SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KRON) — Finding the right place to live in the San Francisco Bay Area is not easy. For many families, living in a safe neighborhood is at the top of their priority list.
The National Association of Realtors’ annual survey found that about half of all homebuyers said the quality of a neighborhood was the most important factor, ahead of affordability and proximity to friends and family.
A new nationwide study released by SmartAsset on Friday ranked three Bay Area cities in the top 25 for safest cities in America.
Sunnyvale, ranked at No. 9 on the list, was deemed the safest city in the Bay Area. Fremont ranked in at No. 19, and San Jose also made the list at No. 24.
SmartAsset analyzed data from 200 American cities focusing on five key metrics: violent crime, property crime, vehicular mortality rate, drug poisoning mortality rate and excessive drinking. Crime data was compiled from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Database, and substance abuse numbers were gathered from county health officials.
Top 25 Safest Cities in America
(Rate per 100,000 residents)
| Rank | City | Violent Crime | Property Crime | Vehicular Mortality | Drug Poisoning Mortality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frisco, TX | 95 | 901 | 6.4 | 8.0 |
| 2 | McKinney, TX | 127 | 887 | 6.4 | 8.0 |
| 3 | McAllen, TX | 179 | 1,804 | 9.2 | 5.0 |
| 4 | Santa Clarita, CA | 131 | 988 | 8.4 | 14.2 |
| 5 | Plano, TX | 157 | 1,633 | 6.4 | 8.0 |
| 6 | Alexandria, VA | 207 | 1,671 | 3.9 | 10.9 |
| 7 | Laredo, TX | 301 | 1,188 | 9.5 | 12.3 |
| 8 | Glendale, CA | 104 | 1,811 | 8.4 | 14.2 |
| 9 | Sunnyvale, CA | 152 | 2,232 | 6.7 | 12.0 |
| 10 | Yonkers, NY | 264 | 828 | 3.8 | 15.6 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | 204 | 1,483 | 3.1 | 9.0 |
| 12 | El Paso, TX | 248 | 1,247 | 11.3 | 12.2 |
| 13 | Irvine, CA | 61 | 1,730 | 6.9 | 15.5 |
| 14 | Naperville, IL | 61 | 320 | 4.6 | 16.0 |
| 15 | Torrance, CA | 187 | 2,229 | 8.4 | 14.2 |
| Rank | City | Violent Crime | Property Crime | Vehicular Mortality | Drug Poisoning Mortality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Olathe, KS | 246 | 1,269 | 5.1 | 11.2 |
| 17 | Palmdale, CA | 443 | 1,401 | 8.4 | 14.2 |
| 18 | Cary, NC | 73 | 962 | 7.2 | 13.5 |
| 19 | Fremont, CA | 188 | 2,796 | 6.2 | 15.2 |
| 20 | Jersey City, NJ | 331 | 1,268 | 4.2 | 22.9 |
| 21 | Overland Park, KS | 236 | 2,171 | 5.1 | 11.2 |
| 22 | Huntington Beach, CA | 251 | 2,168 | 6.9 | 15.5 |
| 23 | Aurora, IL | 331 | 802 | 4.6 | 16.0 |
| 24 | San Jose, CA | 439 | 2,604 | 6.7 | 12.0 |
| 25 | Chesapeake, VA | 463 | 1,699 | 7.2 | 19.3 |
