Australia is renowned for bright sunshine, beautiful beaches, natural wonders and vibrant cosmopolitan cities.
Not only are our cities some of the world’s best, but they’re also some of the safest.
But, of course, not all Australian cities are created equal.
In fact, in some cities, crime rates are so high they could be considered dangerous.
So if you’re thinking of buying a home or investment property in Australia, you’ll want to make sure the area you’re buying in will be safe and secure.
To help, here’s a rundown of the safest Australian cities, using data from Numbeo’s Australian crime index which uses an index of 0-100.
The list of safety ranking of Australia’s top 13 safest cities looks like this:
| Rank | City | Safety Index | Crime Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canberra | 73.1 | 26.9 |
| 2 | Adelaide | 67.3 | 32.7 |
| 3 | Hobart | 66.3 | 33.7 |
| 4 | Sydney | 65.8 | 34.2 |
| 5 | Brisbane | 63.0 | 37.0 |
| 6 | Perth | 58.5 | 41.5 |
| 7 | Melbourne | 56.4 | 43.6 |
| 8 | Gold Coast | 52.8 | 47.2 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 51.6 | 48.4 |
| 10 | Townsville | 38.3 | 61.7 |
| 11 | Darwin | 37.1 | 62.9 |
| 12 | Alice Springs | 28.1 | 71.9 |
| 13 | Rockhampton | 33.2 | 66.8 |
Source: Numbeo
1. Canberra
Crime rate: 26.9
Safety index: 73.1
The nation’s capital is also Australia’s safest city.
Located around 300km south of Sydney in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra has a small population of around 472,000 people.
The city’s low crime rate and high safety index put it in the first place of the best places to live in Australia, with a very low risk of being mugged or robbed or suffering any physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin, gender, or religion.
2. Adelaide
Crime rate: 32.7
Safety index: 67.3
The second safest place to live in Australia is Adelaide.
As the capital city of South Australia, Adelaide is the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia thanks to its 1.379 million-strong population.
The city boasts lower property prices compared to Australia’s other major cities, beautiful beaches and nature reserves, and world-class wine regions such as the Barossa Valley and Clare Valley.
Its low crime rate and high safety index mean it sits up at the top of Australia’s safest cities index, with a low risk of being attacked, robbed, or assaulted to name a few.
3. Hobart
Crime rate: 33.7
Safety index: 66.3
The arty and fashionable city of Hobart, the capital of Australia’s island state of Tasmania, ranks as the third safest city in Australia.
Its historic district and colonial-era buildings sit against the backdrop of Mount Wellington and its impressive views and cycling trails.
Hobart is a relatively small capital city with a population of around 271,675 and is a very safe city by both Australian and world standards, again with a low crime rate and a high safety index, particularly when it comes to the risk of being attacked, robbed, or assaulted.
4. Sydney
Crime rate: 34.2
Safety index: 65.8
Until recently Sydney was Australia’s largest city, with an estimated population of around 5.3 million, but now Melbourne has taken this mantle after increasing its geographic boundaries.
However, Sydney pips Melbourne regarding safety coming in as the fourth safest place in Australia.
Arguably it’s also Australia’s most famous city thanks to its world-recognised landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and iconic beaches, and this makes Sydney one of the most popular places for tourists and residents to live.
By global standards, Sydney is an extremely safe city to live in.
In fact, Forbes Adviser ranked it the fourth safest city in the world in 2024, beating its ongoing rival Melbourne, which took the ninth spot.
Sydney also ranks highly for its digital security, health security, infrastructure security, personal security, and environmental security.
Even within a city that is generally considered quite safe, there are bound to be pockets of crime and disorder.
But Sydney’s low crime rate and high safety index put it in 4th place on our list, with low risk of crime across the board with the exception of drugs, vandalism, and theft (which is still only listed as moderate).
5. Brisbane
Crime rate: 37.0
Safety index: 63.0
The riverside city of Brisbane is a popular tourist destination with major landmarks and attractions enticing visitors.
It ranks well on the Safe Cities index, with a crime rate at the lower end of the scale and a safety index above 60.
Brisbane is the third largest city behind Sydney and Melbourne and one which saw a boom in its population as Aussies flocked to Queensland’s cheaper property markets and lifestyle living… and it makes number 5 on our safe cities list.
