Missouri’s 20 Safest Cities of 2024

Alina Bradford
Mar 18, 2024
Icon Time To Read3 min read
SafeWise is pleased to release the 10th annual Safest Cities report.

Here are the 10 Safest Cities in Missouri for 2024

See crime rates for the safest cities.

In our latest State of Safety survey, people in Missouri worried about their safety overall (46%) about as much as most Americans (47%). Still, the state has higher crime rates than most states. Missouri's violent crime rates and property crime rates have both risen since the year before.  The Show Me State's safest cities have lower-than-average crime rates compared to the state, though.

In this report

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NOTE: If your city is missing from our full report, it means that it was below the population threshold or didn’t submit a complete crime report to the FBI in 2022.

2024 Missouri crime rates

Image: SafeWise

Missouri has one of the highest crime rates in the nation for both violent crime and property crime. Missouri had the ninth-highest property crime rate nationally. It also ranks as the sixth state for the highest violent crime rates. Violent crime went up in Missouri from 5.3 per 1,000 to 5.6. Property crimes also increased from 23.8 per 1,000 to 24.4. 

Image: SafeWise

Property crime in Missouri: Fear vs. reality

Missouri has the ninth-highest property crime rate in the country this year. This lines up with surveyed residents reporting an increase in personal experiences with property crime. On the whole, the state saw slightly more property crimes per 1,000 people year over year.

  • Compared to the last year (28%), more Missourians reported personal experiences with property crime this reporting year (36%).
  • 60% of participants reported experiencing package theft in the 12 months prior to the survey. That's up 7% from the previous year.
  • Even though The Show Me State’s property crime rate is higher than average, it’s trending only slightly upward.
  • 21% of Missouri residents surveyed use no form of property protection (US 25%).
  • The top form of property protection in Missouri this year was security cameras, with 40% of survey respondents using them. This almost matches the national average (39%). 
  • 40% of Missourians say they increased the security/safety measures of their property.

What security measures do Missourians use most?

Security measures used most in Missouri: security cameras, guard dogs, firearms.

Image: SafeWise


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What crimes are Missouri residents concerned about most?

Image: SafeWise

Violent crime in Missouri: Fear vs. reality

Survey responses in Missouri reflect the state's above-average violent crime rate, with fewer than half of residents feeling safe in the state. High percentages of personal experiences with gun violence could play a role in this mentality. 

  • 32% of survey respondents in Missouri reported feeling safe in their state compared to 45% of Americans.
  • 21% of Missourians reported having a personal experience with violent crime in the past 12 months—up 50% from last year.
  • 55% of The Show Me State residents surveyed reported concern over violent crime.
  • 42% of survey participants report using some form of personal protection—making Missourians more likely to do this than the national average of 36%.

Attitudes about gun violence in Missouri

  • 58% of Missouri residents cited gun violence as a safety concern—higher than the US average of 51%.
  • 26% of survey participants reported an experience with gun violence in the 12 months prior to our survey.
  • Reported experiences with gun violence is up 117% from the year before.
  • There were 15 mass shootings in Missouri in the 2023 reporting year, up one from the year before (14).
  • 31% said they use a concealed firearm as protection (US 41%).

A closer look at the safest cities in Missouri

For the purposes of this report, the terms “dangerous” and “safest” refer explicitly to crime rates as calculated from FBI crime data—no other characterization of any community is implied or intended.

  • Missouri had 134 cities that qualified for our safest cities list this year.
  • Seven safest cities reported zero murders, rapes, and robberies.
  • Cottleville, Missouri's #1 city, was the only city to report zero burglaries. 
  • Cottleville also only reported one violent crime (aggravated assault).
  • Ashland was the only city to report zero motor vehicle thefts. 
  • Both Poplar Bluff and Glendale are new to our list this year and clenched second and third place.
  • Glendale reported zero violent crimes for the year. It was the only town that was able to do it.
  • Battlefield made the biggest jump on our list. It flew up 39 spots to make it to #14.
  • Desloge had our biggest drop. It fell 44 spots.

