SAN JOSE IS BEING RECOGNIZED as the nation’s safest major city, but officials say there’s still work to be done.
A report by financial tech company SmartAsset has ranked San Jose safest out of the 50 largest U.S. cities based on several factors, including violent crimes, traffic fatalities per 100,000 residents, median income and housing costs. San Jose has among the lowest rates in all categories, with the third fewest violent crimes and fifth fewest property crimes. Los Angeles ranked second and Forth Worth, Texas ranked third.
The report weighs each city’s violent crime rate, property crime rate, vehicular mortality rate, drug overdose death rate and the percent of each city’s population who engage in excessive drinking. It uses statistics from the FBI’s 2023 Uniform Crime Reporting Database and 2025 County Health Rankings.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said safety was a priority he heard repeatedly while knocking on doors during his reelection campaign.
“So many people told me they wanted to see San Jose become the safest big city in the nation once again,” Mahan wrote in a post on social media. “I still think we have a long way to go — but the progress we’ve made is all thanks to the San Jose Police Department.”
According to the report, San Jose has 0.0053 violent crimes per capita and 0.026 property crimes per capita. The city has about seven traffic deaths per 100,000 residents and 17 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents, with 17.8% of its population reporting excessive drinking.
SJPD spokesperson Sgt. Jorge Garibay said the department is grateful for SmartAsset’s recognition and that it reflects the department and community’s progress toward improving policing and focusing on prevention.
“Our homicide unit’s near-perfect solve rate over the past several years demonstrates that commitment,” Garibay told San José Spotlight, referencing the unit’s 100% clearance rate for homicides over the past three years. “But we know public safety is never a fixed achievement, and as San Jose grows, our focus remains on innovation, strong community partnerships and staying ahead of tomorrow’s challenges.”
Safest… and pricey
Mahan previously touted San Jose’s safety record by comparing the city’s rate of homicides per 100,000 residents to Oakland, San Francisco and the national average. Justice advocates said other statistics need to be weighed to determine a city’s safety, such as traffic fatalities and economic hardship. San Jose is consistently one of the nation’s most expensive cities to live in, with the highest utility bills and home prices.
SmartAsset did measure traffic fatalities, and the city has multiple programs to improve its road safety. The Vision Zero program includes a five-year plan to reduce traffic fatalities through fixing unsafe roads and installing safety infrastructure, such as sidewalks and bike lanes.
Public safety was a top priority for District 3 voters earlier this year. Councilmember Anthony Tordillos, who took his seat in August following a special election, said he is glad to see how highly the study ranked San Jose in traffic-related metrics, as public safety stretches beyond crime. He said he’s interested in working on making roads safer, especially plans to improve the bike lane network downtown and expanding the traffic calming infrastructure on the city’s most dangerous roads.
“Safety isn’t just about data — it’s about how people feel,” Tordillos told San José Spotlight. “I know we still have room for improvements on that front, and ensuring that every resident feels safe at home, on our streets and visiting downtown is one of my top priorities.”
Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at sakura@sanjosespotlight.com or @SakuCannestra on X.
This story originally appeared in San Jose Spotlight.
