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.

# Grade City Population Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate
1 A Carroll 10,118 39.5/100K 978.5/100K
2 A Spencer 11,501 52.2/100K 991.2/100K
3 A+ North Liberty 21,635 69.3/100K 397.5/100K
4 A Johnston 24,819 76.6/100K 749.4/100K
5 A Urbandale 47,119 89.1/100K 634.6/100K
6 A Le Mars 10,624 94.1/100K 922.4/100K
7 A Bettendorf 40,105 104.7/100K 867.7/100K
8 A Norwalk 15,588 109.1/100K 179.6/100K
9 A Pella 10,940 109.7/100K 950.6/100K
10 A Marion 42,420 122.6/100K 497.4/100K
11 B Coralville 24,033 133.2/100K 2063.8/100K
12 A Oskaloosa 11,419 140.1/100K 902/100K
13 A Waverly 10,611 141.4/100K 885.9/100K
14 A Waukee 34,520 141.9/100K 640.2/100K
15 B Altoona 22,422 142.7/100K 2011.4/100K
16 B Ames 65,426 148.3/100K 1505.5/100K
17 B West Des Moines 73,335 165/100K 1714.1/100K
18 A Ankeny 76,547 165.9/100K 1021.6/100K
19 B Clive 19,124 209.2/100K 1166.1/100K
20 C Mason City 26,786 224/100K 2322.1/100K
21 B Muscatine 23,208 245.6/100K 1228/100K
22 C Cedar Rapids 135,363 261.5/100K 2689.1/100K
23 B Indianola 16,104 273.2/100K 1471.7/100K
24 C Storm Lake 11,494 287.1/100K 1679.1/100K
25 C Marshalltown 27,576 297.4/100K 1773.3/100K
26 C Iowa City 75,934 321.3/100K 1673.8/100K
27 C Clinton 24,171 359.9/100K 2726.4/100K
28 C Newton 15,611 384.3/100K 1390/100K
29 D Ottumwa 25,185 397.1/100K 2616.6/100K
30 C Dubuque 58,620 400.9/100K 1434.7/100K
31 C Burlington 23,444 413.8/100K 1825.6/100K
32 D Council Bluffs 62,269 420.8/100K 2452.3/100K
33 D Waterloo 66,385 476/100K 2444.8/100K
34 F Sioux City 85,711 555.4/100K 3324/100K
35 F Davenport 99,926 581.4/100K 3540.6/100K
36 F Des Moines 209,245 703/100K 3126.5/100K
37 F Fort Dodge 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.