The 10 Safest Cities In Washington For 2023
The safest cities in Washington are Colville and Duvall for 2023.
If you're from Washington State, you know there are many reasons this Pacific Northwest state is ranked as one of the safest places to live. More importantly, it has some of the safest cities to call home.
With that in mind, we determined the safest places in Washington for 2023. How did we do it? We consulted the numbers and essential factors like property and violent crimes per capita for every place with over 5,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 121 Washington cities.
While your personal safety is secure in Washington, property crime is prevalent. We suggest that you check out the most dangerous places in Washington after you check out the safest.
What's not a surprise is that Washington has super safe places to live for every stage of life. For instance, Spokane is one of the safest places for college students, Sammamish is one of the safest places for families, and Brier for professionals.
So, where are these unique places in Washington where crime is low? Read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | References
Here are the 10 safest cities to live in Washington for 2023:
Yes, there is more to Washington than hippies, apples and the Seattle Seahawks.
What city is the safest place to live in Washington for 2023? According to the most recent FBI data, the safest place to live in The Evergreen State is Colville.
Check out the rest of the very safe Washington cities to see how your city ranked.
For more reading on safe places to live in and around Washington, check out:
- Safest States In America
- Safest Cities In America
- Best Places To Live In Washington
- Cheapest Places To Live In Washington
The 10 Safest Cities In Washington For 2023
Population: 5,026
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 39 (fourth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 397 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Colville: Crime | Real Estate
/10
Colville, the safest city in Washington, reported 0 murders, 0 rapes, and 0 robberies, and only a few assault cases. It is ranked safest for property crime.
Established in the 19th century by the Hudson's Bay Company as a fur trading post, Colville is now the seat of Stevens County.
Population: 8,778
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 56 (seventh safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 558 (second safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Duvall: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Another Seattle and Bellevue burb, Duvall fell down a single peg to the number three safest place to live in Washington for 2023.
The property crime rate in Duvall is second to one in Washington and there's no murder and no robberies -- it's safe enough for a grandma to walk down a dark alley at midnight with hundred dollar bills in her pocket. She'd probably just get a party goer to help her get back to he main street.
Duvall is also a perfect 10 on our SnackAbility score.
Population: 7,021
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,025 (eighth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Black Diamond: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Black Diamond in King County, Washington, with a population of 7,021, maintains low crime rates, having a violent crime count of just 0. There have been 0 incidents of murder, contributing to its ranking as the safest city for violent crime in the state. Property crime is also low with 72 reported cases, placing it as 8 safest in Washington.
The city's transition from a bustling coal mining town to a residential community has positively influenced its crime rates and safety perception. Black Diamond now holds the third position statewide for safety.
Population: 65,738
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 59 (eighth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 917 (fourth safest)
Murders: 1
Murders Per 100k: 1
More on Sammamish: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Sammamish is no stranger to winning Homesnacks superlatives; we named it the second best and richest city in Washington on our other lists. Add to that a perfect 10/10 score on our overall snackability scale and the new title of fourth safest city in the state, and you've got a recipe for a certified fresh place to call home.
Sammamish averaged about one violent crime per month, which, for a city of this size, gives a per capita violent crime rate nearly 17 times lower than the national average. Property crime is also four times less common than the statewide average, giving Sammamish the fourth safest rate in Washington. So as long as you don't drop something into Lake Sammamish while you're kayaking, you'll definitely bring home all the valuables that you brought out with you.
Sammamish is the most populous city on this list and is located about a half hour east of Seattle.
Population: 24,858
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 60 (ninth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 885 (third safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Oak Harbor: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Located on Whidbey Island in Island County, Oak Harbor is ranked as the fifth safest city statewide, with laudable 9 and 3 rankings for violent and property crimes, respectively.
It has maintained public safety since its establishment in 1915, transitioning from a community reliant on maritime routes to a modern safe haven. The city reports a violent crime per capita rate of 60/100k people.
