments starting at $2,276/month. Residents enjoy the panoramic views of the Mount Diablo foothills, along with parks and a central shopping/dining district called City Center Bishop Ranch.

Saratoga is a city in the Silicon Valley (home to Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon) so tech job prospects abound. This city is seen as a very safe area with an overall crime rate of 8.59 per 1,000 people. Median home prices in this suburban retreat are pricey- around $2M, and median rents match at $3,501/month. The population is educated- 48% of residents have a master’s degree or higher, and almost 60% of Saratoga is of Asian ethnicity. This 1848 frontier town began as a sawmill, discovered its mineral spring, developed fruit orchards and vineyards- all elements that still shape the city today.

Windsor is a small affluent place- of course, since it’s named after the royal Windsor Castle in England. Its 25,789 residents enjoy the city’s low crime rate of 12.60 per 1,000. Located near Santa Rosa, Windsor’s median home prices are $810,000- 1 br rents start at $1,733/month. This city is in the heart of wine country, with mild weather conditions just right for wineries and yearly hot air balloon festivals. Demographics indicate a population of 60.8% white, 31.7% Hispanic, 3.52% Asian, and various others, with a younger population median at 40.9 years.

Additionally there are a few Safe Suburbs in California that are mentioned repeatedly as especially secure:

Clovis (“Gateway to the Sierras”) is a small suburb near Fresno whose young population often accesses its nearest city for amenities and employment sources- small-town Clovis only offers its 112,000 residents limited job, healthcare, and restaurant options. That said, the best advantage of Clovis is its low crime (overall 23 residents per 1,000 experience crime), and great affordability. Its housing is very attractive by CA standards- $470,000 is the median sale price for a house, with 1 bedroom median rents of $1,650. Clovis offers great outdoor natural beauty- ranging from its Clovis Botanical Garden, to the nearby Sierra National Forest, bordering Yosemite National Park.

Ripon is a safe suburb of Modesto in central California. It has 16,000 residents that enjoy its affordability AND safety (cost of living here is 13% lower than the rest of the state, and crime is 48% lower than all of CA). This “Almond Capital of the World” maintains a small-town feel, but has easy access to bigger-city amenities in Modesto or Stockton. Currently Ripon houses sell at $825,000, and average rents for 1 br apartments are $1,745/mo. The nearby Stanislaus River and Caswell Memorial State Park offer outdoor recreation and camping for both tourists and residents.

Orinda is a peaceful semi-rural suburb of Oakland in Contra Costa County with around 20,000 residents. It has an enviable overall crime rate of 7.02 crimes per 1,000 people. Orinda is all about luxury living, since the median cost of a home here is $1.5M and 1 bedroom monthly rents are $2,997. One of the advantages to life in Orinda is its convenient access to open spaces and outdoor recreation- from Orinda Community Center Park to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve.

Rocklin is a stunning and secure suburb of Sacramento- a historic mining town with ties to the 1862 transcontinental railroad. Like the rest of California, living costs in this suburb are high- average home prices are $540,000, and rents are $1,736/month. Many Rocklin residents work in HR, operations, business and nursing, and being only 21 miles to Sacramento makes commuting there an option as well. Overall crime levels here are lower than the US average.

So these are some top California cities with low crime rates and secure neighborhoods. Look for upcoming articles examining the safest cities in Texas and safest cities in Colorado!