The Safest Cities to Live In 2026: Data on Crime and Comfort

The Safest Cities to Live in 2026: Quick Answer

Looking purely at crime index scores (where a lower number means less crime and a greater sense of safety), the safest cities to live among the places compared here are Selva in Italy and Verbier in Switzerland, both with a crime index of 15. Close behind are a cluster of very safe cities with a crime index of 20, including St. Moritz, Tokyo, State College, Bern, Dingle, Breckenridge, North Bend and Park City, while Munich and Zurich remain highly secure big-city options with crime indices of 21 and 22 respectively.

For residents, a crime index in the mid-teens to low 20s typically translates into low levels of street crime, strong confidence walking around during the day and generally good perceptions of safety at night, especially in central and residential areas.

Understanding the Crime Index and Daily Safety

The crime index is a comparative score where lower values indicate safer cities to live. A city with a crime index around 15–22 is generally considered very safe in global terms. This range usually corresponds to lower reported rates of theft, assault and vandalism, along with stronger trust in local policing and social cohesion.

For residents, the practical meaning of a low crime index is simple: fewer day-to-day worries about personal security. You can usually walk to the shops, use public transport, or cycle home after dark with more confidence than in higher-crime cities. However, crime index data should always be interpreted alongside other factors like walk score, liveability, health rankings and transport options, which shape how safe, easy and enjoyable daily life feels.

Top-Tier Safety: Selva and Verbier (Crime Index 15)

Selva, Italy, stands out as one of the safest cities to live, with a crime index of just 15. Coupled with a strong liveability rating of 7.0/10 and a walk score of 70, Selva offers a rare balance: very low crime, comfortable day-to-day living, and good walkability. For residents, this means errands, school runs and social activities can often be done on foot without major safety concerns, making car-free or low-car lifestyles more realistic.

Verbier, Switzerland, matches Selva’s crime index of 15, signalling similarly low levels of crime. Its walk score is also 70, making it reasonably walkable for daily needs, though its overall liveability score of 5.0/10 suggests that some aspects of everyday life—such as cost, seasonality or service availability—may be more mixed. Still, from a safety standpoint, both Selva and Verbier sit at the top of this comparison, especially attractive to people who prioritise low crime above all else.

Very Safe Alpine and Small-City Living (Crime Index 20)

A large group of cities share a crime index of 20, placing them firmly in the very-safe bracket. St. Moritz in Switzerland combines this low crime index with a 6.0/10 liveability score and a walk score of 65. Residents benefit from quiet streets, a compact and reasonably walkable centre, and the security of a well-regarded Alpine destination, though the resort nature of the town can influence cost and seasonality.

State College in the United States also posts a crime index of 20 and a walk score of 68, with liveability at 5.0/10. As a university town, it often offers a youthful, bike- and scooter-friendly environment. Penn State has partnered periodically with Spin to provide shared e-scooters and e-bikes in pilot and seasonal phases, giving residents app-based, dockless options for short trips. While this is not a permanent, citywide bike-share system, it adds to mobility choices in an already safe-feeling environment.

Bern, Switzerland, with a crime index of 20, is particularly noteworthy because it pairs safety with health and mobility strengths. The city has a liveability score of 5.0/10, a walk score of 70 and a strong health rank of 14. BernRollt, the main bike-share program, offers free or low-cost short-term bicycle rentals from several stations around the city, including near the main train station and central squares. This makes it easier for residents to rely on active transport for daily errands, benefitting both perceived safety and overall wellbeing.

Dingle in Ireland (crime index 20, liveability 5.0/10, walk score 75) stands out for its particularly high walk score. In practice, this means residents can reach most local amenities on foot, and the low crime index suggests that walking is not only feasible but also feels safe. In the United States, Breckenridge (crime index 20, liveability 5.0/10, walk score 60), North Bend (crime index 20, liveability 5.0/10, walk score 55), and Park City (crime index 20, liveability 5.0/10, walk score 62) all offer small-city or mountain-town living with low crime and moderate walkability. Daily safety here often takes the form of quiet residential streets, strong community ties and an easygoing pace of life.