Population: 27,653
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 28 (third safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,131 (tenth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Camas: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
We already named Camas the second best place to raise a family in Washington, so this new title of sixth safest city in the state is just icing on the cake. Camas had the tenth safest rate of property crime in Washington, so if your fish get snatched after a day of angling at Lacamas Park, blame the birds! You can also count the number of violent crimes Camas had in 2022 using just your fingers and toes, so it's quite a rare phenomenon.
Camas is part of the Portland metro area.
Population: 23,107
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 60 (tenth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,280 (15th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Kenmore: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
If you're visiting Kenmore for a picnic at Saint Edward State Park, you can leave the bear mace at home, because Kenmore is the seventh safest city in Washington. Kenmore had about seven times less violent crime than the average American city, earning it the tenth safest rate of violent crime statewide. Kenmore also had the 15th safest rate of property crime in Washington, so don't worry if your Amazon packages are sitting outside your home for a few days.
These factors, plus a few more, helped Kenmore earn the title of best place to raise a family in Washington on our other list. Kenmore is about twenty minutes north of Seattle.
Population: 32,848
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 91 (21st safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 940 (fifth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Pullman: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Pullman, situated in Whitman County and home to Washington State University, is recognized for its agricultural roots and diverse economy. It has a low violent crime rate with just 30 occurrences and 0 murders. The city's violent crime per capita is 91/100k people, making it the 21st safest in this category statewide.
Pullman has a property crime count of only 309, earning it a state rank of #5 for property safety and an overall crime rank of #6. The stats back the city as the eighth safest place in Washington state.
Population: 6,690
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 74 (12th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,360 (17th safest)
Murders: 1
Murders Per 100k: 14
More on Steilacoom: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Located near Joint Base Lewis-McChord and major cities such as Tacoma and Seattle, Steilacoom has a strong military connection and a significant law enforcement presence. The town's 6,690 enjoys a low crime rate, with Steilacoom ranking as the ninth safest place in Washington for 2023.
The town exhibits minimal violent crime, with only 5 occurrences and 1 murder cases. Steilacoom's 91 property crime incidents are also low, reflecting its overall low crime rate. Its strategic location and low crime statistics make Steilacoom an appealing choice for those looking for a safe place to call home in Washington.
Population: 9,132
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 76 (14th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,346 (16th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Stanwood: Data | Crime | Real Estate
/10
Located 50 miles north of Seattle, Stanwood in Snohomish County stands as the tenth safest city in Washington, with deep historical ties to the Stillaguamish people and a legacy in agriculture and trade since its founding in 1866.
The city takes pride in its low crime rates, evidenced by 76/100k people violent crimes per capita and 1,346/100k people property crimes per capita. Notably, it recorded 0 murder cases and very few incidents of serious crime.
Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in Washington for 2023
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in Washington are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in Washington.
Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:
- Violent crimes per capita (murders, assaults, rapes, armed robberies)
- Property crimes per capita (thefts, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts)
For example, there were 22 crimes committed in Colville, with a reported population of 5,026. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0044, which translates into a 1 in 228 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at Washington cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 121 of the biggest cities in Washington to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 121 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.
Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score, "The Safest Place In Washington," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in Washington, based on our criteria, is Colville. The most dangerous city in Washington? Fife, where residents had a 1 in 7 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2023. This report marks our tenth time ranking the safest places to live in Washington. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2022 report.
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Evergreen State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Colville is as safe as they come in Washington, according to science and data.
But as most Washington residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.
Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in Washington according to the data:
- Fife
- Tacoma
- Tukwila
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Washington
- Best Places To Buy A House In Washington
- Best Places To Retire In Washington
Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In Washington For 2023?
