4 North Carolina cities rank among ‘America’s safest.’ Here’s where
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- Chapel Hill, Concord, Mooresville and Cary ranked on SmartAsset’s Top 75 safest list.
- SmartAsset reviewed over 300 cities and used four metrics including natural disaster risk.
- Chapel Hill ranked 24th with violent crime 1.72/1,000 and property crime 25.15/1,000.
Four midsize cities in North Carolina have been recognized as some of the safest in America, according to a recent SmartAsset study.
Chapel Hill, Concord, Mooresville and Cary earned spots on the Top 75 list, appearing alongside dozens of other metros from across the US.
For the rankings, the personal finance website reviewed more than 300 cities with populations between 65,000 and 250,000 and scored them using four key metrics: violent crime rate, property crime rate, auto fatality rate and natural disaster risk.
“Safety and security are major determinants of quality of life,” analysts wrote. “While no place is risk-free, some midsized cities offer residents a stronger sense of everyday security than others.”
Here’s how each North Carolina city stacked up:
Chapel Hill
- Overall rank: 24
- Violent crimes (per 1,000): 1.72
- Property crimes (per 1,000): 25.15
- Auto fatalities (per 100,000): 7.87
- Natural disaster risk: Relatively low
Concord
- Overall rank: 46
- Violent crimes (per 1,000): 1.59
- Property crimes (per 1,000): 11.05
- Auto fatalities (per 100,000): 12
- Natural disaster risk: Relatively moderate
Mooresville
- Overall rank: 66
- Violent crimes (per 1,000): 2.17
- Property crimes (per 1,000): 21.52
- Auto fatalities (per 100,000): 14. 81
- Natural disaster risk: Relatively low
Cary
- Overall rank: 73
- Violent crimes (per 1,000): 0.71
- Property crimes (per 1,000): 13.17
- Auto fatalities (per 100,000): 7.85
- Natural disaster risk: Relatively high
More praise for Chapel Hill
Aside from being one of the nation’s safest cities, Chapel Hill has earned several accolades in recent years and routinely appears in national rankings for research, education and of course, food.
The metro Raleigh suburb is home to UNC Health Care, which Forbes named one of America’s Dream Employers in 2025, The News & Observer reported.
Woods Charter, also in Chapel Hill, was one of more than a dozen schools in the Triangle named on U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools list.
Merritt’s Grill, known for its “down home” sandwiches, earned a spot on Yelp’s list of the top places to eat in the Triangle last year, and USA Today readers voted The Pig as one of the state’s standout spots for Carolina-style barbecue.
Where are America’s safest midsize cities?
These midsize metros rose to the top when it came to safety and security, according to the SmartAsset study:
- Broomfield, Colorado
- State College, Pennsylvania
- Warwick, Rhode Island
- Ames, Iowa
- Logan, Utah
Crime prevention tips
Keen awareness and basic safety practices are key to reducing your risk of becoming the victim of a crime, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
To protect yourself in public spaces, experts suggest following these tips:
- Stay alert and be conscious of your surroundings.
- Be confident. Try not to appear lost or confused, and avoid looking down at your cell phone if you’re in an unfamiliar area.
- Make direct eye contact. Know basic self-defense and always have an escape plan.
- Trust your gut. If something feels off, remove yourself immediately.
- Know the neighborhood. Stick to familiar, well-traveled routes and keep an eye out for strangers.