Top 10 Safest and Most Dangerous College Towns in America

College towns often have a lively and energetic atmosphere due to the presence of students, faculty, and academic events. Universities frequently engage with the local community through volunteer programs, partnerships with local businesses, and outreach activities, fostering a sense of community involvement.

College towns can be lively and bustling, which may result in noise disturbances, especially in areas close to campus where student housing is concentrated.

A safe college town typically has low rates of both violent crimes (like assault and robbery) and property crimes (such as burglary and theft). The presence of well-trained and responsive law enforcement agencies, including campus security if applicable, plays a crucial role in maintaining safety.

Generally, there has been a decrease in violent crimes on college campuses over the past few decades. This decline can be attributed to improved security measures, increased awareness and prevention efforts.

Over the years, many college towns and universities have implemented enhanced security measures, including campus police forces, security cameras, and improved lighting in public areas. These efforts have contributed to reducing property crimes on and around campuses.

A safe community fosters a positive learning environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves, engaging in discussions, and collaborating with peers.

We compared the frequency of crime experienced by students to that of Monroe’s general population by looking at ULM’s police reports. In 2024, none of the roughly 8,500 students at ULM reported killings, robberies, or violent assaults on or off campus. There were two allegations of stalking, four reports of dating violence, and five reports of sexual assaults. We contrasted ULM’s crime statistics with those of Bristol, Rhode Island’s Roger Williams University (RWU), which is the safest college town this year. It turns out that RWU, with a student body roughly half the size of ULM, also recorded a comparable number of incidents: four allegations of stalking, one of dating assault, and four sex offenses.

The Red Zone is the period of time from the beginning of fall semester to Thanksgiving break when sexual assaults on U.S. college campuses spike. Although every student, regardless of age or gender, is at risk, freshman females are the most vulnerable.

More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November.

Most college students who are sexually assaulted are victimized by someone they know. Although stranger rapes occur, it is more likely that a person will be assaulted by an acquaintance. Freshman females are targeted further as they are new to the area, have less parental supervision, and may participate in new activities such as alcohol and drug use as they try to meet new people.

College women are twice as likely to be sexually assaulted than robbed.

Fortunately, there has been a big push to combat sexual assaults on college campuses. This push largely comes from Title IX, a federal law that guarantees every student access to the benefits of education free from sexual harassment and sexual violence, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, or stalking. The law required schools to address complaints of sexual violence or risk losing federal funding. To read more about your rights entitled by this law, check out our blog post here.

In addition, campuses across the nation also hold many sexual assault awareness seminars during orientation and during new student’s first weeks. During such seminars, students are taught the importance of consent. Consent is a mutual agreement for something to happen, and this is especially important during sexual relations. Consent cannot be given while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Also in such seminars, students are taught things they can do to help victims of sexual assault and how to be a better friend and bystander.

2.5% of men are victims of physical force, violence, or incapacitation during a sexual assault or rape. Male college students (18–24 years old) have a 78% higher risk of becoming victims of sexual assault or rape than do non-students of the same age.

Among college students, rape or sexual assault occurs to 26.4% of females and 6.8% of males using physical force, violence, or incapacitation.

During the initial months of their first and second semesters in college, students are more vulnerable. Between August and November, over 50% of sexual assaults at colleges take place.