Safest Cities in Minnesota

Top 50 cities (≥10,000 pop) by lowest FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 · 2024. Lead: Dayton at 17.7/100K.

FBI UCR Safest-Cities Snapshot: Minnesota

Minnesota lists 50 cities with 10,000+ population for 2024, spanning Dayton at 17.7/100K violent down to West St. Paul at 162.7/100K on this cut. That is a 145/100K spread inside the safest cohort alone, not a single statewide rate. Cohort average: 88.8 violent offenses per 100,000 residents.

Dayton reported 2 violent and 47 property offenses on a 11,273 reporting population in 2024. Property rate 416.9/100K sits beside the 17.7/100K violent rate. Top five on the table: Dayton, South Lake Minnetonka, Lino Lakes, Cottage Grove, Minnetrista.

Dayton offense desk

Dayton's 2024 violent book concentrates in aggravated assault (50% of 2 Part I violent offenses; mix index 5,000).

Dayton's violent rate fell 63.4% vs 2023 (48.5 → 17.7 per 100K) while staying #1 on this Minnesota list.

Dayton violent offense mix (2024)

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+ Dayton 11,273 17.7/100K 416.9/100K
2 A+ South Lake Minnetonka 11,961 33.4/100K 334.4/100K
3 A+ Lino Lakes 22,685 35.3/100K 661.2/100K
4 A+ Cottage Grove 43,131 39.4/100K 681.6/100K
5 A+ Minnetrista 11,072 45.2/100K 343.2/100K
6 A Plymouth 76,577 50.9/100K 1023.8/100K
7 A+ Orono 18,943 52.8/100K 490.9/100K
8 A+ Buffalo 16,627 54.1/100K 421/100K
9 A+ Rosemount 28,220 56.7/100K 499.6/100K
10 A Ramsey 28,813 62.5/100K 517.1/100K
11 A Hibbing 15,915 62.8/100K 666/100K
12 A Cambridge 10,802 64.8/100K 1694.1/100K
13 A Centennial Lakes 12,219 65.5/100K 728.4/100K
14 A Sartell 19,845 65.5/100K 1244.6/100K
15 A Golden Valley 20,806 67.3/100K 985.3/100K
16 A New Ulm 13,858 72.2/100K 1017.5/100K
17 A St. Peter 12,362 72.8/100K 558.2/100K
18 A Edina 53,347 73.1/100K 1490.2/100K
19 A Eden Prairie 61,511 73.2/100K 1279.4/100K
20 A Lakeville 78,436 76.5/100K 571.2/100K
21 A Savage 33,140 78.5/100K 715.1/100K
22 B Hermantown 10,196 78.5/100K 2559.8/100K
23 A Farmington 23,995 79.2/100K 333.4/100K
24 A Stillwater 19,185 83.4/100K 865.3/100K
25 A Chaska 29,431 84.9/100K 635.4/100K
26 A White Bear Lake 23,106 86.6/100K 1324.3/100K
27 A Sauk Rapids 13,736 87.4/100K 1288.6/100K
28 A Grand Rapids 11,333 88.2/100K 1032.4/100K
29 A Blaine 74,913 89.4/100K 1411/100K
30 A Elk River 27,826 89.8/100K 1006.3/100K
31 A New Brighton 22,022 90.8/100K 1221.5/100K
32 A Woodbury 80,940 98.8/100K 1179.9/100K
33 A Lakes Area 10,781 102/100K 658.6/100K
34 B Eagan 66,956 103.1/100K 1769.8/100K
35 A Prior Lake 28,163 106.5/100K 1072.3/100K
36 A North Branch 12,137 107.1/100K 156.5/100K
37 A Hastings 22,112 113.1/100K 999.5/100K
38 B Maple Grove 71,622 113.1/100K 1763.4/100K
39 A Champlin 22,532 115.4/100K 1136.2/100K
40 B Minnetonka 51,935 115.5/100K 1638.6/100K
41 A Shakopee 48,239 116.1/100K 1158.8/100K
42 B St. Anthony 12,658 118.5/100K 2567.5/100K
43 A Forest Lake 20,680 120.9/100K 1474.9/100K
44 B Rogers 13,716 131.2/100K 1538.3/100K
45 A Big Lake 12,904 131.7/100K 341/100K
46 A North Mankato 14,021 149.8/100K 848.7/100K
47 A Owatonna 26,573 150.5/100K 820.4/100K
48 B Northfield 21,099 151.7/100K 1350.8/100K
49 B Rochester 122,694 154/100K 1368.4/100K
50 C West St. Paul 22,128 162.7/100K 4302.2/100K

Minnesota overview · Most dangerous cities · National safest cities · Methodology - FBI UCR Part I rates; cities ≥10,000 pop; 2024.