Crime & Safety

Six Large OC Cities Among Safest in California

Irvine, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Yorba Linda, Orange and San Clemente all ranked among the 20 safest large cities in California in 2012.

Six cities in Orange County are among the safest large cities in California, according to an analysis by Patch of new FBI figures.

The ranking is based on violent crimes per 1,000 residents as reported by the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program.

Based on this data, the 20 safest cities over 50,000 population and their violent crime rate per 1,000 residents in 2012 were:

 1. Irvine – 0.51 crimes per 1,000 residents
 2. San Ramon  –  0.61 crimes per 1,000 residents
 3. Murrieta – 0.66 crimes per 1,000 residents
 4. Pleasanton – 0.68 crimes per 1,000 residents
 5. Laguna Niguel – 0.73 crimes per 1,000 residents
 6. Eastvale – 0.74 crimes per 1,000 residents
 7. Mission Viejo – 0.76 crimes per 1,000 residents
 8. Palo Alto – 0.80 crimes per 1,000 residents
 9. Yorba Linda – 0.81 crimes per 1,000 residents
10. Rocklin – 0.83 crimes per 1,000 residents
11. Chino Hills – 0.84 crimes per 1,000 residents
12. Camarillo – 0.92 crimes per 1,000 residents
13. Temecula – 0.94 crimes per 1,000 residents
14. Orange – 0.97 crimes per 1,000 residents
15. Cupertino – 0.97 crimes per 1,000 residents
16. Diamond Bar – 0.97 crimes per 1,000 residents
17. Arcadia – 0.99 crimes per 1,000 residents
18. Menifee  – 1.09 crimes per 1,000 residents
19. Simi Valley – 1.11 crimes per 1,000 residents
20. San Clemente – 1.15 crimes per 1,000 residents

Violent crimes are defined as murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Irvine had a total of 110 violent crimes, Laguna Niguel 47, Mission Viejo 73, Yorba Linda 53, Orange 135 and San Clemente 75, according to the FBI report.

Aliso Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita were just as safe, but didn't make the list because they are slightly under 50,000 population.

The large city with the highest crime rate in California was Oakland at 19.93 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.

Nationally the rate of violent crime in 2012 was 3.87 crimes per 1,000 residents.

The FBI cautions that there are "many variables that mold the crime in a particular town" and rankings "often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting cities and counties, along with their residents."


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