Why Didn't Santa Monica Make the Safest Cities List?

Though Santa Monica is prime destination for tourists, celebrities and international jet set, it is not as safe as its neighbors, according to MoneyGeek's safest cities study.

Out of more than 30 California cities included on the 989-town list, Santa Monica placed 808, well below Culver City at 492, Redondo Beach at 419, Rancho Palos Verdes at 520 and Beverly Hills at 608. 

Every year, MoneyGeek, a personal finance company, calculates the safest small cities and towns in the nation – those with 30,000 to 100,000 residents -- by analyzing crime statistics and the costs associated with each crime. Afterwards it provides nationwide rankings based on research and analysis.

In 2020 – a year which saw many Americans flee the large cities during the pandemic, political and social unrest – the study found that most of the safest cities and towns in America are located in the Northeast. The least safe towns are more spread out, with Gary, Indiana, topping that list. The study also found that small cities are as unsafe as larger ones, suggesting that factors beyond population size and density are at play.

Santa Monica, which placed 808, has a per capita crime cost rate of $1346 and a violent crime at 724.7. The property crime rate is at 4326.5 and the cost of crime in Santa Monica is $123,284. It has a listed population of 91,621.

Culver City, which came in at 492, has a per capita crime cost rate at $606, a violent crime of 463.7 and a property rate of 4196. The cost of crime in Culver City is $23,773 and its population is listed at 39,252.

According to the study, the safest small city in California is Rancho Santa Margarita, ranking 33 in the overall list, with a per capita crime cost of $102. Other Southern California cities with top ranking in the safest list are Yorba Linda, placing 41, Moorpark, 63, Laguna Hills 113 and Camarillo 125.

The 5 safest small cities in America include Franklin and Shrewsbury, MA, Carmel Town, NY, Northampton Township, PA, and Yorktown Town, NY.

The 5 most dangerous small cities are Gary, IN, Pine Bluff, AR, Petersburg, VA, Chester, PA, and Camden, NJ.

To view the complete safest cities list, please go to https://www.moneygeek.com/living/safest-cities/small-cities-and-towns-in-america/