SmartAsset Study Ranks Plano as Second Safest Major City in the U.S.

According to a new study by SmartAsset, Plano has been ranked as the second safest large city in the United States, following Virginia Beach. This assessment evaluated 83 cities with populations exceeding 250,000, which represent over 90 percent of major urban areas in the country. Plano outperformed cities such as Madison, Wisconsin; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Chesapeake, Virginia, which completed the top five list.

The study's methodology involved a composite score based on four different metrics rather than solely focusing on crime rates. Two of these metrics were derived from the FBI's 2024 Crime in the United States report, measuring violent crimes and property crimes per 1,000 residents.

Additionally, the study included motor vehicle fatalities per 100,000 residents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as disaster risk data from FEMA's National Risk Index, which was updated in April 2026 and converted to a five-point scale.

In Plano, the statistics reported were 1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 14.7 property crimes per 1,000 residents, and 6.9 auto fatalities per 100,000 residents. However, the city's disaster risk rating was classified as "Relatively High," which negatively impacted its overall score. Despite this setback, Plano secured its position as the second safest city.

The study highlighted the disparity in safety among Texas cities, with both Plano and Laredo ranking in the top ten at second and sixth, respectively. Conversely, Dallas and Houston were noted for their poor standings, with Houston ranked second to last.

The methodology of the study is important to consider, as it utilized county-level data as a proxy for city conditions on certain measures. This approach can skew results in a state like Texas, where a single county may encompass both urban and suburban areas, affecting larger cities more than smaller suburban ones.

While rankings like this are based on public data from credible sources, they do have limitations. The crime data reflects conditions from 2024 and relies on voluntary reporting from local law enforcement agencies, which can vary in classification and reporting practices. Thus, while a single year's ranking may not provide a complete picture, consistent performance over multiple years can indicate broader trends in safety.

Plano has consistently ranked highly in safety assessments, with its low violent crime rate of 1.5 per 1,000 residents contributing to its favorable standing in this study.

Sources

https://smartasset.com/data-studies/americas-safest-big-cities-2026-study