Safest Places in Colorado (2015)

When deciding where to live, safety is a top priority. Our team at ValuePenguin has analyzed the most recent FBI Crime Report to determine the safety of cities in Colorado. The crimes scores of these 81 cities ranged from 42 to 5,423, with an average of 1,525.

In the expansive state known for its section of the grand Rocky Mountains, smaller turned out to be safer. Each member of our five safest places, while not completely immune from crime, enjoys the quiet of a population lower than 8,000 residents. Capital Denver, by contrast, with its approximately 650,000 people, ranked third-to-last by crime score, which took into account both violent and property crimes per 100,000 people.

5 safest places in Colorado

These cities have an average crime score of 178, 88% lower than their typical peer in Colorado. All of these places have populations of less than 8,000. With some of the state’s lowest total violent crime rates, these five cities are the safest places in Colorado.

1. Dacono

Dacono came out on top with a crime score of 42, which is 72% better than the next-safest city on our list. It reported one violent crime and one property crime for all of 2013. Home to the Colorado National Speedway, a NASCAR-quality racetrack, Dacono calls itself a "mecca" for extreme sports. A lot has changed since the city’s founder named the city using three residents’ first names (Daisy, Cora and Nora) at the beginning of the 20th century. One thing that’s stayed the same: Dacono’s panoramic views of the nearby Rockies.

2. Fort Lupton

The city with the highest population among these five, Fort Lupton resides a 45-minute drive north of Denver and just eight miles east of the even safer Dacono. With just three violent crimes to speak of for 2013, it registered a crime score of 183. Property crime is a bigger threat for local law enforcement. Fort Lupton as a whole is focused on its mission of preserving the city’s unique history.

3. Rocky Ford

Rocky Ford, situated in the Arkansas River Valley, reported just three crimes to the FBI two years ago, giving it a crime score of 211, or 86% lower than that of the state’s average city. This is the case despite its below-average median household income ($21,694) and median home value ($68,645), according to 2012 data. The residents' claim to fame? The watermelon and cantaloupe that local farms grow and export across the country every year. President Obama even endorsed the smallish city’s juicy fruit.

4. Eaton

Eaton is the northernmost place on our list. Served by a 10-person police department, it has the opposite problem of Fort Lupton: more violent crimes (six) than property-related infractions (three). The town itself has placed an emphasis on fostering local business, with its chamber of commerce taking the lead. It’s chasing its unofficial "Garden of Eaton" nickname.

5. Yuma

Yuma has the lowest population among our top five. Like Dacono, it classifies itself as a more independent "home rule municipality." The oddly shaped municipality, which is located about 150 miles east of Denver, traces its roots to the Yuma Indians, the name its high school now bears. It’s protected by a police department comprising seven officers.

Methodology

To rank these places, we collected data from the 2013 FBI crime statistics by city, which provide the most recent crime data available. Not every town participates in this report, and we also excluded towns with fewer than 3,000 residents because towns with small populations are more sensitive to crime score fluctuations for fewer crimes committed. The raw data report included property crimes (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson) and violent crimes (murder/manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault) from all law enforcement agencies that chose to partake in the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program.

We standardized the data to reflect violent and property crimes per 100,000, to account for population. Then, we aggregated a "crime score" by weighting violent crime at 80% and property crime at 20%. Though property crime is more prevalent, we figured that violent crime is more concerning to town residents. Then we adjusted the crime score for population size, giving more slack to larger cities. Finally, we ranked the cities based on their crime scores.

Full list of places in Colorado