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crimes Per 100k | Property Crimes Per 100k | Murders Per 100k | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colville, WA | 5,026 | 39 | 397 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Duvall, WA | 8,778 | 56 | 558 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Black Diamond, WA | 7,021 | 0 | 1,025 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Sammamish, WA | 65,738 | 59 | 917 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Oak Harbor, WA | 24,858 | 60 | 885 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Camas, WA | 27,653 | 28 | 1,131 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Kenmore, WA | 23,107 | 60 | 1,280 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Pullman, WA | 32,848 | 91 | 940 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Steilacoom, WA | 6,690 | 74 | 1,360 | 14 | 1 |
| 10 | Stanwood, WA | 9,132 | 76 | 1,346 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | West Richland, WA | 17,557 | 91 | 1,133 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Ocean Shores, WA | 6,604 | 75 | 1,362 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Enumclaw, WA | 12,833 | 54 | 2,057 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Ridgefield, WA | 14,465 | 103 | 1,140 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Bainbridge Island, WA | 24,336 | 94 | 1,397 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Brier, WA | 6,448 | 155 | 977 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Snoqualmie, WA | 13,523 | 7 | 2,410 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Mercer Island, WA | 25,121 | 99 | 1,691 | 7 | 2 |
| 19 | Bothell, WA | 47,407 | 78 | 2,077 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | Lake Stevens, WA | 36,828 | 168 | 993 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | College Place, WA | 9,907 | 70 | 2,230 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Normandy Park, WA | 6,519 | 92 | 1,948 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Maple Valley, WA | 28,175 | 110 | 1,763 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Lake Forest Park, WA | 13,096 | 99 | 2,008 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Dupont, WA | 10,024 | 89 | 2,134 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Orting, WA | 8,877 | 168 | 1,216 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Newcastle, WA | 12,782 | 86 | 2,347 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Battle Ground, WA | 21,385 | 154 | 1,557 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Lynden, WA | 16,275 | 110 | 2,089 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | East Wenatchee, WA | 14,243 | 140 | 2,064 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Port Townsend, WA | 10,452 | 181 | 1,387 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Prosser, WA | 6,136 | 114 | 2,249 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Sedro Woolley, WA | 12,565 | 127 | 2,140 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Selah, WA | 8,258 | 121 | 2,203 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Kirkland, WA | 91,464 | 115 | 2,362 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Sultan, WA | 6,102 | 229 | 1,245 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Hoquiam, WA | 8,918 | 123 | 2,298 | 22 | 2 |
| 38 | Mukilteo, WA | 21,009 | 118 | 2,427 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Cheney, WA | 13,092 | 198 | 1,840 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Liberty Lake, WA | 12,897 | 201 | 1,907 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | Fircrest, WA | 7,047 | 170 | 2,171 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Buckley, WA | 5,982 | 284 | 1,103 | 16 | 1 |
