Cases of aggravated assault spiked by 12% in the United States in 2020. The increase, which was the driving force behind the 5% year-over-year uptick in the overall U.S. violent crime rate, pushed the aggravated assault rate to its highest level in over a decade.
According to the FBI, aggravated assault is an unlawful physical attack on one person by another with the purpose of causing severe injury or harm. Aggravated assaults are often carried out using a deadly weapon, such as a knife, handgun, or blunt object. Most cases of aggravated assault are committed in private residences, though a large share also take place on public streets or sidewalks.
Despite the rise in assault cases nationwide, in many parts of the country, violent assault remains rare. In most states, there is at least one metropolitan area where the assault rate is well below the national average of 280 incidents per 100,000 people.
Using data from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the metro area with the fewest aggravated assault cases in each state. Metro areas are ranked by their aggravated assault rate — specifically, the number of reported aggravated assault cases for every 100,000 residents.
It is important to note that in eight states, there is only one eligible metro area with available data. In each of these cases, which are noted, the metro area listed ranks as having the fewest assault cases per capita by default only. In two states — Alabama and Pennsylvania — there are no qualifying metro areas with available crime data.
Though each of the metro areas on this list ranks as having the lowest assault rate in its respective state, assault rates in these places vary considerably, from as many as 626 incidents for every 100,000 people to as few as 35 per 100,000. In the majority of the metro areas on this list, assault rates are below the statewide rate.
Of the four types of violent crime — rаpe, robbery, aggravated assault, and homicide — aggravated assault is by far the most common, accounting for about 70% of the 1.3 million violent offenses reported in 2020. In most of the metro areas on this list, the overall violent crime rate is below the rate across the state as a whole.
Click here to see the metro with the fewest assaults in every state
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Alabama: No eligible metros
> Assaults per 100k people: N/A (Alabama: 357.1)
> Number of assaults: N/A (Alabama: 17,577)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: N/A (Alabama: 453.6)
> Poverty rate: N/A (Alabama: 15.5%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: N/A (Alabama: 4,921,532)
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Alaska: Fairbanks
> Assaults per 100k people: 625.7 (Alaska: 578.9)
> Number of assaults: 206 (Alaska: 4,233)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 841.4 (Alaska: 837.8)
> Poverty rate: 5.9% (Alaska: 10.1%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 32,922 (Alaska: 731,158)
Arizona: Lake Havasu City-Kingman
> Assaults per 100k people: 176.6 (Arizona: 350.2)
> Number of assaults: 379 (Arizona: 25,993)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 228.3 (Arizona: 484.8)
> Poverty rate: 15.7% (Arizona: 13.5%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 214,625 (Arizona: 7,421,401)
Arkansas: Hot Springs
> Assaults per 100k people: 444.1 (Arkansas: 535.8)
> Number of assaults: 443 (Arkansas: 16,239)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 583.4 (Arkansas: 671.9)
> Poverty rate: 17.4% (Arkansas: 16.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 99,763 (Arkansas: 3,030,522)
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California: Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
> Assaults per 100k people: 112.9 (California: 288.7)
> Number of assaults: 948 (California: 113,646)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 200.7 (California: 442.0)
> Poverty rate: 7.9% (California: 11.8%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 839,861 (California: 39,368,078)
Colorado: Boulder
> Assaults per 100k people: 195.3 (Colorado: 286.9)
> Number of assaults: 640 (Colorado: 16,660)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 293.2 (Colorado: 423.1)
> Poverty rate: 10.9% (Colorado: 9.3%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 327,747 (Colorado: 5,807,719)
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Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
> Assaults per 100k people: 87.2 (Connecticut: 103.8)
> Number of assaults: 810 (Connecticut: 3,692)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 163.9 (Connecticut: 181.6)
> Poverty rate: 9.1% (Connecticut: 10.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 928,567 (Connecticut: 3,557,006)
Delaware: Dover*
> Assaults per 100k people: 361.0 (Delaware: 327.1)
> Number of assaults: 663 (Delaware: 3,228)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 442.6 (Delaware: 431.9)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (Delaware: 11.3%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 183,675 (Delaware: 986,809)
*Because Dover is the only eligible metro in Delaware, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
Florida: Sebastian-Vero Beach
> Assaults per 100k people: 107.4 (Florida: 280.1)
> Number of assaults: 174 (Florida: 60,871)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 135.1 (Florida: 383.6)
