Safest Beach Towns in America

A truly great beach town should offer more than just sand and sunshine. Whether you're planning a relaxing getaway or searching for a future coastal home, safety plays a major role in choosing the right destination.

To help you find the most secure spots along America's shores, we analyzed dozens of well-known beach towns using key safety indicators, such as violent and property crime rates, average summer temperatures, and access to urgent medical care. The result is a data-driven look at the country's safest beach towns where well-being and serenity go hand in hand.

Key takeaways

• Bandon, OR, and Bristol, RI, are the safest beach towns of the locations analyzed.
• Ocean City, MD, and Miami Beach, FL, are the least safe.
• Bandon, OR, Bristol, RI, and Montauk, NY, have the lowest violent crime rates, while Ocean City, MD, tops the list for both violent and property crime.
• Long Beach, NY, Rockport, MA, and Bristol, RI, are the safest in terms of property crime, with rates well below 3 incidents per 1,000 residents.

How we ranked the safest beach towns

Safety at the beach means more than sunscreen and lifeguards. To find the most secure seaside destinations, we analyzed 72 popular U.S. beach towns using four key factors: violent and property crime rates, average summer temperatures, and the number of nearby urgent care centers. These metrics offer a practical view of personal safety, comfort, and access to care for both residents and visitors.

Bandon, OR, topped the list as the safest beach town overall. In addition to having one of the lowest violent crime rates, Bandon also benefits from cool, mild summer temperatures that help reduce heat-related health risks. For travelers spending time outdoors, especially families with small children and older adults, avoiding extreme heat can be just as important as avoiding crime. This peaceful Oregon coast town offers both physical comfort and peace of mind, along with unspoiled beaches and stunning views of sea stacks.

Bristol, RI, claimed the second spot thanks to its strong performance across multiple metrics. This New England town blends low crime rates with walkable neighborhoods and a charming harborfront, ideal for travelers looking for a relaxing, worry-free experience.

Ocean City, MD, and Miami Beach, FL, ranked lowest for safety due to having higher crime rates than other beach towns in the study. However, local efforts have made strides toward increasing visitors' and residents' security. For example, Ocean City recently saw a drop in arrests to a five-year low. Miami Beach also reported significantly less spring break crime after a viral city campaign warned visitors about zero tolerance for bad behavior.

Where the safest beach towns stand out

A closer look at the rankings shows what really sets the safest beach towns apart. These standout locations combine low crime rates, comfortable summer temperatures, and strong access to urgent medical care to create safe and welcoming coastal communities.

Bristol, RI, Bandon, OR, and Montauk, NY, had the lowest violent crime rates among all the towns we analyzed. These destinations give visitors and residents a greater sense of security, making it easier to relax and enjoy the coast. In contrast, Ocean City, MD, reported the highest rates of both violent and property crime.

For property crime specifically, Long Beach, NY, Rockport, MA, and Bristol, RI, ranked among the safest. Each reported fewer than three incidents per 1,000 residents, making them ideal for those looking to enjoy the coast without concern.

Summer temperatures also made a difference. Crescent City, CA, Bandon, OR, and Morro Bay, CA, offered average summer highs in the low to mid-60s, creating a cooler and more comfortable beach experience compared to the heat you might find elsewhere.

Access to urgent care was another important factor. Towns with more urgent care centers helped boost their rankings. They can also give visitors peace of mind that medical help is close by if they need it. Two New Jersey beach towns, Seaside Heights and Ocean City, had the most urgent cares available.

Picking a beach destination with safety and comfort in mind

The best beach towns offer more than just great views. They create an environment where you can truly relax, knowing that safety, medical care, and climate comfort are all part of the experience. Towns like Bristol and Bandon show that it's possible to enjoy scenic coastlines without sacrificing peace of mind. Whether you're planning a quick trip or thinking long term, looking into local crime rates, summer temperatures, and access to urgent care can help you choose a destination that's both beautiful and smart.

Methodology

To determine the safest beach towns in the U.S., we analyzed 72 well-known coastal destinations using crime data from NeighborhoodScout, average summer temperatures, and Yelp listings for urgent care centers. The goal was to rank these towns based on safety metrics and environmental factors that contribute to personal well-being. The list of beach locations was compiled based on their national recognition, popularity as tourist or residential coastal locations, and availability of full datasets. Locations span all U.S. coastal regions, including the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf Coast, and Hawaii.

The selected towns generally fall within a small to mid-sized range of population sizes, often between approximately 2,000 and 100,000 residents. Large metropolitan beaches (e.g., Miami Beach) and smaller resort villages (e.g., Crescent City) are both represented, but, on average, the dataset reflects small cities or large towns that are typical of popular beach destinations. Other locations were considered but not included due to a lack of crime data.

Each of the variables in this study was weighted as follows:

• Violent crime rate per 1,000 residents (30%)
• Property crime rate per 1,000 residents (30%)
• Average high summer temperatures (NOAA) (20%)
  • Lower temperatures were scored more favorably because extremely high summer temperatures are associated with increased health risks, such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke, especially for visitors spending extended time outdoors.
• Number of urgent cares on Yelp (20%)
  • This reflects the critical importance of access to emergency medical care, particularly in areas with high seasonal tourist populations.

Despite efforts to ensure a robust and reliable analysis, the following limitations should be noted:

• Crime data resolution: NeighborhoodScout data often reflects broader city limits, which may not exactly match the beach-town-specific neighborhoods (especially for beach areas located within larger cities).
• Data completeness: Some desirable beach towns were excluded if full crime or urgent care data were not available.
• Seasonality effects: Annualized crime rates do not reflect potential seasonal surges in incidents, which can occur in popular summer destinations.
• Urgent care listings: Yelp listings may not capture all available medical facilities, particularly in less digitally connected areas.
• Subjective temperature scoring: While lower temperatures are generally safer from a health risk standpoint, individual preferences for warmer or hotter weather may vary.
• Population range variability: Although most towns fall within a small-to-midsize population bracket, a few outliers on either end (very small towns or larger cities) are included for comprehensive coverage of well-known beaches.

Fair use statement

We welcome you to share these findings for noncommercial purposes. Please include a link back to this page to ensure proper credit to Vivint and to give readers access to the full study and methodology.