The Safest and Richest US Cities To Live in 2025

You might be familiar with the safest and wealthiest U.S. cities to live in circa 2024, but how do those rankings stack up against this year’s results? 

GOBankingRates’ 2025 original research on the nation’s safest and richest cities to live added 20 more cities to the overall ranking — for a total of 50 cities. The top 1,000 cities with the highest household mean income were identified using the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Additional data points include the average home value, annual cost of living and property and violent crime rates.

• Western Springs, Illinois, again ranks as the nation’s safest and richest city to live. As of 2025, the household mean income is $294,896.
• Four cities in Wisconsin, Michigan, Maryland and Ohio debuted among the richest and safest in this year’s top 10. In order of the states mentioned, they include Whitefish Bay (#4), Huntington Woods (#5), University Park (#9) and Upper Arlington (#10).
• Only two California cities — Mill Valley (#27) and Lafayette (#47) — cracked this year’s top 50. Seven California cities were featured in 2024’s top 30.
• Illinois experienced the biggest jump in wealthy cities to rank in the top 50 — with 12 cities this year compared to four in 2024. These 12 cities are Western Springs (#1), Winnetka (#7), Kenilworth (#8), Libertyville (#16), Hinsdale (#17), Deerfield (#28), Park Ridge (#33), Elmhurst (#34), Wilmette (#35), La Grange (#38), Glen Ellyn (#42) and Naperville (#49).
• No Florida cities made the rankings in 2024 or 2025.

See which 50 U.S. cities are the safest and richest to live in this year.

Also see last year’s list.

• Household mean income: $294,896
• Single family home average value: $837,238
• Total cost of living annually: $84,810
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.657
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.076

• Household mean income: $300,716
• Single family home average value: $1,697,821
• Total cost of living annually: $145,764
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.937
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.294

• Household mean income: $296,327
• Single family home average value: $1,721,011
• Total cost of living annually: $147,229
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.029
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.221

• Household mean income: $208,063
• Single family home average value: $646,546
• Total cost of living annually: $69,458
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.396
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.275

• Household mean income: $225,070
• Single family home average value: $530,900
• Total cost of living annually: $62,174
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.207
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.321

• Household mean income: $259,011
• Single family home average value: $435,312
• Total cost of living annually: $52,730
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.468
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.417

• Household mean income: $457,404
• Single family home average value: $1,803,555
• Total cost of living annually: $153,532
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.144
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.164

• Household mean income: $460,411
• Single family home average value: $1,945,017
• Total cost of living annually: $163,712
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.189
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000

• Household mean income: $239,838
• Single family home average value: $695,938
• Total cost of living annually: $75,913
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 16.532
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.424

• Household mean income: $208,451
• Single family home average value: $687,463
• Total cost of living annually: $71,587
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.203
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.140

• Household mean income: $288,861
• Single family home average value: $1,182,764
• Total cost of living annually: $112,398
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.252
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.379

• Household mean income: $216,934
• Single family home average value: $556,085
• Total cost of living annually: $61,805
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.335
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.525

• Household mean income: $297,367
• Single family home average value: $1,263,623
• Total cost of living annually: $117,378
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.662
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.164

• Household mean income: $368,179
• Single family home average value: $2,098,597
• Total cost of living annually: $174,523
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.326
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.256

• Household mean income: $246,617
• Single family home average value: $535,451
• Total cost of living annually: $61,439
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.160
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.213

• Household mean income: $214,676
• Single family home average value: $647,306
• Total cost of living annually: $69,234
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.397
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.394

• Household mean income: $376,366
• Single family home average value: $1,259,123
• Total cost of living annually: $114,926
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.554
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.117

• Household mean income: $240,711
• Single family home average value: $822,581
• Total cost of living annually: $82,101
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.947
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.369

• Household mean income: $189,791
• Single family home average value: $898,023
• Total cost of living annually: $91,010
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.784
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.334

• Household mean income: $280,644
• Single family home average value: $1,757,741
• Total cost of living annually: $149,693
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.486
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.246

• Household mean income: $247,235
• Single family home average value: $1,047,592
• Total cost of living annually: $102,035
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.807
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.125

• Household mean income: $279,257
• Single family home average value: $832,771
• Total cost of living annually: $83,587
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 13.310
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.239