> Poverty rate: 12.3% (Florida: 12.7%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 162,048 (Florida: 21,733,312)
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Georgia: Gainesville
> Assaults per 100k people: 171.0 (Georgia: 293.8)
> Number of assaults: 354 (Georgia: 31,471)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 231.4 (Georgia: 400.1)
> Poverty rate: 14.5% (Georgia: 13.3%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 207,015 (Georgia: 10,710,017)
Hawaii: Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina*
> Assaults per 100k people: 146.0 (Hawaii: 149.2)
> Number of assaults: 244 (Hawaii: 2,099)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 226.7 (Hawaii: 254.2)
> Poverty rate: 11.9% (Hawaii: 9.3%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 167,178 (Hawaii: 1,407,006)
*Because Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina is the only eligible metro in Hawaii, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
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Idaho: Lewiston
> Assaults per 100k people: 126.1 (Idaho: 185.3)
> Number of assaults: 80 (Idaho: 3,385)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 184.4 (Idaho: 242.6)
> Poverty rate: 11.2% (Idaho: 11.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 63,436 (Idaho: 1,826,913)
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Illinois: Bloomington
> Assaults per 100k people: 193.8 (Illinois: 278.9)
> Number of assaults: 331 (Illinois: 35,110)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 282.8 (Illinois: 425.9)
> Poverty rate: 15.7% (Illinois: 11.5%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 170,810 (Illinois: 12,587,530)
Indiana: Fort Wayne
> Assaults per 100k people: 229.3 (Indiana: 253.0)
> Number of assaults: 953 (Indiana: 17,093)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 334.9 (Indiana: 357.7)
> Poverty rate: 10.2% (Indiana: 11.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 415,629 (Indiana: 6,754,953)
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Iowa: Ames
> Assaults per 100k people: 113.7 (Iowa: 229.4)
> Number of assaults: 141 (Iowa: 7,258)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 183.8 (Iowa: 303.5)
> Poverty rate: 15.6% (Iowa: 11.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 124,033 (Iowa: 3,163,561)
Kansas: Manhattan*
> Assaults per 100k people: 304.0 (Kansas: 346.4)
> Number of assaults: 396 (Kansas: 10,094)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 376.1 (Kansas: 425.0)
> Poverty rate: 18.6% (Kansas: 11.4%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 130,281 (Kansas: 2,913,805)
*Because Manhattan is the only eligible metro in Kansas, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
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Kentucky: Elizabethtown-Fort Knox
> Assaults per 100k people: 64.2 (Kentucky: 168.3)
> Number of assaults: 99 (Kentucky: 7,537)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 100.5 (Kentucky: 259.1)
> Poverty rate: 11.1% (Kentucky: 16.3%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 154,232 (Kentucky: 4,477,251)
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Louisiana: Lafayette
> Assaults per 100k people: 364.1 (Louisiana: 497.0)
> Number of assaults: 1,784 (Louisiana: 23,087)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 450.0 (Louisiana: 639.4)
> Poverty rate: 18.4% (Louisiana: 19.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 489,998 (Louisiana: 4,645,318)
Maine: Bangor
> Assaults per 100k people: 35.4 (Maine: 58.4)
> Number of assaults: 54 (Maine: 788)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 57.7 (Maine: 108.6)
> Poverty rate: 12.1% (Maine: 10.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 152,409 (Maine: 1,350,141)
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Maryland: California-Lexington Park*
> Assaults per 100k people: 132.4 (Maryland: 243.7)
> Number of assaults: 151 (Maryland: 14,756)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 196.4 (Maryland: 399.9)
> Poverty rate: 7.3% (Maryland: 9.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 114,031 (Maryland: 6,055,802)
*Because California-Lexington Park is the only eligible metro in Maryland, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton
> Assaults per 100k people: 191.6 (Massachusetts: 235.9)
> Number of assaults: 9,362 (Massachusetts: 16,262)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 253.8 (Massachusetts: 308.8)
> Poverty rate: 8.6% (Massachusetts: 9.4%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 4,885,414 (Massachusetts: 6,893,574)
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Michigan: Midland
> Assaults per 100k people: 90.6 (Michigan: 365.1)
> Number of assaults: 75 (Michigan: 36,384)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 144.9 (Michigan: 478.0)
> Poverty rate: 9.3% (Michigan: 13.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 82,820 (Michigan: 9,966,555)
Minnesota: Rochester
> Assaults per 100k people: 114.0 (Minnesota: 166.5)
> Number of assaults: 254 (Minnesota: 9,420)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 187.6 (Minnesota: 277.5)
> Poverty rate: 6.9% (Minnesota: 9.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 222,817 (Minnesota: 5,657,342)
Mississippi: Hattiesburg*
> Assaults per 100k people: 158.0 (Mississippi: 194.0)
