The Safest College Towns in America

https://nypost.com/2026/10/18/lifestyle/boulder-colorado-rated-one-of-americas-least-safe-college-towns/

Safest college towns:

Dallas: Southern Methodist University;

 University of Texas, Dallas; University of Dallas

Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida

Logan, Utah: Utah State University

Troy, New York: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Fresno, California: California State University, Fresno

San Bernardino: California State University, San Bernardino

Orem, Utah: Utah Valley University

Santa Rosa, California: University of San Francisco, Santa Rosa

Tallahassee: Florida State University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Winston-Salem State University; 

North Carolina School of the Arts

The study from Lesson Maker Pro evaluated 174 college towns — big and small — across seven safety metrics, tracking crimes from Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) violations and hate crimes to robberies and aggravated assaults.

Researchers culled data from the US Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security Database and calculated crime rates per 10,000 students to determine which campuses are setting the standard for student safety — and which ones fall alarmingly short.

The most dangerous college town in America, according to the results, is Shreveport, Louisiana — home to Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, which reported 788 violent crimes per 100,000 students in 2024.

But Boulder, Colorado, was the runner-up. The University of Colorado, Boulder recorded the second-highest total rapes nationwide in 2024, with 96 rapes, according to data.

Nearly one-in-five women at CU-Boulder reported being sexually assaulted since arriving on campus, according to a 2024 survey — an increase from 15% in 2021, according to The Colorado Sun.