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.

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