> Number of assaults: 267 (Mississippi: 5,756)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 249.8 (Mississippi: 291.2)
> Poverty rate: 22.5% (Mississippi: 19.6%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 168,941 (Mississippi: 2,966,786)
*Because Hattiesburg is the only eligible metro in Mississippi, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
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Missouri: Jefferson City
> Assaults per 100k people: 120.3 (Missouri: 413.3)
> Number of assaults: 182 (Missouri: 25,426)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 165.9 (Missouri: 542.7)
> Poverty rate: 10.8% (Missouri: 12.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 151,302 (Missouri: 6,151,548)
Montana: Missoula
> Assaults per 100k people: 308.1 (Montana: 383.7)
> Number of assaults: 373 (Montana: 4,146)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 404.0 (Montana: 469.8)
> Poverty rate: 11.5% (Montana: 12.6%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 121,047 (Montana: 1,080,577)
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Nebraska: Grand Island
> Assaults per 100k people: 239.8 (Nebraska: 229.3)
> Number of assaults: 181 (Nebraska: 4,442)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 340.5 (Nebraska: 334.1)
> Poverty rate: 10.3% (Nebraska: 9.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 75,484 (Nebraska: 1,937,552)
Nevada: Carson City
> Assaults per 100k people: 264.9 (Nevada: 306.8)
> Number of assaults: 149 (Nevada: 9,629)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 400.0 (Nevada: 460.3)
> Poverty rate: 12.5% (Nevada: 12.5%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 56,250 (Nevada: 3,138,259)
New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua*
> Assaults per 100k people: 141.6 (New Hampshire: 85.3)
> Number of assaults: 594 (New Hampshire: 1,166)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 217.7 (New Hampshire: 146.4)
> Poverty rate: 7.3% (New Hampshire: 7.3%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 419,347 (New Hampshire: 1,366,275)
*Because Manchester-Nashua is the only eligible metro in New Hampshire, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
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New Jersey: Ocean City
> Assaults per 100k people: 120.4 (New Jersey: 127.9)
> Number of assaults: 110 (New Jersey: 11,363)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 168.5 (New Jersey: 195.4)
> Poverty rate: 8.8% (New Jersey: 9.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 91,384 (New Jersey: 8,882,371)
New Mexico: Farmington
> Assaults per 100k people: 517.8 (New Mexico: 615.9)
> Number of assaults: 640 (New Mexico: 12,973)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 661.0 (New Mexico: 778.3)
> Poverty rate: 21.2% (New Mexico: 18.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 123,608 (New Mexico: 2,106,319)
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New York: Glens Falls
> Assaults per 100k people: 42.8 (New York: 240.7)
> Number of assaults: 53 (New York: 46,538)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 125.9 (New York: 363.8)
> Poverty rate: 10.8% (New York: 13.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 123,934 (New York: 19,336,776)
North Carolina: Raleigh-Cary
> Assaults per 100k people: 153.3 (North Carolina: 314.5)
> Number of assaults: 2,180 (North Carolina: 33,337)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 223.6 (North Carolina: 419.3)
> Poverty rate: 8.9% (North Carolina: 13.6%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 1,422,373 (North Carolina: 10,600,823)
North Dakota: Grand Forks
> Assaults per 100k people: 164.7 (North Dakota: 253.4)
> Number of assaults: 165 (North Dakota: 1,939)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 232.6 (North Dakota: 329.0)
> Poverty rate: 13.9% (North Dakota: 10.6%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 100,189 (North Dakota: 765,309)
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Ohio: Cincinnati
> Assaults per 100k people: 142.3 (Ohio: 191.6)
> Number of assaults: 3,170 (Ohio: 22,406)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 235.7 (Ohio: 308.8)
> Poverty rate: 11.3% (Ohio: 13.1%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 2,227,744 (Ohio: 11,693,217)
Oklahoma: Enid
> Assaults per 100k people: 322.5 (Oklahoma: 339.3)
> Number of assaults: 197 (Oklahoma: 13,506)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 415.8 (Oklahoma: 458.6)
> Poverty rate: 10.1% (Oklahoma: 15.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 61,092 (Oklahoma: 3,980,783)
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Oregon: Albany-Lebanon
> Assaults per 100k people: 94.2 (Oregon: 200.6)
> Number of assaults: 123 (Oregon: 8,510)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 149.3 (Oregon: 291.9)
> Poverty rate: 13.3% (Oregon: 11.4%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 130,611 (Oregon: 4,241,507)
Pennsylvania: No eligible metros
> Assaults per 100k people: N/A (Pennsylvania: 264.6)
> Number of assaults: N/A (Pennsylvania: 33,828)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: N/A (Pennsylvania: 389.5)
> Poverty rate: N/A (Pennsylvania: 12.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: N/A (Pennsylvania: 12,783,254)
Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick*
