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Safest Cities in Kentucky — 2027 Rankings

Updated October 2026 · 41 cities ranked · Based on FBI UCR data

In the 2027 rankings, Berea is the safest city in Kentucky with a crime rate of 19.6 per 1,000 residents, earning a B- safety grade. Shelbyville (19.7/1K) and Versailles (19.9/1K) round out the top three. Rankings based on 41 cities with FBI Uniform Crime Report data.

These 2027 rankings use 2023 FBI UCR data — the most recent available. Rankings will be updated as 2024 FBI data is released.

Avg Crime Rate
22.6per 1K
Avg Violent Crime
372per 100K
Avg Property Crime
1890per 100K

All 41 Cities Ranked by Safety (2027)

#CityGradeCrime/1K
1Berea
B-
19.6
2Shelbyville
B-
19.7
3Versailles
B-
19.9
4La Grange
B-
19.9
5Owensboro
B-
20
6Independence
B-
20.6
7Paris
B-
20.7
8Hopkinsville
B-
20.8
9Radcliff
B-
20.8
10Jeffersontown
B-
21
11Bardstown
B-
21.1
12Covington
B-
21.4
13Bowling Green
B-
21.5
14Paducah
B-
21.5
15Glasgow
B-
21.5
16Mount Washington
B-
21.6
17Shively
B-
21.6
18Franklin
B-
21.7
19Shepherdsville
B-
21.9
20Florence
B-
22
21Ashland
B-
22
22Winchester
B-
22.8
23Alexandria
B-
22.8
24Murray
B-
22.9
25Danville
B-
23
26Nicholasville
C+
23.3
27Henderson
C+
23.7
28Newport
C+
23.8
29Elizabethtown
C+
23.9
30Somerset
C+
23.9
31St. Matthews
C+
24.4
32Campbellsville
C+
24.7
33Georgetown
C+
24.8
34Lyndon
C+
24.9
35Lexington-Fayette urban county
C+
25
36Fort Thomas
C+
25.2
37Lawrenceburg
C+
25.2
38Frankfort
C+
25.4
39Madisonville
C+
25.4
40Richmond
C+
25.8
41Erlanger
C+
25.9

Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. FBI Uniform Crime Report data projected for 2027.

Most Dangerous Cities in Kentucky (2027)

1
C+
Erlanger25.9/1K · Moderate · Violent: 398/100K
2
C+
Richmond25.8/1K · Moderate · Violent: 407/100K
3
C+
Madisonville25.4/1K · Moderate · Violent: 422/100K
4
C+
Frankfort25.4/1K · Moderate · Violent: 440/100K
5
C+
Lawrenceburg25.2/1K · Moderate · Violent: 401/100K

Frequently Asked Questions About Kentucky Safety in 2027

What is the safest city in Kentucky in 2027?
Based on the latest FBI UCR data projected into 2027, Berea is the safest city in Kentucky with a crime rate of 19.6 per 1,000 residents and a B- safety grade. It ranks above 59% of all US cities.
What are the top safest cities in Kentucky for 2027?
The safest cities in Kentucky for 2027, ranked by lowest crime rate: Berea, Shelbyville, Versailles, La Grange, Owensboro, Independence, Paris, Hopkinsville, Radcliff, Jeffersontown. Based on FBI Uniform Crime Report data.
What is the most dangerous city in Kentucky in 2027?
Erlanger has the highest crime rate in Kentucky at 25.9 per 1,000 residents, earning a C+ safety grade in the 2027 rankings.
How are Kentucky 2027 safety rankings calculated?
Rankings use 2023 FBI Uniform Crime Report data — the most recent complete dataset — as the baseline for 2027 projections. Cities are graded A+ through F based on combined violent and property crime rates compared to national distributions. Rankings will be updated when 2024 FBI data is released.
Is Kentucky safe to live in 2027?
Kentucky has a higher-than-average violent crime rate at 372 per 100K (national: 363.8). Safety varies by city — Berea earns a B- while Erlanger gets a C+.
Back to 2027 national rankingsView current Kentucky safety gradesSafest cities in Kentucky

2027 rankings are based on 2023 FBI Uniform Crime Report data — the most recent complete dataset available. Rankings will be updated when 2024 data is released by the FBI in late 2025. Safety grades calculated using national and state-level crime rate distributions. Not a substitute for local law enforcement guidance.

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