safety news

2 North Texas cities rank among top 10 safest in U.S. for 2025

Two large North Texas are among America's safest.

North Texas residents concerned about the effects of population growth may feel more secure knowing two of the area's biggest cities – Arlington and Fort Worth – have scored top-10 spots on a new ranking of America's safest large cities.

This, on the heels of a separate report declaring Frisco and McKinney among the nation's safest suburbs.

SmartAsset's 2025 report compared 50 of the largest U.S. cities based on their property and violent crime rates, vehicular deaths, drug overdose deaths, and the percentage of the population engaging in "excessive drinking." The report also considered each city's housing affordability and median household income data.

Fort Worth ranked as the third-safest city nationwide, outshined only by the California cities of San Jose (No. 1) and Los Angeles (No. 2). Arlington came in at No. 7 on the list, and No. 8-ranking El Paso was the only other Texas city to make the top 10.

Meanwhile, Dallas only ranked as the 18th safest U.S. city. (More on that in a second.)

According to the report's findings, there were 13,352 violent crimes reported in Fort Worth in 2023, which gives the city a per capita violent crime rate of 0.0137. Fort Worth's property crime per capita is slightly higher, at 0.0349, after 34,136 property crimes were reported during the same one-year period.

Vehicular mortality and drug mortality rates were determined on the county level, meaning they were the same across Fort Worth and Arlington since both cities are located Tarrant County. There have been nearly 11 traffic deaths per 100,000 Tarrant County residents so far in 2025, and about 18 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents. Additionally, just over 18 percent of Tarrant County residents report that they drink heavily.

Here's how SmartAsset broke down Arlington's rank:

Violent crime per capita: 0.0206
Violent crimes reported in 2023: 8,214
Property crime per capita: 0.0359
Property crimes reported in 2023: 14,318
Median monthly housing costs: $1,420
Median household income: $73,519

In 18th-ranked Dallas, about 26,600 violent crimes and nearly 69,500 property crimes were reported in the city in 2023, the report found. Dallas has a per capita violent crime rate of 0.0204, and a property crime rate of 0.0533.

In 2025, there have been 12.5 traffic deaths per 100,000 Dallas County residents, and 20.3 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people. Nearly 19 percent of Dallas County residents reported drinking excessively, the report said.

Three other major Texas cities ranked among the top 30 safest American cities for 2025: Houston (No. 24), Austin (No.28), and San Antonio (No. 29).

"City safety – or lack thereof – can lead to great disparity in quality of life and return on dollars invested by residents, businesses and government alike," the report said.

The top 10 safest American cities in 2025 are:

No. 1– San Jose, California
No. 2 – Los Angeles, California
No. 3 – Fort Worth, Texas
No. 4 – Omaha, Nebraska
No. 5 – Virginia Beach, Virginia
No. 6 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 7 – Arlington, Texas
No. 8 – El Paso, Texas
No. 9 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 10 – Raleigh, North Carolina

SmartAsset's report sourced its data from 2025 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, the FBI's 2023 Uniform Crime Reporting Database, and neighborhood analytics database NeighborhoodScout.com. Median monthly housing costs and household income data was sourced from the Census Bureau’s 5-year American Community Survey from 2023.

fort worth arlington smartasset safest cities reports rankings

Public transportation news

DART to trim bus routes and change light-rail frequency in Dallas

Photo courtesy of DART

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Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is implementing service changes that include discontinuing several low-performing bus routes and adjusting weekday rail and bus frequencies. The changes take effect Monday February 2.

"These changes reflect what our riders and communities told us last year: 'Minimize disruption while maintaining access'," says Jeamy Molina, DART’s EVP and Chief Communications Officer in a release. “By focusing service where it’s used most and keeping strong connections to rail, GoLink and key bus corridors, we’re helping move North Texas forward."

Directly from the release, here are the changes being made:

Weekday light-rail frequency: DART’s Red, Blue, Green and Orange lines will operate every 20 minutes during weekday peak periods (previously 15 minutes). Off-peak weekday and weekend frequency will not change.

Convention Center Station: The station closed to riders January 5, 2026, due to construction at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Trains will continue to pass through, but riders cannot board or exit there. Bus bays also closed Jan. 5, and stops have been relocated to nearby streets. Updates are available at DART.org/ConventionCenter.

Discontinued bus routes (7): 209 McKinney/Cole; 225 Nursery; 254 Legacy; 255 Story; 305 Addison Express; 378 Red Bird Express; 383 Lake Ray Hubbard Express. Nearby alternatives include rail, GoLink and connecting bus routes.

Bus frequency reductions: Routes 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 30, 38 and 57 move to 20-minute peak service. Routes 28, 41 and 47 move to 20-minute peak and 30-minute off-peak service and will be renumbered to 128, 141 and 147. Routes 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 108, 109, 114, and 122 move to 20-minute peak and 30-minute off-peak service. Express Route 306 shifts to 20-minute frequency.

Schedule updates: Minor timing adjustments will be made on Routes 1, 218, 233, 235, 237, and 241 to improve connections. Route 883 UTD Comet Cruiser will operate about every 12 minutes on weekdays and 20 minutes on weekends, with no change to destinations.

Bus bay reassignments: Riders should watch for updated boarding locations at Addison Station; CBD West Transfer Center; Dallas College North Lake Campus Station; Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station; Forest Lane Station; Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center; Market Center Station; Northwest Plano Park & Ride; Parker Road Station; Red Bird Transit Center; SMU/Mockingbird Station; Southwestern Medical District/Parkland Station; and University of Dallas Station.

Riders can review new schedules and route details on DART’s service change landing page at www.DART.org/ServiceChange. Updated timetables will also be available through DART’s trip-planning tools and at select locations, and riders can contact DART Customer Service for help planning trips, finding alternate service, and confirming updated boarding locations.

"The changes were informed by a series of public hearings last summer and feedback from member cities and approved by the DART Board of Directors in September 2025," DART says. "In addition to the services scheduled to change on February 2nd, the DART Board also approved fare changes, GoLink expansion, and two potential site-specific shuttle partnerships. Those changes are set to take effect later this year."