alabamaAlabama is located in the Southern United States and is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Home to 4.8 million residents, the state is 24th most populous in the country, and its largest city by population is Birmingham. Alabama offers residents a diverse landscape, with hundreds of indigenous animal species and unique flora and fauna. Once a largely agricultural region, the state has evolved to embrace such things as aerospace, manufacturing, and finance. If you’re looking to make the Heart of Dixie your next home, here are the 25 safest cities in Alabama.

Related: Check out our Alabama Public Records guide.
Our list was compiled based on FBI violent crime stats and proprietary backgroundchecks.org research data. Rates are normalized per 100,000 residents with the state average being 427 for violent crime and 3,178 for property crime. This is calculated by taking (# of crimes/population) * 100,000.

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#1 Mountain Brook

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Located in southeastern Jefferson County, the city of Mountain Brook is home to 20,400 residents.  Considered an affluent suburb of Birmingham, the community was incorporated in 1942 and consists of three distinct villages.  Mountain Brook is the safest place to live in Alabama, with a violent crime rate of 39 and the chance of being affected by property crime here just 1.4%.

#2 Vestavia Hills

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A city in Jefferson and Shelby counties, Vestavia Hills is home to 24,400 residents.  Also considered a Birmingham suburb, the community encompasses 19.4 square miles, has a vast system of parks, and is known for its high-quality public schools.  Another safe choice, the violent crime rate in Vestavia Hills is 64.3, and residents have a 1.4% chance of being involved in a property crime here.

#3 Helena

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Also located in Shelby and Jefferson counties, the city of Helena is home to 16,700 residents.  Also a suburb of Birmingham, the community sits at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains foothills, and was included in Money’s list of best places to live in the U.S.  The violent crime rate here is 64.4, and the chance of being affected by property crime in Helena is just 1%.

#4 Hoover

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Another city in Jefferson and Shelby counties, Hoover is home to 84,100 residents.  Considered Birmingham’s largest suburb, the community features a minor league baseball team as well as the Riverchase Galleria, one of the largest shopping centers in the Southeast.  The violent crime rate in Hoover is 104.5, and residents of the city have a 2.6% chance of being involved in a property crime.

#5 Eufaula

Located in Barbour County, the city of Eufaula is home to 13,100 residents.  The community sits along the banks of both the Chattahoochee River and Lake Eufaula, which is known as the “Big Bass Capital of the World”, and there are also many historic properties here.  The violent crime rate here is 130.7, and the chance of being affected by property crime in Eufaula is 2.6%.

#6 Athens

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A city in Limestone County, Athens is home to 21,800 residents.  Also the county seat, the community is one of the oldest in the state and is the site of both Athens State University and the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant.  The violent crime rate in Athens is 136.7, and residents of the city have a 3.7% chance of being involved in a property crime.

#7 Hartselle

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Located in Morgan County, the city of Hartselle is home to 14,200 residents.  Just 10 miles south of Decatur, the community was established in 1870 and encompasses 14.9 square miles of land.  The violent crime rate here is 146, and the chance of being affected by property crime in Hartselle is 2.7%.

#8 Moody

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A city in St. Clair County, Moody is home to 11,700 residents.  Incorporated in 1962, the community is just 15 miles east of Birmingham, encompasses 24 square miles and is served by the St. Clair County School District.  The violent crime rate in Moody is 151, and residents of the city have a 1.5% chance of being involved in a property crime.

#9 Fort Payne

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Located in DeKalb County, the city of Fort Payne is home to 14,000 residents.  Also the county seat, the community is near several attractions such as Lookout Mountain, DeSoto State Park, and Little River Canyon National Preserve.  It is also the headquarters for the music group Alabama.  The violent crime rate here is 154.7, and the chance of being affected by property crime in Fort Payne is 3.3%.

#10 Alabaster

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A city in Shelby County, Alabaster is home to 31.300 residents.  Considered a southern suburb of Birmingham, the community sits within the Opossum and Cahaba valleys and is served by its own school district.  The violent crime rate in Alabaster is 158.5, and residents of the city have a 2.2% chance of being involved in a property crime.

#11 Pelham

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Located in Shelby County, the city of Pelham is home to 21,300 residents.  The community encompasses 38.3 square miles and features Oak Mountain State Park, the state’s largest state park.  The violent crime rate here is 165.5, and residents of Pelham have a 2.1% chance of being affected by property crime.