• Household mean income: $300,489
• Single family home average value: $1,165,641
• Total cost of living annually: $111,066
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 17.652
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.370

• Household mean income: $245,628
• Single family home average value: $1,202,635
• Total cost of living annually: $110,755
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 13.137
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.149

• Household mean income: $203,661
• Single family home average value: $509,376
• Total cost of living annually: $58,841
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.066
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.232

• Household mean income: $239,287
• Single family home average value: $1,686,352
• Total cost of living annually: $144,788
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.435
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.603

• Household mean income: $308,154
• Single family home average value: $2,111,866
• Total cost of living annually: $176,163
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.983
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.503

• Household mean income: $246,543
• Single family home average value: $712,853
• Total cost of living annually: $74,156
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.040
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.318

• Household mean income: $187,490
• Single family home average value: $977,318
• Total cost of living annually: $94,467
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.854
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.278

• Household mean income: $210,873
• Single family home average value: $986,544
• Total cost of living annually: $94,984
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 11.148
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.223

• Household mean income: $304,408
• Single family home average value: $1,368,214
• Total cost of living annually: $124,152
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.216
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.494

• Household mean income: $197,870
• Single family home average value: $482,215
• Total cost of living annually: $58,386
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.058
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 2.335

• Household mean income: $187,830
• Single family home average value: $610,055
• Total cost of living annually: $68,801
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.175
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.664

• Household mean income: $200,730
• Single family home average value: $631,934
• Total cost of living annually: $70,240
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.168
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.400

• Household mean income: $291,930
• Single family home average value: $1,005,748
• Total cost of living annually: $96,945
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 11.651
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.335

• Household mean income: $389,868
• Single family home average value: $2,432,712
• Total cost of living annually: $195,836
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 11.483
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.319

• Household mean income: $213,836
• Single family home average value: $899,720
• Total cost of living annually: $91,254
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.710
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.271

• Household mean income: $210,646
• Single family home average value: $705,658
• Total cost of living annually: $75,553
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.616
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.603

• Household mean income: $295,018
• Single family home average value: $1,001,895
• Total cost of living annually: $97,022
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.528
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.665

• Household mean income: $261,666
• Single family home average value: $1,737,762
• Total cost of living annually: $148,234
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 5.563
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.586

• Household mean income: $281,049
• Single family home average value: $1,595,565
• Total cost of living annually: $139,457
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.366
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.774

• Household mean income: $190,562
• Single family home average value: $605,296
• Total cost of living annually: $68,523
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 6.043
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.462

• Household mean income: $202,450
• Single family home average value: $563,075
• Total cost of living annually: $64,401
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.918
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.964

• Household mean income: $217,210
• Single family home average value: $650,165
• Total cost of living annually: $71,569
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.996
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.689

• Household mean income: $273,768
• Single family home average value: $1,197,684
• Total cost of living annually: $111,327
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.400
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.173

• Household mean income: $239,298
• Single family home average value: $556,377
• Total cost of living annually: $63,474
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 9.340
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.306

• Household mean income: $319,744
• Single family home average value: $1,945,074
• Total cost of living annually: $165,358
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.459
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.804

• Household mean income: $217,943
• Single family home average value: $1,703,401
• Total cost of living annually: $147,401
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 7.886
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.655

• Household mean income: $192,516
• Single family home average value: $645,120
• Total cost of living annually: $71,529
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 8.582
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.639

• Household mean income: $190,858
• Single family home average value: $712,725
• Total cost of living annually: $78,779
• Property crime rate (per 1,000): 12.327
• Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.400

Find more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Editor’s note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations listed.

Methodology: Using the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the 1,000 cities with the highest household mean income were identified. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for May 2025. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and, using the national average expenditure costs for all households, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs were calculated for each location. Using data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crime Data Explorer, the property crime rate per 1,000 residents and the violent crime rate per 1,000 residents were both calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes and any location with a livability index below 80 was removed for this study as it represents a location with a lower quality of life. Using the average mortgage (calculated from Federal Reserve data) and expenditure costs, the cost of living was calculated for each location. The total average cost of living was scored and weighted at 1.00, the property crime rate per 1,000 was scored and weighted at 1.00, the violent crime rate per 1,000 residents was scored and weighted at 1.00, the household mean income was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the livability index was scored and weighted at 1.00. All the scores were summed and sorted to show the safest and richest cities. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Aug. 4, 2025.