A recent SmartAsset study has positioned Plano as the second safest large city in the United States, following Virginia Beach. This study evaluated 83 cities with populations exceeding 250,000, which encompasses over 90 percent of major urban areas in the country.
In addition to Plano's high ranking, Laredo also made the list, coming in at sixth place. However, Dallas and Houston were noted as being among the least safe, with Houston ranked second from last.
The ranking was determined by a composite score that included four distinct metrics. Two of these metrics were derived from the FBI's 2024 Crime in the United States report, specifically measuring violent crimes and property crimes per 1,000 residents.
Additionally, the study incorporated motor vehicle fatalities per 100,000 residents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and assessed disaster risk using FEMA's National Risk Index as of April 2026.
Plano's statistics included 1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 14.7 property crimes per 1,000 residents, and 6.9 auto fatalities per 100,000 residents. Despite these favorable crime statistics, Plano's ranking was negatively impacted by a relatively high disaster risk classification.
The study's methodology highlights that the disaster risk factor can significantly influence a city's overall score. For instance, cities like Irvine and Santa Ana, California, ranked lower due to their exposure to earthquakes and wildfires, despite having moderate crime rates.