The 20 safest cities in Missouri

Image: SafeWise

Geographic location of Cottleville, MO
#1
Cottleville
(
-0-
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,828
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.2, 0.3, 0.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    2.7, 2.2, 4.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#2
Poplar Bluff
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    16,181
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.4, N/A, 5.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    4.3, N/A, 65.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Glendale, MO
#3
Glendale
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    6,104
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.0, N/A, 0.3
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    6.2, N/A, 7.2
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Savannah, MO
#4
Savannah
(
+6
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,032
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.0, 1.0, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    3.8, 9.5, 7.3
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#5
Pleasant Hill
(
+3
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    8,811
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.7, 1.2, 3.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    4.8, 7.2, 9.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Greenwood, MO
#6
Greenwood
(
-4
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    6,077
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.2, 0.3, 1.4
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    3.8, 2.2, 3.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Ballwin, MO
#7
Ballwin
(
-4
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    30,630
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.3, 0.5, 0.6
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    6.7, 5.8, 8.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Higginsville, MO
#8
Higginsville
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    4,642
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.0, N/A, 0.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    7.5, N/A, 7.6
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Holts Summit, MO
#9
Holts Summit
(
+2
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,431
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.7, 1.1, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    6.4, 9.1, 11.2
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Smithville, MO
#10
Smithville
(
+3
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    10,654
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, 1.4, 2.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    5.6, 8.0, 10.6
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#11
Republic
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    19,481
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.7, N/A, 2.9
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    7.6, N/A, 15.3
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of O'Fallon, MO
#12
O'Fallon
(
-5
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    95,689
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.8, 1.1, 1.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    7.4, 8.0, 11.4
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Nixa, MO
#13
Nixa
(
-9
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    24,860
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    0.6, 0.4, 1.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.5, 7.7, 8.6
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Battlefield, MO
#14
Battlefield
(
+39
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    6,078
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.6, 2.7, 1.2
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    6.4, 18.9, 6.2
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Odessa, MO
#15
Odessa
(
-3
Down
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,546
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, 1.1, 1.0
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.3, 9.1, 16.8
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#16
Crystal City
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    4,698
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.5, N/A, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    8.1, N/A, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Geographic location of Hollister, CA
#17
Hollister
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    4,684
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.1, N/A, 6.7
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.4, N/A, 16.5
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#18
Jackson
(
+9
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    15,561
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.0, 1.6, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.6, 12.4, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
#19
Lake St. Louis
(
+7
Up
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    17,846
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    1.0, 1.7, 1.1
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    9.8, 12.0, 22.9
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime
Wright City, Missouri
#20
Wright City
(
New
)
  • Circle Population
    Population
    5,360
  • Circle Gun
    VC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    3.0, N/A, N/A
  • Circle Property
    PC Rate 2024, 2023, 2022
    5.4, N/A, N/A
  • Info
    VC=Violent crime, PC=Property crime

How we determined the safest cities

Learn how we identified the safest cities on our methodology page.

How to make a safe home anywhere

Over 6 in 10 Americans surveyed don't have a home security system, despite over 50% of all burglaries being residential. Unfortunately, a majority of people who have a security system added it after they had a break-in. One of the best ways to stop a burglary before it happens—and get immediate help if a break-in is detected—is to add a monitored home security system.

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Find the safest cities in each state

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Endnotes and sources

Find all endnotes and sources in our full methodology.

FBI Crime Data Explorer, "Documents & Downloads." Accessed March 18, 2024.

  • 2022 and 2021 Crime in the United States Annual Reports
    • Offenses Known to Law Enforcement
  • 2022 NIBRS Estimation Tables

Bureau of Justice Statistics, "National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)." Accessed March 18, 2024.

Gun Violence Archive, "Mass Shootings." Accessed March 18, 2023.

For over 11 years, SafeWise experts have conducted independent research and testing to create unbiased, human reviews. Learn how we test and review.

Alina Bradford
Written by
Alina is a safety and security expert that has contributed her insights to CNET, CBS, Digital Trends, MTV, Top Ten Reviews, and many others. Her goal is to make safety and security gadgets less mystifying one article at a time. In the early 2000s, Alina worked as a volunteer firefighter, earning her first responder certification and paving the way to her current career. Her activities aren’t nearly as dangerous today. Her hobbies include fixing up her 100-year-old house, doing artsy stuff, and going to the lake with her family.

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