4 Orange County Cities Named Safest Places To Live In CA, Report Finds

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — Four Orange County cities were recently listed as the safest California cities to live in, according to a recent study published by Moving Waldo.

The study, titled Top 10 Safest Cities in California With Best Quality of Life 2023, was released this month and the ranking of cities was based on three of the following criteria: violent-crime rate, property crime rate and total crime rate.

Rancho Santa Margarita recently took the number one spot as the safest California city to live in, the report said. Aliso Viejo and Yorba Linda took the number six and seven spot respectively, and San Juan Capistrano took the number nine spot.

Statistics come from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program and Neighborhood Scouts, the study said.

According to the FBI, The UCR Program “includes data from more than 18,000 city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies. Agencies participate voluntarily and submit their crime data either through a state UCR program or directly to the FBI’s UCR Program."

Rancho Santa Margarita clinched its place at the top of the list thanks to its violent and property crime rate of 1.32 per 1,000, which is significantly lower than that average violent and property crime rate in California, the study said.

"Living in Rancho Santa Margarita offers it's residents a quiet suburban feeling with many coffee shops and parks," the study said. "Most people are homeowners in Rancho Santa Margarita and the public schools are highly rated."

Nearby Aliso Viejo took the number six spot with a violence crime rate of 7.99 per 1,000 people, according to the report.

"One of the top Aliso Viejo attractions is the world-famous Aliso Viejo Country Club golf course," the study said. "Additionally, residents enjoy the public park, with multiple tennis courts and other sports fields for various use."

In Yorba Linda, the Orange County city that took the number seven spot, the violent crime rate clocked in at 8.90 per 1,000 people.

"An award-winning public library, a black gold golf club, and an Equestrian Center can be found in Yorba Linda. Additionally, the residents enjoy award-winning schools, investment in public infrastructure, strong leadership, visionary planning, public and private partnerships, and an exceptional quality of life," the report said.

In South Orange County, San Juan Capistrano took the number nine spot on the list with a total crime rate of 10.43 per 1,000 people.

"In San Juan Capistrano, there are a lot of coffee shops and restaurants where residents enjoy Mediterranean dishes and world-class Mexican cuisine," the report said. "The city has just one high school, which is highly rated, and many students attend high schools in neighboring cities."

For the full rundown on the top 10 safest cities in California, read the full study on Moving Waldo.