Temecula landed the No. 8 spot among the 315 safest U.S. cities in MoneyGeek's 2026 national safety study, Explore.com reported.
Only two California cities ranked higher. Orange placed No. 16 and Irvine No. 19, making Temecula the highest-ranked California city in the top 20.
MoneyGeek ranked cities with populations over 100,000 by the estimated annual cost of crime per resident, using the latest city-level crime data reported to the FBI and published research on crime costs adjusted to 2026 dollars. MoneyGeek said this year's analysis includes broader FBI crime data coverage than earlier editions, bringing in cities previously left out due to incomplete reporting.
Carmel, Indiana, took the No. 1 spot with the lowest estimated crime cost at $186 per resident. Allen, Texas, followed at $277, then Ramapo Town, New York ($285), Fishers, Indiana ($310), and Amherst Town, New York ($324). Birmingham, Alabama, ranked last among the 315 cities at $10,152 per resident.
Separate crime data from DoorProfit, a real estate analytics firm that tracks FBI Uniform Crime Report figures, puts Temecula's overall crime rate at 44% below the national average. The city's estimated violent crime rate sits at 257.4 per 100,000 residents, 32% below the national figure. Its aggravated assault rate is 51% below the national average.
Temecula has lower crime than 81% of major U.S. cities with populations of 50,000 or more, according to DoorProfit's 2026 data. California as a whole has a crime rate 9% above the national average, placing Temecula well ahead of the typical California city on safety.
Upcoming community events
- Thursday, Oct. 15: Temecula sock drive collects donations for local nonprofits.
