The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in Idaho

Idaho Cities with Highest Violent Crime Rates

Garden City comes in on top at 664 violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents. It also had a high property crime rate of 1,622 crimes per 100,000 people. However, Garden City has many redeeming qualities. The city closely borders Boise and Meridian, making up a large portion of Ada County. Locals lovingly know Garden City as a developing artsy area with many wine shops, breweries, and studios calling it home. The Boise River runs through the city, coinciding with greenbelt access and pleasant surroundings to walk, run, or bike.

Crime generally increases as a side effect of a city's population increase. While tourism could also cause violent crime rates to climb, it seems an unlikely culprit given the crime rates in neighboring Boise and Meridian. Crime levels have seen a steady downturn for five consecutive years, and the city seems to regularly reinvent its image with thriving businesses and newer housing developments.

Rupert also has high violent crime rates. The population is small, with around 6,300 residents as of 2023.¹ The town is known for its major cheese production facility, Brewster Cheese, and the Historic Wilson Theatre in historic Rupert Square. It’s close to a lot of outdoor recreation areas like Lake Walcott and Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve. Most residents in Rupert own their homes and lean conservative on the political spectrum. Although the town has more violent crime than other areas in the state, the community is strong and supportive. It maintains its small-town feel. Many neighbors are still willing to lend a helping hand.

Idaho Cities with  Lowest Violent Crime Rates

Moscow

Home to the University of Idaho, Moscow is a thriving college town. It has a fun art scene with multiple festivals throughout the year and live performances at local venues. It has a nice bike path through town and accessible hiking and mountain biking at Moscow Mountain. The sense of community is strong, and the town’s violent crime rates were among the lowest in the state. These numbers may surprise some readers if they remember the news in late 2022, when four college students were tragically murdered. It was a sorrowful time for the community and Idaho as a whole. Overall, Moscow remains a safe area to live in despite the national news coverage from 2022.

Rigby

The teeny town of Rigby has a population under 6,000 and is the birthplace of television. Rigby has great golf courses and nearby Heise Hot Springs. Rigby is economically stable with a higher-than-average household income and affordable housing. The population has increased by 27 percent since 2010,² but violent crime has remained low.

Idaho Cities with Highest Property Crime Rates

Chubbuck

Chubbuck has the highest property crime rates of any city in Idaho. Chubbuck is located in southeastern Idaho with a population of just over 15,000. It neighbors Pocatello to the north and is considered part of the Pocatello metropolitan area. Larceny and theft offenses are the major property crimes committed in Chubbuck. Burglary and vehicle theft are also common. The increase could be due to increased drug activity³ in the area.

Twin Falls

Twin Falls is a growing city with over 54,000 in population in southern Idaho, and its property crime rate was the third-highest in the state. Many BASE jumpers flock to the city for the towering Perrine Bridge. It’s a scenic city with access to the Snake River Canyon, Shoshone Falls, and a trail system along the canyon rim.  Larceny and destruction of property are the most common property crime offenses. Twin Falls has seen its share of growth, the population has grown by more than 50 percent since 2000.⁴ While the population spike has potentially fueled the increase in property crime, the city still feels safe but may be more crowded with increased traffic. Families continue to move to the Twin Falls area. The economy supports a healthy number of jobs in industries like food processing and manufacturing.

Idaho Cities with  Lowest Property Crime Rates

Sun Valley

Sun Valley is one of Idahoans’ favorite places to hit the slopes in winter or hike in summer. It is a Sawtooth Mountain beauty with plentiful opportunities for all types of outdoor recreation. Sun Valley’s population is just under 2,000. The majority of residents are over the age of 50, with a median income of $162,193.⁵

Weiser

The property crime rate in Weiser is one of the lowest in Idaho. The town’s population is around 6,000, with a median age of 40. It’s a small community that lies along the Weiser River and the Idaho-Oregon border. It is home to the National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest, which attracts fiddlers from all over the U.S. Fishing is a huge pastime for residents and visitors, with thousands of miles of streams, rivers, and natural lakes to choose from.⁶

Iowa Crime Trends Analysis

While there are densely populated areas like Boise, Meridian, or Twin Falls, the state is largely rural. Many rural communities center around farming, ranching, or manufacturing. Chobani, Simplot, Micron, Glanbia Nutrition, and Amalgamated Sugar Company are all prominent employers throughout the state.

Many households throughout Idaho are firearm-friendly. As of 2025, 60 percent of households have at least one gun.⁷ Idaho places fourth for the percentage of the population that holds a gun nationally. Many Idahoans view holding firearms as a means of protection or for hunting purposes. Residents generally take great care in responsible gun ownership. Unfortunately, gun-related deaths are 30 percent higher in Idaho than at the national level as of 2023. Eighty-five percent of these deaths were suicides, with only 15 percent being classified as homicide or another type of death.⁸ On a national level, gun-related deaths from homicide are much higher — 38 percent.

Overall, Idaho’s violent crime rates are 36 percent below the national average, with a year-over-year change that is decreasing. Aggravated assault is the most common violent crime to occur in the state, but its aggravated assault rates were still 32 percent below the national average. Its murder and robbery rates were both well below the national average rates while Idaho’s rape rates were unfortunately 13 percent higher than the national average. 

Property crime is in a better position at 58 percent below the national average and is continually improving each year. Idaho is considered a very safe state to live in. Lower crime rates are a major reason for individuals and families moving to Idaho from other areas. 

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), while metro area data comes from Table 6, which breaks down offenses by metropolitan statistical areas. For city-level crime rates, we referred to Table 8, which lists reported offenses by state and city.