Safest Cities in Iowa
Top 37 cities (≥10,000 pop) by lowest FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 · 2024. Lead: Carroll at 39.5/100K.
FBI UCR Safest-Cities Snapshot: Iowa
Iowa lists 37 cities with 10,000+ population for 2024, spanning Carroll at 39.5/100K violent down to Fort Dodge at 1061.1/100K on this cut. That is a 1021.6/100K spread inside the safest cohort alone, not a single statewide rate. Cohort average: 268.1 violent offenses per 100,000 residents.
Carroll reported 4 violent and 99 property offenses on a 10,118 reporting population in 2024. Property rate 978.5/100K sits beside the 39.5/100K violent rate. Top five on the table: Carroll, Spencer, North Liberty, Johnston, Urbandale.
Carroll offense desk
Carroll's violent rate fell 66.6% vs 2023 (118.5 → 39.5 per 100K) while staying #1 on this Iowa list.
Mix index is HHI × 10,000 on Part I violent shares for the #1 city only, distinct from the per-100K ranking table.
| # | City | Grade | Population | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carroll | A | 10,118 | 39.5/100K | 978.5/100K |
| 2 | Spencer | A | 11,501 | 52.2/100K | 991.2/100K |
| 3 | North Liberty | A+ | 21,635 | 69.3/100K | 397.5/100K |
| 4 | Johnston | A | 24,819 | 76.6/100K | 749.4/100K |
| 5 | Urbandale | A | 47,119 | 89.1/100K | 634.6/100K |
| 6 | Le Mars | A | 10,624 | 94.1/100K | 922.4/100K |
| 7 | Bettendorf | A | 40,105 | 104.7/100K | 867.7/100K |
| 8 | Norwalk | A | 15,588 | 109.1/100K | 179.6/100K |
| 9 | Pella | A | 10,940 | 109.7/100K | 950.6/100K |
| 10 | Marion | A | 42,420 | 122.6/100K | 497.4/100K |
| 11 | Coralville | B | 24,033 | 133.2/100K | 2063.8/100K |
| 12 | Oskaloosa | A | 11,419 | 140.1/100K | 902/100K |
| 13 | Waverly | A | 10,611 | 141.4/100K | 885.9/100K |
| 14 | Waukee | A | 34,520 | 141.9/100K | 640.2/100K |
| 15 | Altoona | B | 22,422 | 142.7/100K | 2011.4/100K |
| 16 | Ames | B | 65,426 | 148.3/100K | 1505.5/100K |
| 17 | West Des Moines | B | 73,335 | 165/100K | 1714.1/100K |
| 18 | Ankeny | A | 76,547 | 165.9/100K | 1021.6/100K |
| 19 | Clive | B | 19,124 | 209.2/100K | 1166.1/100K |
| 20 | Mason City | C | 26,786 | 224/100K | 2322.1/100K |
| 21 | Muscatine | B | 23,208 | 245.6/100K | 1228/100K |
| 22 | Cedar Rapids | C | 135,363 | 261.5/100K | 2689.1/100K |
| 23 | Indianola | B | 16,104 | 273.2/100K | 1471.7/100K |
| 24 | Storm Lake | C | 11,494 | 287.1/100K | 1679.1/100K |
| 25 | Marshalltown | C | 27,576 | 297.4/100K | 1773.3/100K |
| 26 | Iowa City | C | 75,934 | 321.3/100K | 1673.8/100K |
| 27 | Clinton | C | 24,171 | 359.9/100K | 2726.4/100K |
| 28 | Newton | C | 15,611 | 384.3/100K | 1390/100K |
| 29 | Ottumwa | D | 25,185 | 397.1/100K | 2616.6/100K |
| 30 | Dubuque | C | 58,620 | 400.9/100K | 1434.7/100K |
| 31 | Burlington | C | 23,444 | 413.8/100K | 1825.6/100K |
| 32 | Council Bluffs | D | 62,269 | 420.8/100K | 2452.3/100K |
| 33 | Waterloo | D | 66,385 | 476/100K | 2444.8/100K |
| 34 | Sioux City | F | 85,711 | 555.4/100K | 3324/100K |
| 35 | Davenport | F | 99,926 | 581.4/100K | 3540.6/100K |
| 36 | Des Moines | F | 209,245 | 703/100K | 3126.5/100K |
| 37 | Fort Dodge | F | 24,502 | 1061.1/100K | 3195.7/100K |
Iowa overview · Most dangerous cities · National safest cities · Methodology - FBI UCR Part I rates; cities ≥10,000 pop; 2024.