Crime risk is low across most categories but an uptick in criminal incidents over the past 3 years has dragged up the city’s average.
6. Perth
Crime rate: 41.5
Safety index: 58.5
For the 6th safest city in Australia - Perth - the numbers drop down a little on the index.
The city is still considered very safe by global standards but issues around Perth’s higher rates of theft skew in some pockets across the city mean the risk rating to moderate across most categories, and the city comes in with a ‘high’ rating for uptick in criminal incidents over the past 3 years.
Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is the fourth largest and most populous city in Australia, with a population of 2.14 million, and is one of the most isolated cities in the country.
It boasts sandy beaches, extended sunshine hours, good weather, and a Mediterranean climate making it also among the world’s most liveable.
7. Melbourne
Crime rate: 43.6
Safety index: 56.4
Melbourne, Victoria’s capital, is now ranked the largest city in Australia with a population of around 5.31 million people and is known for its bustling nightlife, cultural events, and diverse population.
According to the most recent data from the Australian Government, the overall crime rate in Melbourne City has increased in the past 3 years thanks to a spike in incidents in certain pockets across the city.
But it’s important to remember, that while crime rates have risen, Melbourne still represents a very safe place to live by global standards.
In fact, the city recently ranked in 9th place in Forbes Advisor’s list of the world’s safest cities.
In our ranking, Melbourne comes in 7th place thanks to its low to moderate safety concerns across the remaining categories.
8. Gold Coast
Crime rate: 47.2
Safety index: 52.8
Famous for its surf breaks, beaches, theme parks, shopping, vibrant nightlife, and hinterland, the Gold Coast has been high on the list for many Aussie and international visitors, property investors, and home buyers for some time now.
The city - with its estimated 742,600 population - is Queensland’s second-largest city and the 6th-largest city in Australia.
And the Gold Coast is a safe city too, taking out the 8th spot on our safest cities list.
Crime rates are low to moderate across all categories with the exception of a high rating for increasing crime over the past 5 years.
9. Newcastle
Crime rate: 48.4
Safety index: 51.6
The harbour city of Newcastle is the 7th largest in Australia with an estimated population of over 465,000 people.
Interestingly famous as a coal export hub, the city also ranks well in terms of safety, although lower than all the other cities listed above.
Its crime rate is higher, at just under 50, thanks to high incidents of drug-related crime and an uptick in criminal incidents in the past 5 years.
In all other categories, Newcastle was given a ‘moderate’ rating, with the exception of car theft, property theft, or worries about being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin, gender, or religion, which was ‘low’.
10. Townsville
- Also read:Everything you need to know about the state of Australia’s property markets in 20 charts – November 2024
- Also read:This week’s Australian Property Market Update – Latest Data, State by State November 19th 2024
- Also read:Melbourne property market forecast for 2025
- Also read:Sydney property market forecast for 2025
- Also read:Brisbane’s property market forecast for 2025
Crime rate: 61.7
Safety index: 38.3
Australia’s city of Townsville has the largest population in North Queensland, at around 202,000 people.
Renowned for its beaches, proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and generous sunshine, Townsville’s good reputation also extends to safety, placing in 10th place on our list.
The city’s crime index rate is a jump up from Newcastle, in 9th place, but still puts it ahead of Darwin, Alice Springs and Rockhampton.
The city ranks highly for crime increasing over the past 5 years, home break ins, car theft or break-ins, drug dealing or use and concerns around vandalism and theft.
The city was given a ‘moderate’ rating for the remaining categories, with the exception of corruption and bribery which is listed as ‘low’.
A note for investors…
Note: While lists like the one above make for interesting reading, it’s important to remember that the concept of ‘safety’ is subjective and depends on an individual's priorities and needs.
These cities have all been identified as ‘safe’ when it comes to crime statistics around crime rate and its safety index, but it doesn’t mean that all locations are safe and that properties in these locations are automatically considered a sound investment.
As I always say, the focus for any investor should be on investment-grade properties.
And while lists and statistics like those in this blog should be taken into consideration when looking at a location to buy, there are many other requirements needed for a property, or the area it is in, to be considered investment-grade.
After all, there are more than 11 million dwellings in Australia, and in my opinion, only around 4% of them on the market at present are investment-grade.
If you want to find out more about how to find an investment-grade property or A-grade suburb, you can read more information about it here.
