Utah (And St. George) Is One of the Safest Places in America

Utah Again Ranks Among America’s Safest States — and St. George’s Crime Numbers Back It Up

Utah continues to rank among the safest places to live in the country, and Southern Utah’s largest city compares favorably with both state and national crime numbers.

Comprehensive Safety Analysis

WalletHub’s latest “Safest States in America” study ranks Utah No. 5 overall, behind only Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. The study compared all 50 states using 52 measures covering personal and residential safety, finances, roads, workplace safety and emergency preparedness. Utah ranked especially well for emergency preparedness at No. 3, workplace safety at No. 5 and road safety at No. 6.

Understanding Utah's Crime Statistics

Utah’s crime numbers also help explain the ranking. According to FBI data, Utah recorded about 230 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2024, compared with roughly 359 nationally — making Utah’s rate about 36% lower than the U.S. average. Utah’s property-crime rate was about 1,409 per 100,000, roughly 20% below the national rate. The longer-term property-crime trend is particularly notable. Utah’s Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice says the state’s property-crime rate has fallen dramatically from its 2020 spike and reached another historic low in 2024.

What about St. George?

St. George’s numbers are even lower in several major categories. \ FBI-based 2024 data shows the St. George Police Department reported about 210 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, slightly below Utah’s statewide rate and roughly 40% below the national average. Property crime came in at about 1,003 per 100,000 residents, also considerably below both the Utah and national rates.

The city recorded 226 violent offenses and 1,079 property crimes during the year. Those included one murder, 24 robberies and 139 aggravated assaults. Larceny and theft remained by far the most common major crime category.

Trends in Property Crime Reduction in St. George

St. George’s property-crime rate has also fallen significantly as the city has grown, dropping from roughly 1,324 per 100,000 in 2020 to about 1,003 in 2024, a decline of more than 24%. That doesn’t mean Utah — or St. George — is crime-free. WalletHub actually placed Utah just 28th in its broader personal and residential safety category because that measurement includes much more than conventional crime statistics.

Positive Outlook for Southern Utah's Growth

But when looking specifically at FBI-reported violent and property crime, Utah remains well below the national average — and St. George generally performs even better. For a fast-growing city that has added tens of thousands of residents over the past decade, that may be one of the more encouraging numbers in Southern Utah.