Big-City Safety: Tokyo, Munich and Zurich

Tokyo, Japan, is a global example of how a huge metropolis can still rank among the safest cities to live. With a crime index of 20, a walk score of 95 and a liveability score of 6.0/10, Tokyo offers residents extremely high walkability and low crime in a dense urban setting. Its health rank of 5 points to strong healthcare and healthy-living conditions. Docomo Bike Share adds another layer of safe, flexible movement around the city, with over 15,000 bikes across more than 1,200 stations in the greater Tokyo area and day passes starting from ¥1,650. For residents, this combination translates into safe streets, late-night transit options and realistic car-free urban living.

Munich, Germany, is another large city that manages to maintain high safety, with a crime index of 21. Its liveability rating is 7.5/10—one of the highest in this comparison—and its walk score stands at 90, supporting everyday errands on foot. A health rank of 7 underscores strong health outcomes. MVG Rad, Munich’s public bike-share system, is integrated with the city’s transit app and offers flexible dockless bicycles and e-bikes. This integration helps residents combine cycling with buses, trams and the metro, enhancing safe, multimodal travel around a city that already feels secure.

Zurich, Switzerland, rounds out the big-city leaders with a crime index of 22, still firmly in the very-safe category. It has a liveability score of 5.0/10, an excellent walk score of 86 and an outstanding health rank of 2. ZüriVelo, the local bike-share system, offers free city bike hire for the first hour at more than 130 pickup points and connects with the wider PubliBike network. For residents, this means safe and convenient cycling across most neighbourhoods, backed by strong healthcare and a compact urban form that rarely feels threatening.

Reading the Trends: What the Safety Data Tells Us

Looking across these cities, one clear trend emerges: many of the safest cities to live are smaller Alpine or coastal towns and university communities, where crime indices cluster between 15 and 20. Places like Selva, Verbier, St. Moritz, Dingle, Breckenridge, North Bend and Park City benefit from smaller populations, close-knit communities and, often, outdoor-focused lifestyles that correlate with lower crime and higher feelings of safety.

At the same time, Tokyo, Munich and Zurich show that you do not have to sacrifice big-city advantages to gain safety. Their crime indices, ranging from 20 to 22, are only slightly higher than those of much smaller towns, yet they offer extensive public transport, diverse job markets and cultural amenities. Each also backs up safety with strong health rankings and robust bike-share systems, signalling mature urban planning that supports safe mobility.

Walk scores add another layer of insight. Cities with higher walk scores—Tokyo at 95, Munich at 90, Zurich at 86 and Dingle at 75—tend to translate low crime into very practical everyday safety: you can actually walk where you need to go, and feel secure doing so. By contrast, places with lower walk scores, like North Bend at 55, may be equally safe statistically but still require more driving, changing how residents experience safety in daily routines.

How to Choose a Safe City That Fits Your Life

When comparing the safest cities to live, start with the crime index: cities in the 15–22 range are already performing very well on safety. From there, weigh liveability and walk score against your own priorities. If you want the lowest possible crime with good day-to-day comfort, Selva (crime index 15, liveability 7.0/10, walk score 70) and Munich (crime index 21, liveability 7.5/10, walk score 90) are strong benchmarks at different scales.

If you prioritise walkability and car-free living, look for high walk scores alongside a low crime index. Tokyo (crime index 20, walk score 95) and Zurich (crime index 22, walk score 86) are standouts here, supported by extensive transit and bike-share networks. Health rankings can also guide long-term decisions; Tokyo, Munich, Zurich and Bern all combine safety with strong health performance, suggesting better access to care and healthier environments over time.

Finally, consider lifestyle fit. Mountain and coastal towns like Verbier, St. Moritz, Dingle, Breckenridge, North Bend and Park City deliver quiet, low-crime surroundings and close access to nature, but may offer fewer jobs or services than larger cities. University towns like State College bring youthful energy and pilot micromobility schemes but can feel very different outside the academic calendar. Matching the crime index data with your work, family and mobility needs is the best way to turn a safe city on paper into a safe home in practice.