The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in Arizona

Arizona's Crime Landscape: Mixed Results and Promising Trends

Arizona recorded a violent crime rate of 409 per 100,000 residents in 2023, placing it 12 percent above the national average. Meanwhile, property crime peaks at 1,797 per 100,000 people, 6 percent below the national average. The good news? Both categories showed significant improvement from the previous year, with violent crime declining by 5.3 percent and property crime dropping by 12.7 percent.²

These numbers reflect Arizona's position as a state of contrasts. Urban centers like Phoenix struggle with higher crime rates, while many suburban communities rank among the safest in the nation. The state's position along the southern border creates unique law enforcement challenges, though most border communities report lower crime rates than cities farther inland.
Arizona’s tourism hotspots face distinctive challenges, as the influx of visitors can create opportunities for property crimes while keeping violent crime relatively low.

Best and Worst Cities for Violent Crime

High-Crime Areas: Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, and Phoenix

Surprisingly, the state's highest violent crime rates aren't in the big cities but in smaller communities in eastern Arizona. Show Low, a mountain town of about 11,000 people, had 827 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2023 — more than double the state average. Officials point to seasonal population fluctuations, substance abuse, and the town's role as a hub for the surrounding rural areas.³

Just down the road, Pinetop-Lakeside faces similar challenges, with 805 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. This vacation community in the White Mountains sees its population swell in the summer and winter months, and crime statistics look particularly high when compared to permanent resident numbers.

Phoenix, the state's capital and largest city, is third with 785 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Unlike the smaller towns, Phoenix's problems are urban issues: concentrated poverty in specific neighborhoods, gang activity, and the sheer number of police needed to serve 1.6 million people. The Phoenix Police Department has targeted enforcement in high-crime areas and community outreach programs in recent years, which may be contributing to the state's decline in violent crime.

Safer Havens: Paradise Valley, Thatcher, and Oro Valley

On the other end of the spectrum is Paradise Valley. It’s an affluent community surrounded by Phoenix and Scottsdale, with 24 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, the lowest in Arizona. With a median household income among the highest in the state and resources to support extensive policing, Paradise Valley shows how socioeconomic factors impact crime.

Thatcher, a small college town in Graham County, is second with 36 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Home to Eastern Arizona College, Thatcher has a stable population and strong community ties, which help keep public safety in check. The college provides economic stability, and the town's distance from major highways keeps it out of the crime stream.

Oro Valley, north of Tucson, rounds out the top three with 57 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. This suburban community has prioritized public safety in its development with zoning and community design that incorporates crime prevention through environmental design principles. The town is consistently one of the safest in Arizona and is a draw for families and retirees.

Best and Worst Cities for Property Crime

High-Risk Areas: Page, Globe, and Nogales

Page tops the state for property crime with 5,214 incidents per 100,000 residents. This small town on the shores of Lake Powell has unique challenges as a tourist destination near the Utah border. Each year, visitors flock to nearby attractions like Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

Globe, an old mining town east of Phoenix, is second with 3,997 property crimes per 100,000 people. The community has struggled with economic challenges as the mining industry has declined, often linked to higher property crime rates.

On the Mexican border, Nogales has 3,914 property crimes per 100,000 residents. As a major port of entry, it has unique law enforcement challenges. However, local officials point out that most property crimes affect businesses, not residents; retail theft makes up a big chunk of the numbers. The community's violent crime rate is lower than that of many non-border cities in Arizona, debunking the myth that border towns are more dangerous.

Low-Risk Areas: Fredonia, Chino Valley, and Somerton

Fredonia, Arizona's northernmost town, had 228 property crimes per 100,000 people — the lowest in the state. This remote town near the Utah border benefits from its small, close-knit population and distance from major cities. With fewer than 1,500 residents, the strong social connections are a natural deterrent to property crime.

Chino Valley, north of Prescott, is second with 322 property crimes per 100,000 residents. The town has grown steadily while keeping its rural feel, so neighbors know each other and notice suspicious activity. Local police credit community engagement programs as they help to keep property crime low.