#12 Pleasant Grove

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A city in western Jefferson County, Pleasant Grove is home to 10,300 residents.  Considered a suburb of Birmingham, the former coal mining community has a total area of 8.8 square miles and is served by the Jefferson County Board of Education.  The violent crime rate in Pleasant Grove is 167.4, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 1.4%.

#13 Prattville

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Located in Autauga and Elmore counties, the city of Prattville is home to 33,900 residents.  Considered a suburb of Montgomery, the community is nicknamed “The Fountain City” because of the abundance of artesian wells in the area and it is also a popular golf destination.  The violent crime rate here is 173.8, and residents of Prattville have a 3.8% chance of being affected by property crime.

#14 Gardendale

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A city in Jefferson County, Gardendale is home to 13,800 residents.  Considered a northern suburb of Birmingham, the community encompasses 17.9 square miles and is now home to more than 400 businesses and four schools. The violent crime rate in Gardendale is 193.4, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 4.5%.

#15 Madison

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Located in Madison and Limestone counties, the city of Madison is home to 42,900 residents.  Considered a suburb of Huntsville, the community was the site of a Civil War battle, and its largest employer is Intergraph, a computer software company.  The violent crime rate here is 205.2, and residents of Madison have a 2.4% chance of being affected by property crime.

#16 Auburn

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A city in Lee County, Auburn has a current population of 60,200 residents.  Best known as the home of Auburn University, this fast-growing city was named by U.S. News in its top ten places to live in the U.S. and has a growing list of high-tech and research firms within its borders.  The violent crime rate in Auburn is 240.9, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 3.5%.

#17 Sylacauga

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Located in Talladega County, the city of Sylacauga is home to 12,700 residents.  The community has a long history in the marble industry, with its white marble bed stretching over 32 miles.  Such famous buildings as the U.S. Supreme Court, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial were created with Sylacauga marble.  The violent crime rate here is 259.3, and residents of Sylacauga have a  5% chance of being affected by property crime

#18 Saraland

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A city in Mobile County, Saraland is home to 13,400 residents.  Considered a suburb of Mobile, the community encompasses 22 square miles, is served by the Saraland Board of Education, and is home to Shell Saraland Refinery operated by Shell. The violent crime rate in Saraland is 259.8, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 4%.

#19 Hueytown

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Located in western Jefferson County, the city of Hueytown is home to 16,100 residents.  Considered a suburb of Birmingham, the community has a history in agriculture, steel, and coal mining, and was home to the dominant NASCAR racing group the Alabama Gang.  The violent crime rate here is 265.7, and residents of Hueytown have a 3.9% chance of being affected by property crime.

#20 Fairhope

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A city in Baldwin County, Fairhope is home to 15,300 residents.  The community sits along the cliffs and shoreline of Mobile Bay, was named by Southern Living as the second best small town in the South, and is known for its fishing and resorts.  The violent crime rate in Fairhope is 272.7, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 4.1%.

#21 Jacksonville

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Located in Calhoun County, the city of Jacksonville has a current population of 12,500 residents.  This fast-growing community encompasses 9.8 square miles and is home to Jacksonville State University, a public university with an enrollment of approximately 10,000 students.  The violent crime rate here is 343.1, and residents of Jacksonville have a 3.8% chance of being affected by property crime.

#22 Oxford

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A city in Calhoun and Talladega counties, Oxford is home to 21,300 residents.  The community sits at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has two lakes, and share a border with the Talladega National Forest.  The violent crime rate in Oxford is 356.7, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 5.8%.

#23 Foley

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Located in Baldwin County, the city of Foley is home to 14,600 residents.  Incorporated in 1915, the community encompasses 25.9 square miles, is served by the Baldwin County School District, and features its popular City of Foley Antique Rose Trail.  The violent crime rate here is 358.8, and residents of Foley have a 4.4% chance of being affected by property crime.

#24 Montgomery

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The largest city on our list, Montgomery is home to 374,500 residents.  Both the state capital and the county seat of Montgomery County, the city sits along the Alabama River, was named by USA Today as the “Best Historic City”, and is home to many large businesses and several universities.  The violent crime rate in Montgomery is 395.7, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 5.7%.

#25 Enterprise

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Located in southeastern Coffee County, the city of Enterprise is home to 26,500 residents.  Founded in 1896, the community originally relied on cotton but switched to peanuts and became a leading national producer.  Enterprise features the famous Boll Weevil Monument and is home to the annual BamaJam music festival.  The violent crime rate here is 407.8, and residents of Enterprise have a 3.1% chance of being affected by property crime.

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