> Assaults per 100k people: 205.6 (Rhode Island: 157.5)
> Number of assaults: 3,333 (Rhode Island: 1,665)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 285.6 (Rhode Island: 230.8)
> Poverty rate: 11.0% (Rhode Island: 10.8%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 1,621,159 (Rhode Island: 1,057,125)
*Because Providence-Warwick is the only eligible metro in Rhode Island, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
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South Carolina: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
> Assaults per 100k people: 259.0 (South Carolina: 420.3)
> Number of assaults: 587 (South Carolina: 21,934)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 326.9 (South Carolina: 530.7)
> Poverty rate: 10.8% (South Carolina: 13.8%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 226,652 (South Carolina: 5,218,040)
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
> Assaults per 100k people: 386.8 (South Dakota: 399.1)
> Number of assaults: 1,056 (South Dakota: 3,563)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 477.7 (South Dakota: 501.4)
> Poverty rate: 7.7% (South Dakota: 11.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 273,001 (South Dakota: 892,717)
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Tennessee: Johnson City
> Assaults per 100k people: 250.7 (Tennessee: 543.2)
> Number of assaults: 512 (Tennessee: 37,412)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 306.1 (Tennessee: 672.7)
> Poverty rate: 17.9% (Tennessee: 13.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 204,189 (Tennessee: 6,886,834)
Texas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
> Assaults per 100k people: 190.9 (Texas: 302.5)
> Number of assaults: 1,673 (Texas: 88,810)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 274.8 (Texas: 446.5)
> Poverty rate: 27.3% (Texas: 13.6%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 876,280 (Texas: 29,360,759)
Utah: Logan
> Assaults per 100k people: 58.4 (Utah: 159.9)
> Number of assaults: 84 (Utah: 5,198)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 118.2 (Utah: 260.7)
> Poverty rate: 14.7% (Utah: 8.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 143,828 (Utah: 3,249,879)
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Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington*
> Assaults per 100k people: 129.7 (Vermont: 126.7)
> Number of assaults: 287 (Vermont: 790)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 198.4 (Vermont: 173.4)
> Poverty rate: 11.4% (Vermont: 10.2%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 221,248 (Vermont: 623,347)
*Because Burlington-South Burlington is the only eligible metro in Vermont, it is the metro with the fewest assaults by default.
Virginia: Winchester
> Assaults per 100k people: 105.0 (Virginia: 141.7)
> Number of assaults: 149 (Virginia: 12,175)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 150.8 (Virginia: 208.7)
> Poverty rate: 8.6% (Virginia: 9.9%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 141,877 (Virginia: 8,590,563)
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Washington: Wenatchee
> Assaults per 100k people: 77.5 (Washington: 187.6)
> Number of assaults: 94 (Washington: 14,435)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 116.2 (Washington: 293.7)
> Poverty rate: 13.0% (Washington: 9.8%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 121,320 (Washington: 7,693,612)
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West Virginia: Huntington-Ashland
> Assaults per 100k people: 161.3 (West Virginia: 282.1)
> Number of assaults: 571 (West Virginia: 5,034)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 240.2 (West Virginia: 355.9)
> Poverty rate: 16.9% (West Virginia: 16.0%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 353,926 (West Virginia: 1,784,787)
Wisconsin: La Crosse-Onalaska
> Assaults per 100k people: 98.7 (Wisconsin: 230.6)
> Number of assaults: 135 (Wisconsin: 13,452)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 155.8 (Wisconsin: 323.4)
> Poverty rate: 11.6% (Wisconsin: 10.4%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 136,752 (Wisconsin: 5,832,655)
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Wyoming: Casper
> Assaults per 100k people: 114.1 (Wyoming: 162.6)
> Number of assaults: 92 (Wyoming: 947)
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 227.0 (Wyoming: 234.2)
> Poverty rate: 8.6% (Wyoming: 10.1%)
> Population within reporting jurisdiction: 80,625 (Wyoming: 582,328)
Methodology
To determine the metro area with the fewest assaults in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed aggravated assault figures from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report. The rate of assaults per 100,000 people was calculated using population data from the FBI.
Limited data were available in the 2020 UCR for areas in Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though these places were not excluded from analysis. Only metro areas for which the boundaries defined by the FBI match the boundaries as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau were considered.
Additional information on the violent crime rate and the population within the jurisdictions reporting figures to the FBI are also from the 2020 FBI UCR. Poverty rates are one-year estimates from the 2019 ACS.
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