5 Safest and Most Welcoming Cities in California According to Residents and Travelers

For the majority of the 270 million travelers California receives each year, safety and friendliness are top of mind when choosing which cities to visit. California’s sheer size, diversity of neighborhoods, and crime and safety statistics can disorient even seasoned travelers looking for a quiet destination. Because no traveler deserves to spend their hard-won vacation looking over their shoulder or fielding rude residents, we’ve compiled a list of the top five safest and most welcoming cities to explore on your next Golden State adventure. We’ve chosen these cities based on statistics and comments provided by real residents, as well as travelers who have left kind words about acts of kindness they’ve experienced along the way. The report was based on surveys of locals and travelers, as well as crime and safety statistics.

As it happens, California boasts an abundance of peaceful, welcoming cities. The company LuvLink (via Patch ) surveyed 3,000 travelers to find out which US cities have the most open arms. An impressive 18 California cities were featured in LuvLink’s report, 150 Kindest Places in America, which evaluated things like locals’ hospitality, ease in forging connections, and helpfulness to travelers in times of need. A report courtesy of LuvLink appeared in the California Report on Cities 2025 Safer Places to Live, released by Nextdoor, a private social network for neighborhoods, which compiled its findings based on FBI-backed crime statistics and live data provided by residents. Based on these resident and traveler-heavy discoveries, here are five gracious California cities to bookmark for your next trip out west.

Read more: These are the wealthiest suburbs in America in 2025, according to research

Simi Valley

Simi Valley, home to the iconic Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, is 15 minutes from the underrated town of Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. Simi Valley has blessed the surrounding Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains with some incredible Southern California hiking. As you’d expect from a city that boasts a neighborhood called Friendly Village, residents of this picturesque pocket give their community high marks for friendliness. Travelers also appreciate the city’s welcoming embrace, noting that locals are eager to share tips on everything from their favorite hiking spots to how to get involved in community events.

Simi Valley really shines when it comes to safety and is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 safest cities in the state. This includes reports from Nextdoor naming Simi Valley California’s third-safest city, as well as reports from security companies such as Safe & Sound Security and SafeWise. Its overall crime rate is 23.8% below the national average, giving Simi Valley a score of 99 out of 100 from Nextdoor. The most prevalent safety issues residents report in this bucolic community? Petty car thefts, power outages, and the odd run-in with wildlife. According to local contributors to the online forum Reddit, a large number of law enforcement officers live in Simi Valley as well as in the Southern California city of Santa Clarita, which may help explain why crime has consistently dropped in both areas.

Santa Clarita

Just 30 miles north of downtown Los Angeles lies Santa Clarita, a sprawling and quiet desert suburb filled with gated communities, equestrian centers, and hiking trails. Whether you’re visiting Santa Clarita for a day of thrill rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park, or to discover a dose of Hollywood magic hidden within the city’s many film studios, rest assured that security is top notch in this community. Nextdoor gives Santa Clarita a 99 out of 100 safety score and names it the fifth safest city in California. Residents appreciate the visible police presence, which goes a long way toward keeping Santa Clarita’s overall crime rate 21% below the national average. As is the case with Simi Valley, California locals on Reddit report a large number of law enforcement officers residing in the area, which can definitely impact the community’s high level of security.

Travelers praise the locals of Santa Clarita for their kindness. Visitors are particularly struck by the town’s family friendliness and strong sense of community, of which residents are proud. A Santa Clarita native who moved to the city five years ago, he immediately felt embraced by the community. “Everywhere I go I see families spending time together, which makes the city feel warm and welcoming,” they wrote on Niche.

Cupertino

Boasting a 91 out of 100 friendliness rating, the Silicon Valley enclave of Cupertino was named No. 9 on Nextdoor’s 2025 list of the friendliest places to live in California. Apple, Inc. ’s world-famous headquarters, which is located inside the ring-shaped Apple Park, seems to attract travelers and residents as kindly as its tech-heavy attractions and local brews. Residents love the city’s clean, quiet, and walkable neighborhoods. Many of them, such as Monta Vista and Garden Gate, are family-friendly and boast some of the best schools in the state.

Adding to Cupertino’s charm is its great reputation for safety. Nextdoor reports that Cupertino’s overall crime rate is about 22% lower than the California average, and 19.4% lower than the national average. Property crime is a concern for residents of Cupertino, but violent crime is extremely low. As one Cupertino resident confirmed on Reddit: “I’ve lived here for 30 years. There’s only been 2 or maybe 3 around my neighborhood in terms of violent or other forms of physical crime.” Another colorful user on Reddit writes: “It’s ridiculously safe here in Cupertino. Like crazy. Even the food here is amazing.”

Irvine

The beautiful, family-friendly city of Irvine in Orange County has a lot going for it. It is ethnically diverse, full of beautiful parks, and is also home to the highly competitive University of California, Irvine. The town also gets bonus points for being a 20-minute drive from the glitzy surfside town of Newport Beach. The icing on the cake? According to Nextdoor, Irvine is one of the safest communities in California, with an overall crime rate 18.4% lower than California’s national average. Irvine’s excellent safety statistics landed it No. 3 on Niche’s 2025 Safest Places to Live in California list and No. 8 on Nextdoor’s 2025 Safest Places to Live in California list.

Commuters who chimed in on LuvLink’s kindness report (via Patch) were impressed by Irvine’s kind residents. Locals never hesitate to lend a helping hand, whether it’s recommending delicious restaurants or suggesting great places to explore. Travelers also agree with residents that Irvine is one of the cleanest cities they’ve ever seen. Overall, Irwin stands out as a lot of people-pleasers. “Irvine, California has been a safe, clean place to live a high quality of life. I especially enjoy its commitment to safety and the central Orange County location close to the beaches I love,” one resident wrote on Niche.

Rancho Palos Verdes and Palos Verdes Estates

Rounding out our list of the top five safest and most welcoming California cities are the gorgeous, beachside sister communities of Palos Verdes Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes. These Southern California neighbors enjoy a privileged perch on the sun-soaked Palos Verdes Peninsula overlooking the Pacific Ocean, making them the only beach communities on this list. Both neighborhoods wow from coastal bluffs, offering tony golf courses, hiking trails, and coastal views reminiscent of Sicily.

The cities ranked No. 11 and No. 16 on Niche’s list of the best suburbs to live in in the Los Angeles area, respectively, thanks to their family friendliness and excellent schools, as well as their safety. Nextdoor ranks Rancho Palos Verdes the No. 16 safest place to live in California, and both communities boast crime rates 25% lower than the California average. Residents say the area is welcoming and friendly. “In my experience, people are generous and kind. I have met many nice people,” shared a resident at Niche.

methodology

To compile this list, we looked at data collected from contributions made by local residents and reported by neighborhood website Nextdoor and school sourcing website Niche. Additionally, we considered data published in the LuvLink 2024 report of the Top 150 Kindest Places in America, as well as findings from this report summarized in the patch. Specifically, we cross-referenced Nextdoor’s 2025 Safe Places to Live in California list to their 2025 Friendliest Places to Live in California list. We then determined the common cities on both lists that also ranked in LuvLink’s report, as well as Niche’s collection of the best cities to live in California.

Safety reporting and information on Nextdoor relies on information provided by the US Census, as well as the latest information available in the FBI Uniform Crime Report. We also received comments and contributions from locals on Reddit and Niche.

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