Iowa Crime Grades

By ·

F

148 cities graded A+ through F based on 2024 FBI crime data. State overall score: 0/100 (High Risk).

FBI UCR Safety Grade Snapshot: Iowa

Iowa earned an overall safety grade of F (score: 0/100, High Risk) based on 2024 FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program data, with a statewide violent crime rate of 238.5 per 100,000 and property crime rate of 1286.3 per 100,000. PlainCrime graded 148 Iowa cities with reportable crime data against national benchmarks, producing an A+ through F score for each jurisdiction. Grades weigh violent and property crime rates: cities more than 50% below the national average typically earn A or A+, while cities significantly above average receive D or F ratings.

Across the 148 graded Iowa cities, 7 earned A+, 3 earned A, 15 received B, 17 landed at C, 12 received D, and 94 fell to F in the 2024 scoring. The highest-rated city is Blue Grass with a A+ grade (score: 100/100, violent rate 0/100K). The lowest-rated city is Fort Dodge with a F grade (score: 0/100, violent rate 1061.1/100K).

Roughly 7% of graded cities in Iowa achieved an A or A+ rating, while 72% received a D or F. Cities missing from this table either did not submit complete 2024 UCR data, fell below the minimum population threshold for reliable rate calculation, or report through consolidated agencies that aggregate into county or regional totals instead of individual city figures. Grade boundaries use the national violent and property crime rate averages for 2024 as the reference point, so grades are directly comparable between Iowa and other states on the site.

A+
7 cities
A
3 cities
B
15 cities
C
17 cities
D
12 cities
F
94 cities
# Grade City Score
1 A+ Blue Grass 100
2 A+ Princeton 100
3 A+ Sigourney 100
4 A+ Urbana 100
5 A+ New Sharon 96
6 A+ Hawarden 92
7 A+ Rock Valley 90
8 A Denver 89
9 A Grundy Center 86
10 A Robins 85
11 B Sioux Center 74
12 B Dyersville 73
13 B Polk City 72
14 B Mechanicsville 70
15 B Monticello 70
16 B Preston 70
17 B Van Meter 70
18 B Orange City 69
19 B Waukon 68
20 B Ogden 68
21 B Mitchellville 65
22 B Durant 65
23 B Huxley 64
24 B Eldridge 64
25 B Prairie City 64
26 C University Heights 58
27 C Vinton 54
28 C Dysart 54
29 C Buffalo 53
30 C Lake City 52
31 C New Hampton 52
32 C Carroll 50
33 C Sumner 49
34 C North Liberty 48
35 C Algona 47
36 C Mount Pleasant 46
37 C Asbury 46
38 C Spencer 44
39 C Story City 44
40 C Cresco 43
41 C Glenwood 42
42 C Panora 42
43 D Norwalk 38
44 D Adel 34
45 D Lansing 34
46 D West Branch 34
47 D Johnston 32
48 D Hampton 31
49 D Decorah 31
50 D Walcott 30
51 D Clarence 30
52 D Peosta 29
53 D Urbandale 28
54 D Fairbank 26
55 F Anamosa 24
56 F Woodward 24
57 F Earlham 24
58 F Le Mars 23
59 F Gowrie 23
60 F Wilton 23
61 F Sac City 23
62 F Jefferson 21
63 F Le Claire 21
64 F Colfax 21
65 F Carlisle 20
66 F Bettendorf 18
67 F Marion 18
68 F West Liberty 18
69 F Greenfield 17
70 F Pella 16
71 F Osage 16
72 F Cherokee 16
73 F Estherville 16
74 F Monroe 15
75 F Fairfield 9
76 F Clarion 9
77 F Denison 8
78 F Emmetsburg 8
79 F Shenandoah 8
80 F Mount Vernon-Lisbon 7
81 F Albia 7
82 F Tipton 6
83 F Oelwein 6
84 F Manchester 4
85 F Coralville 4
86 F Postville 4
87 F Perry 4
88 F Evansdale 3
89 F Sheldon 3
90 F Waukee 2
91 F Camanche 2
92 F Oskaloosa 1
93 F Independence 1
94 F Eldora 1
95 F Waverly 0
96 F Altoona 0
97 F Ames 0
98 F Missouri Valley 0
99 F Osceola 0
100 F West Des Moines 0
101 F Ankeny 0
102 F Marengo 0
103 F Grinnell 0
104 F Williamsburg 0
105 F Winterset 0
106 F West Burlington 0
107 F Iowa Falls 0
108 F Clive 0
109 F Windsor Heights 0
110 F Washington 0
111 F Mason City 0
112 F Muscatine 0
113 F Maquoketa 0
114 F DeWitt 0
115 F Clear Lake 0
116 F Cedar Rapids 0
117 F Centerville 0
118 F Creston 0
119 F Indianola 0
120 F Red Oak 0
121 F Fort Madison 0
122 F Clarinda 0
123 F Webster City 0
124 F Storm Lake 0
125 F Keokuk 0
126 F Marshalltown 0
127 F Charles City 0
128 F Iowa City 0
129 F Knoxville 0
130 F Spirit Lake 0
131 F Mar-Mac 0
132 F Hiawatha 0
133 F Clinton 0
134 F Atlantic 0
135 F Belle Plaine 0
136 F Newton 0
137 F Ottumwa 0
138 F Dubuque 0
139 F Burlington 0
140 F Council Bluffs 0
141 F De Soto 0
142 F Waterloo 0
143 F Sioux City 0
144 F Carter Lake 0
145 F Davenport 0
146 F Sabula 0
147 F Des Moines 0
148 F Fort Dodge 0

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Iowa's overall crime safety grade?
Iowa has an overall safety grade of F (score: 0/100). This is based on the state's aggregate violent crime rate of 238.5 per 100K and property crime rate of 1286.3 per 100K compared to national averages.
How many cities in Iowa have an A+ safety grade?
7 cities in Iowa earned an A+ safety grade (2024), meaning their crime rates are well below the national average. 3 additional cities earned an A grade.
Which is the safest city in Iowa?
Blue Grass is the highest-rated city in Iowa with a A+ grade (score: 100/100). Its violent crime rate is 0 per 100K.

Nearby States — Crime Grades

Compare Iowa's grade distribution with neighboring states, or use the compare tool to benchmark jurisdictions side-by-side.

Illinois
IL grades
Indiana
IN grades
Kansas
KS grades
Kentucky
KY grades
Louisiana
LA grades

Explore More

Iowa Crime Overview → Safest Cities in Iowa → All State Grades →

Other States

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Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, 2024. Safety scores based on violent and property crime rates vs. national averages published in FBI Crime in the United States (CIUS) Table 8. Population figures reference U.S. Census Bureau estimates where FBI-reported populations are unavailable. Verify with FBI.gov UCR and Census.gov QuickFacts.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.