Are NC’s biggest cities safe? Here’s where they rank in a new report
Raleigh is the only large North Carolina city to rank in the top quarter of safest cities, according to a recent SmartAsset study.
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North Carolina’s state capital ranks as the 15th safest large city, followed by Durham at No. 34. Three of other North Carolina’s largest cities, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Greensboro, all rank in the bottom half of the ratings.
SmartAsset, a personal finance website, reviewed 83 United States cities with populations over 250,000 and ranked them based on violent crime, property crime, traffic fatality rates and natural disaster risk data. More than 90% of the country’s largest cities were included in the report and the “remainder were excluded due to inconsistent or unavailable data,” according to the company’s methodology.
“Big cities offer diverse job markets, extensive amenities and greater access to public services,” according to the report. “But they also sometimes come with more acute safety concerns. While no major population center is entirely free from danger, some are more successful than others at creating environments where people can live, work and travel with confidence.”
This week, while stumping for Republican candidates in Gaston County, President Donald Trump called North Carolina cities “blood-soaked killing fields,” The Charlotte Observer reported. North Carolina ranks 31 out of the 50 states for violent crimes, according to U.S. News & World Report.
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Here’s how each North Carolina city measured up:
These large cities are the top-10 safest cities, according to the SmartAsset study:
These large cities were rated as least safe, according to the SmartAsset report.
Common sense and a few safety practices can help decrease your chance of becoming a crime victim, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
The department recommends the following tips:
This story was originally published September 17, 2026 at 3:16 PM with the headline “Are NC’s biggest cities safe? Here’s where they rank in a new report.”
Read more Are NC’s biggest cities safe? Here’s where they rank in a new report
