According to a new study by SmartAsset, Plano is recognized as the second safest large city in the United States, following Virginia Beach. This ranking is part of a broader analysis that evaluated 83 cities across the country with populations exceeding 250,000, which represents over 90 percent of major U.S. cities.
In the study, Plano outperformed cities such as Madison, Wisconsin; Honolulu; and Chesapeake, Virginia, which completed the top five.
The ranking was determined through a composite score that assessed four distinct measures instead of focusing solely on crime statistics. Two of these metrics were derived from the FBI's 2024 Crime in the United States report, specifically looking at violent crimes and property crimes per 1,000 residents.
Additionally, the study included motor vehicle fatalities per 100,000 residents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as disaster risk data from FEMA's National Risk Index.
Plano's statistics included 1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 14.7 property crimes per 1,000 residents, and 6.9 auto fatalities per 100,000 residents. However, one factor that negatively impacted Plano's overall score was its disaster risk, which was rated as "Relatively High." This aspect contributed to the city's second-place finish rather than enhancing it.
The implications of disaster risk were evident in the rankings of other cities as well. For instance, Irvine, California, ranked 12th, and Santa Ana, ranked 20th, faced similar challenges due to their exposure to earthquakes and wildfires, despite having moderate crime rates.