Somerton is located near Yuma in southwestern Arizona and has the third-lowest property crime rate, with 423 property crimes per 100,000 people. Another border town, Somerton shows that being near the international border doesn't automatically mean higher crime rates.

Statewide Crime Trends

Arizona's overall crime numbers are looking up. The 5.3 percent decrease in violent crime and 12.7 percent drop in property crime from 2022 to 2023 beat the national numbers. So, the local police may be doing something right.⁴

Aggravated assault is still the most common violent crime in Arizona, with 301.7 per 100,000 people — 14.2 percent above the national average. This includes severe attacks with weapons or with serious injury, often domestic violence or conflicts between people who know each other.
The state's murder rate of 5.9 per 100,000 is 3.5 percent above the national average, while rape (40.5) is 6.6 percent above. Robbery is the only violent crime category where Arizona is below the national average, with 60.6 incidents per 100,000 people, 8.9 percent below.

For property crimes, larceny theft leads the way at 1,286.5 per 100,000 residents, but that's 4.5 percent below the national average. Vehicle theft (275.4) and burglary (235) are also below national rates, so Arizona's property crime problems are less severe than in many other states.

Several factors may contribute to Arizona's moderate-to-high violent crime rate despite below-average property crime. The state's rapid population growth — one of the fastest in the nation — creates challenges for law enforcement agencies to keep up with growing communities. Resource allocation struggles to match the needs of boom towns and growing suburbs.

Climate and geography also play a role in the state's crime patterns. The extreme summer heat reduces certain types of crime during the hottest months. And, the state's position as a corridor for drug trafficking between Mexico and large U.S. markets contributes to some violence — especially in communities along major transportation routes.

Economic disparity is another challenge. While Arizona has seen strong economic growth overall, the benefits haven't been spread equally across all communities. Cities and towns that haven't fully participated in the economic expansion have higher crime rates — just like the national pattern of economic opportunity and public safety.

Tourism affects crime statistics in complex ways. Communities like Sedona and Flagstaff have huge visitor numbers relative to their permanent population, so even small crime numbers can look high per capita. On the other hand, the economic benefits of tourism may reduce other crime factors by providing jobs and tax revenue to support public services.

On the plus side, many Arizona communities have adopted data-driven policing, focusing resources on high-risk areas and times. Community engagement programs have expanded, creating stronger relationships between residents and law enforcement. That may be why crime rates are trending down.

Looking Ahead: Arizona's Public Safety Outlook

Arizona ranks 16th for violent crime and 24th for property crime. The big year-over-year drops in both categories suggest public safety is improving across much of the state. For residents and those thinking of moving to Arizona, the city-to-city differences show you can't just look at statewide rankings. Paradise Valley, Thatcher, and Oro Valley prove that many Arizona communities have very low crime rates and that even higher-crime areas are improving.⁵

The state's growth will continue to challenge law enforcement and community leaders. As new residents move in from other states and countries, building and maintaining the social bonds that prevent crime will take intentional effort and investment.

For now, Arizona's mixed crime picture shows clear bright spots amid the challenges. The significant improvements from 2022 to 2023 provide reason for cautious optimism that public safety is moving in the right direction across the Grand Canyon State.

Where Our Crime Data Comes From

Unless specified otherwise, the information in this article is based on crime data compiled by the FBI and made available through the Crime Data Explorer. Statewide violent and property crime statistics are drawn from the FBI’s 2023 Crime in the United States Report (Table 5), and for city-level crime rates, we referred to Table 8, which lists reported offenses by state and city.

Important note: Crime statistics offer valuable insights, but they aren’t the only way to evaluate a community’s safety. Local context, law enforcement practices, and reporting standards can all influence how crime is recorded. Additionally, FBI publication tables and the data displayed on the Crime Data Explorer may differ slightly due to variations in methodology.