| 43 | Anacortes, WA | 17,990 | 88 | 3,285 | 5 | 1 |
| 44 | Quincy, WA | 8,413 | 166 | 2,496 | 11 | 1 |
| 45 | Marysville, WA | 71,395 | 253 | 1,736 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Mill Creek, WA | 20,925 | 172 | 2,518 | 4 | 1 |
| 47 | Issaquah, WA | 38,917 | 48 | 4,347 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Blaine, WA | 6,050 | 247 | 2,016 | 16 | 1 |
| 49 | Mountlake Terrace, WA | 21,589 | 157 | 2,839 | 4 | 1 |
| 50 | Othello, WA | 8,876 | 146 | 2,895 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | Redmond, WA | 79,403 | 118 | 3,173 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | Washougal, WA | 16,902 | 278 | 1,798 | 0 | 0 |
| 53 | Ferndale, WA | 15,816 | 177 | 2,794 | 18 | 3 |
| 54 | Snohomish, WA | 10,125 | 207 | 2,716 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | North Bend, WA | 7,889 | 88 | 4,322 | 0 | 0 |
| 56 | Edmonds, WA | 42,714 | 243 | 2,619 | 2 | 1 |
| 57 | Wenatchee, WA | 35,462 | 239 | 2,769 | 5 | 2 |
| 58 | Edgewood, WA | 12,900 | 170 | 3,364 | 0 | 0 |
| 59 | Woodland, WA | 6,544 | 183 | 3,147 | 0 | 0 |
| 60 | Ellensburg, WA | 19,822 | 252 | 2,688 | 10 | 2 |
| 61 | Bonney Lake, WA | 22,898 | 218 | 3,105 | 0 | 0 |
| 62 | Pacific, WA | 6,966 | 229 | 2,885 | 0 | 0 |
| 63 | Bellevue, WA | 147,079 | 156 | 3,786 | 1 | 2 |
| 64 | Monroe, WA | 20,309 | 265 | 2,703 | 0 | 0 |
| 65 | Yelm, WA | 10,749 | 269 | 2,800 | 0 | 0 |
| 66 | Tumwater, WA | 26,227 | 228 | 3,359 | 0 | 0 |
| 67 | Lacey, WA | 55,101 | 219 | 3,440 | 3 | 2 |
| 68 | University Place, WA | 34,846 | 249 | 2,941 | 2 | 1 |
| 69 | Shoreline, WA | 57,147 | 272 | 2,850 | 3 | 2 |
| 70 | Woodinville, WA | 13,357 | 187 | 3,952 | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | Mount Vernon, WA | 35,511 | 270 | 2,948 | 2 | 1 |
| 72 | Pasco, WA | 79,899 | 317 | 2,822 | 2 | 2 |
| 73 | Sequim, WA | 8,439 | 236 | 3,673 | 0 | 0 |
| 74 | Arlington, WA | 20,176 | 332 | 2,844 | 0 | 0 |
| 75 | Des Moines, WA | 32,541 | 304 | 3,490 | 9 | 3 |
| 76 | Grandview, WA | 10,901 | 302 | 3,522 | 0 | 0 |
| 77 | Richland, WA | 63,081 | 312 | 3,711 | 7 | 5 |
| 78 | Walla Walla, WA | 33,899 | 371 | 3,059 | 5 | 2 |
| 79 | Poulsbo, WA | 11,814 | 321 | 3,741 | 0 | 0 |
| 80 | Ephrata, WA | 8,465 | 236 | 5,079 | 0 | 0 |
| 81 | Airway Heights, WA | 10,803 | 323 | 4,045 | 9 | 1 |
| 82 | Sumner, WA | 10,681 | 224 | 5,795 | 9 | 1 |
| 83 | Covington, WA | 20,686 | 323 | 4,118 | 0 | 0 |
| 84 | Spokane Valley, WA | 108,076 | 333 | 4,061 | 2 | 3 |
| 85 | Yakima, WA | 96,267 | 611 | 3,143 | 12 | 12 |
| 86 | Gig Harbor, WA | 12,301 | 243 | 6,064 | 0 | 0 |
| 87 | Milton, WA | 9,113 | 438 | 3,939 | 0 | 0 |
| 88 | Sunnyside, WA | 16,300 | 478 | 3,723 | 6 | 1 |
| 89 | Shelton, WA | 11,102 | 594 | 3,395 | 18 | 2 |
| 90 | Longview, WA | 37,768 | 349 | 4,485 | 0 | 0 |
| 91 | Aberdeen, WA | 17,338 | 438 | 4,170 | 0 | 0 |
| 92 | Centralia, WA | 18,993 | 331 | 5,128 | 10 | 2 |
| 93 | Renton, WA | 103,619 | 368 | 4,628 | 6 | 7 |
| 94 | Burien, WA | 50,159 | 496 | 4,112 | 3 | 2 |
| 95 | Bremerton, WA | 44,256 | 474 | 4,200 | 2 | 1 |
| 96 | Everett, WA | 110,694 | 442 | 4,350 | 10 | 12 |
| 97 | Kelso, WA | 12,723 | 408 | 4,668 | 15 | 2 |
| 98 | Chehalis, WA | 7,870 | 304 | 6,836 | 0 | 0 |
| 99 | Port Angeles, WA | 20,290 | 670 | 3,785 | 4 | 1 |
| 100 | Lynnwood, WA | 42,764 | 329 | 5,911 | 11 | 5 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In Washington
Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.
He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.
If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.
You can find out more about him on LinkedIn.
Connect With 
100 Calorie Emails.
Once Per Week.
Guilt Free.