Utah is a relatively small state with 3.2 million people.
That makes it the 31st most populated state, but its crime rate is lower than average.
There is a lot of tourism in the national parks, and that may add to the crime statistics to some degree.
In 2020, there were 233 violent crimes per 100,000 people, and the national average is 380.
Utah has a higher property crime rate, the 13th highest nationally at 2464.
The national average there is 1900.
The largest city is Salt Lake City at 200,000, and there are a total of four with more than 100,000.
Utah had the lowest number of murders in 2020 with 102.v
More than a third of the population lives in the Salt Lake area.
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10 Safest Cities in Utah
Mapleton
Mapleton is a town of about 11,000, 25 miles south of Salt Lake City in the northwest corner of the state.
Its crime rate is amazingly low.
There was a total of 58 crimes last year, giving the town a 524 of 100,000 crime rate.
The state average is 2750 and the national average is 2400.
There were four violent crimes last year, giving it a 36 per 100,000 rating.
The national rate is 388 in 100,000.
There were 54 property crimes, and all of them were related to theft, and that was a fourth of the national rate.
The city has a high cost of living but ranks well in almost every other area.
It is safer than 90 percent of American cities.
Salem
Salem is 10 miles to the south of Mapleton with a population of 8000, and a crime rate almost as good.
There was only one violent crime in Salem last year, and that was an assault.
This gives it an 11 out of 100,000 violent crime rate, compared to the national average of 388.
There were 50 property crimes, and 41 of those were theft.
Salem has a 562 in 100,000 people property crime rating, which is a fourth of the national average.
Five of the last 10 years have had no violent crimes reported.
Farmington
Farmington is a city of 25,000 people just to the north of Salt Lake City.
It has a very low crime rate and it has been decreasing in recent years.
Over the past three years, the violent crime rate has been about .6 per 1,000.
The property crime rate was 9.3 per 1,000 in 2022, down from 13.8 the previous year.
There were 13 violent crimes last year.
There were no murders but nine of the 13 were rapes.
Violent crime is at 50 per 100,000, which is 87 percent below the national average.
This city ranks high in everything except the cost of living.
Kaysville
Kaysville is a city of 27,000 about 30 miles north of Salt Lake City.
It too has a low crime rate and a high livability score.
Its overall crime rate is 61 percent below the national average.
The violent crime rate is 83 percent and the property crime rate is 57 percent below the national average.
There were 23 violent crimes last year.
Twelve of those were assaults and 10 were rapes.
There were no murders.
The property crime rate was higher, with 274 incidents reported.
The highest crime rate was for theft, at 214 per 100,000, and even that was less than half the national average.
Syracuse
Syracuse is a city of 29,000 on the shores of the Great Salt Lake, north of Salt Lake City.
There were no murders last year.
Fifteen of the 24 violent crimes reported were rapes.
There are 46 rapes per 100,000 in Syracuse, and the national average is 38.
There were 74 violent crimes per 100,000, which is 81 percent below the national average.
There were 232 property crimes, and 195 of those were theft.
The property crime rate is 63 percent below the national average.
The city rates well for crime, schools, and jobs, and low for the cost of living.
Price, Utah
Price, Utah is the only city on our list outside the Salt Lake City area.
Most towns are in that corner of the state, and most people live there as well.
Price has 8000 people and is in the center of the state.
Its total crime rate is 17 percent below the national average, the violent crime rate is 22 percent below and the property crime rate is 16 percent below.
There were 25 violent crimes last year, and 19 of those were assaults.
That was higher than the state average but below the national average.
There were 136 property crimes.
Santaquin
Santaquin, Utah is another town with a very low crime rate.
It has about 9,000 people and is 60 miles south of Salt Lake City on the Interstate.
Its overall crime rate is 77 percent below the national average and the violent crime rate is 90 percent below the national average.
There were only six violent crimes reported in the city last year and three of those were rapes.
It has a 40 in 100,000 violent crime rate, compared to the national rate of 388.
There were 75 property crimes, and that was a fourth of the national average.
Herriman
Herriman is a city of 55,000, about 20 miles south of Santaquin, about the same distance between Provo and Salt Lake City.
There were 529 total crimes, about a third of the national average.
There were 37 violent crimes.
Nine of those were rapes and 25 were assaults.
The violent crime rate is 83 percent below the national average.
Property crime was higher with 492 cases but still less than half the national rate.
Bountiful
Bountiful is a town of 43,000 just north of Salt Lake City.
It has a very low violent crime rate, at 80 percent below the national average.
The total crime rate is 62 percent below the national average.
There were 35 violent crimes last year, and 25 were assaults.
There were 363 property crimes, and 290 of those were thefts.
The theft was the most common crime and that was half the national rate.
The violent crime rate has been just under one in 100,000 for three years.
The property crime rate has fallen almost by half in four years.
Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs is a town of 30,000 on the shore of Utah Lake, south of Salt Lake City.
Its overall crime rate is 63 percent below the national average.
The violent crime rate is 72 percent below and the property crime rate is 61 percent below.
There were 39 violent crimes.
There were 16 rapes, and that was the only crime that is above the national average.
There were 272 property crimes and 221 of those were thefts.
Five Safety Tips for Traveling to Utah
- Know the area. Many areas are remote and may not have phone service. Make sure someone knows where you are and when you intend to be back.
- Keep hydrated. Utah is a dry state and can get very hot in summer. Drink plenty of water, and keep some in the car with you. Avoid alcohol and caffeine as much as possible.
- Keep it locked. Keep valuables locked, and your car locked. Utah is a very safe place, but theft is the No.1 crime and there are criminals looking for an opportunity.
- Plan ahead. If you are driving, it may be a very long way to the next town that may or may not have a hotel or even a gas station. Plan your route carefully so you don’t run out of gas, and so you can find a place to sleep at night.
- Be careful. There are some very high mountains that can be scary to ride on. There are wild animals too. To some extent, there is more danger in the natural areas than there are dangers from criminals.
Utah Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Utah Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most dangerous area of the state?
It is almost ironic, but the two most dangerous cities are Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake.
The safest cities surround those two.
South Salt Lake has the highest property crime rate in the state and a high homicide rate with the highest violent crime rate.
Salt Lake City has the second-highest property crime and violent crime rate.
Both cities are around 800 per 10,000, which is double the national rate.
Does Utah have a higher than the national rate for any violent crime?
Yes, Utah has 56 per 100,000 rape cases and the national average is 42.6.
It is the only violent crime that is above the national average.
Utah has the 12th most rapes in the nation.
Where does Utah rank with other violent crimes?
Utah has the ninth-lowest aggravated assault rate in the nation, the 11th lowest armed robbery rate, and the eighth-lowest murder rate.
How has the crime rate changed in recent years?
Crime grew fast between 1960 and 1990 nationally and has fallen since then.
Utah mirrored this trend, but between 2014 and 2019.
Utah’s decline in crime was the third best state in the nation.
What is the most common cause of injury?
According to CDC statistics, automobile-related accidents account for 80 percent of the personal injuries in Utah, which is similar to other states.
bruh what about grantsville
Grantsville was voted one of the worst
South Weber should be there right at the top
Mapleton is at the top? Not sure about that since my brother got mugged there a year ago.
I lived in Price since I was a teen and I absolutely love the town. Well, some streets are a bit dangerous to walk to but every town has it yeah?