Where are the safest cities in Washington state? See the top 10 list
When deciding which city you’ll call home, safety is a key factor.
People in Washington state “worry more about crime and safety on a daily basis than most of America, but they’re less likely to experience crimes first-hand,” SafeWise contributor Cathy Habas wrote in a Jan. 29 article.
In fact, crime rates are “down across the state,” Habas said, and several cities have seen “impressive decreases in crime over the last couple of years.”
SafeWise recently released its 2026 State of Safety in America study tracking show U.S. residents “perceive, experience and respond to safety risks over time.”
The home security company surveyed at least 5,000 adults across all 50 states about the safety incidents they’ve experienced, the types of crimes that concern them most and how they protect themselves, their homes and their families.
SafeWise also identified the safest communities in every state — including the safest cities in Washington state.
Here’s which Washington cities made the list made the list:
How common are violent crimes in Washington state?
In 2026, Washington state saw 4.35 violent crimes per 1,000 people, lower than the national average of 4.43, SafeWise said.
The home security company said it didn’t report a statewide violent crime rate in 2025 “due to insufficient data,” but noted that Washington state reported 4.7 violent crimes per 1,000 people in 2024.
About 9% of Washington state residents who responded to SafeWise’s survey said they personally experienced a violent crime in the past 12 months, down from 14% the year before.
How bad are property crimes in Washington state?
Property crime in Washington state decreased slightly from 35.6 incidents per 1,000 people in 2024 to 35.48 incidents in 2026, according to SafeWise.
That’s higher than the national property crime rate of 22.89 incidents per 1,000 people, the company said.
Package thefts remain a concern for Washington state residents, SmartWise said, with 19% of survey respondents reporting that they experienced a property crime in the past 12 months.
That’s down significantly from 35% of survey takers in 2024 and 2025.
What is the safest city in Washington State?
In 2026, the safest city in Washington state was Sedro-Woolley north of Seattle in Skagit County, according to the SafeWise study.
Known as the “Gateway to the North Cascades,” the city of about 13,100 people has close ties to the timber and forestry industries, according to Visit Skagit Valley.
It also offers “easy access to North Cascades National Park and numerous outdoor adventures,” the local tourism bureau said.
How safe is Sedro-Woolley in Skagit County?
Property crime in Sedro-Woolley has decreased 72% over the past three years, SafeWise said, while the city’s violent crime rate has decreased by 85% over the past two years.
Sedro-Woolley had a violent crime rate of 0.2 incidents per 1,000 people in 2026, and a violent crime rate of 6.9 property crimes per 1,000 people, according to the home security company.
Ready to move? As of Thursday, May 13, the average Sedro-Woolley home was valued at $500,824, according to real estate website Zillow.
Where are the top 10 cities for safety?
According to SafeWise, these were the top 10 safest cities in Washington state in 2026:
- Sedro-Woolley
- Sammamish
- Camas
- Bainbridge Island
- Snoqualmie
- Mercer Island
- Kenmore
- Battle Ground
- Lake Stevens
- Ridgefield
How did SafeWise rank Washington state’s safest cities?
SafeWise said it used the “most up-to-date FBI crime data as the backbone of our reports.”
“This means we rely on voluntary, self-reported information that cities and jurisdictions across the country report through the FBI Summary Reporting System and National Incident-Based Reporting System,” the company said.
For its 2026 ranking of Washington state’s safest cities, SafeWise focused on the most recent FBI data, released in August and covering crimes reported in the 2024 calendar year.
This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Where are the safest cities in Washington state? See the top 10 list."