According to a recent study by SmartAsset, Texas cities exhibit a wide range of safety levels, with Plano earning the title of the second safest large city in the nation. Laredo follows closely behind at sixth place, while Dallas and Houston find themselves in the bottom 10, with Houston ranked second from last.
The study evaluated 83 U.S. cities with populations exceeding 250,000, covering over 90 percent of the country's large urban areas. Plano's high ranking is attributed to its low crime rates, with 1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents and 14.7 property crimes per 1,000 residents. Additionally, the city recorded 6.9 motor vehicle fatalities per 100,000 residents.
However, Plano's overall score was negatively impacted by its disaster risk, which was categorized as "Relatively High." This aspect contributed to the city's second-place finish rather than enhancing it.
The study's methodology combined four distinct measures, including violent and property crime rates from the FBI's 2024 Crime in the United States report, motor vehicle fatalities from the CDC, and disaster risk data from FEMA's National Risk Index.
The ranking highlights a significant disparity among Texas cities. While Plano and Laredo rank highly, Dallas and Houston's positions reflect the challenges faced by larger urban centers. The study notes that it used county-level data as a proxy for city conditions, which can skew results, especially in a state where urban and suburban areas coexist within the same county.
