Beaumont was the safest town in Alberta by crime severity in 2025: the Beaumont RCMP municipal detachment recorded a Crime Severity Index (CSI) of 26.5, about 71% below the Alberta figure of 90.6 and 65% below Canada’s 75.0, according to Statistics Canada. Cochrane (36.7), Chestermere (41.1), Airdrie (42.7) and Okotoks (45.8) complete the top five among 34 Alberta police services that serve 10,000 people or more.
Data: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0190-01 (Crime Severity Index, police services in Alberta) and Table 35-10-0183-01 (incidents and rates by violation, police services in Alberta), 2025 data released 22 July 2026 and checked on 24 October 2026. Figures are for the area each police service covers, not for census metropolitan areas. Populations, rankings and percentage comparisons are our calculation from Statistics Canada data. Updated 24 October 2026.
Key facts
- Beaumont had the lowest Crime Severity Index of 34 Alberta police services serving 10,000+ people in 2025: 26.54, down from 41.46 in 2024 (Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0190-01).
- Beaumont also had the lowest crime rate in that group: 2,699 incidents per 100,000 people in 2025, about half the Canadian rate of 5,585 (our calculation from Statistics Canada data).
- Four of the five lowest-CSI services in 2025 police communities around Calgary: Cochrane (36.70), Chestermere (41.05), Airdrie (42.67) and Okotoks (45.78).
- 17 of the 34 Alberta services had a 2025 CSI below the national 75.0, and 22 were below the provincial 90.62 (our calculation).
- Alberta’s provincial CSI fell 7% in 2025 to 90.62; 21 of the 34 services recorded a lower CSI than in 2024 (our calculation).
What is the safest town in Alberta?
Beaumont, just south of Edmonton, was the safest town in Alberta in 2025 by the Crime Severity Index, with a value of 26.54 for the area policed by the Beaumont RCMP municipal detachment (about 26,300 people). The Crime Severity Index is a Statistics Canada measure that weights each police-reported offence by how serious it is (Canada 2006 = 100), so a low value means less crime and less serious crime. Our Crime Severity Index explainer covers the method.
Beaumont also had the lowest overall crime rate of the 34 services and recorded no homicides in 2024 or 2025. Its CSI has stayed below 50 in every year from 2015 to 2025. The 2025 drop from 41.46 to 26.54 is large, and in a community of this size a few incidents can move the index a lot, so the multi-year pattern matters more than one year.
Which Alberta towns have the lowest crime?
The Alberta towns with the lowest crime severity in 2025 were Beaumont, Cochrane, Chestermere, Airdrie and Okotoks, each with a CSI below 46 — less than half of the provincial 90.62. The table ranks the 15 lowest of the 34 municipal police services serving at least 10,000 people.
| Rank | Police service area (2025) | CSI 2025 | CSI 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) | Population served (approx., 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaumont (RCMP) | 26.54 | 41.46 | 2,699 | 26,300 |
| 2 | Cochrane (RCMP) | 36.70 | 38.36 | 3,777 | 39,400 |
| 3 | Chestermere (RCMP) | 41.05 | 45.28 | 3,786 | 31,700 |
| 4 | Airdrie (RCMP) | 42.67 | 43.27 | 3,943 | 92,500 |
| 5 | Okotoks (RCMP) | 45.78 | 40.24 | 4,163 | 33,500 |
| 6 | Canmore (RCMP) | 46.85 | 43.73 | 5,340 | 17,300 |
| 7 | Blackfalds (RCMP) | 48.39 | 48.36 | 4,707 | 12,300 |
| 8 | St. Albert (RCMP) | 52.27 | 59.71 | 5,156 | 74,800 |
| 9 | High River (RCMP) | 54.62 | 48.60 | 4,952 | 15,500 |
| 10 | Banff (RCMP) | 60.50 | 63.47 | 6,551 | 11,400 |
| 11 | Lacombe Police Service | 62.20 | 59.81 | 4,364 | 14,700 |
| 12 | Calgary Police Service | 62.94 | 64.28 | 5,080 | 1,612,800 |
| 13 | Morinville (RCMP) | 65.66 | 62.60 | 5,612 | 10,800 |
| 14 | Fort Saskatchewan (RCMP) | 71.47 | 83.02 | 6,966 | 30,600 |
| 15 | Strathcona County / Sherwood Park (RCMP) | 71.76 | 66.36 | 6,554 | 77,300 |
| — | Alberta (all police services) | 90.62 | 97.00 | 7,390 | 5,029,300 |
| — | Canada | 75.01 | 78.84 | 5,585 | — |
RCMP rows are the municipal detachment figures. Population served is our calculation: Criminal Code incidents (excluding traffic) ÷ rate per 100,000. Source: Statistics Canada, Tables 35-10-0190-01 and 35-10-0183-01.
The top four on the CSI are also the four lowest on the crime rate after Beaumont, so the ranking holds on both measures. Banff’s rate is higher than its CSI suggests because a resort town receives many visitors who are not counted in its population.
Why are Calgary’s commuter towns so low?
Cochrane, Chestermere, Airdrie and Okotoks — four communities around Calgary — all had a 2025 Crime Severity Index below 46, compared with 62.94 for the Calgary Police Service and 90.62 for Alberta. Statistics Canada does not explain differences between communities, and we do not guess at causes. The data does show the pattern is steady: Cochrane, Chestermere and Airdrie stayed below the national CSI in every year from 2015 to 2025, and Airdrie’s CSI fell from 69.10 in 2015 to 42.67 in 2025, about 38% lower (our calculation).
| Area (2025) | Violent crime per 100,000 | Break-ins per 100,000 | Vehicle thefts per 100,000 | Homicides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont | 749 | 53 | 129 | 0 |
| Cochrane | 845 | 119 | 71 | 0 |
| Chestermere | 827 | 177 | 256 | 0 |
| Airdrie | 1,056 | 138 | 147 | 0 |
| Okotoks | 1,001 | 149 | 128 | 0 |
| Alberta | 1,541 | 410 | 317 | 89 |
| Canada | 1,443 | 262 | 201 | 672 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 35-10-0183-01 (Alberta services) and the national release of 22 July 2026.
Break-ins are where these towns differ most from the province: Beaumont’s break-in rate of 53 per 100,000 is about 87% below Alberta’s 410, and Cochrane’s vehicle-theft rate of 71 is about 78% below the provincial 317 (our calculation). Chestermere is the exception on car theft, at 256 per 100,000 — still below Alberta but above Canada. For prevention, see our guides to break-ins in Canada and car theft in Canada.
How do Alberta’s larger cities compare?
Airdrie had the lowest Crime Severity Index of Alberta’s communities with more than 50,000 people in 2025 (42.67), followed by St. Albert (52.27) and the Calgary Police Service (62.94); the Edmonton Police Service recorded 103.86.
| Police service area | CSI 2025 | CSI 2024 | Crime rate per 100,000 (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airdrie (RCMP) | 42.67 | 43.27 | 3,943 |
| St. Albert (RCMP) | 52.27 | 59.71 | 5,156 |
| Calgary Police Service | 62.94 | 64.28 | 5,080 |
| Strathcona County (RCMP) | 71.76 | 66.36 | 6,554 |
| Medicine Hat Police Service | 94.41 | 84.74 | 8,576 |
| Edmonton Police Service | 103.86 | 111.11 | 7,833 |
| Wood Buffalo (RCMP) | 107.96 | 129.19 | 11,014 |
| Red Deer (RCMP) | 114.36 | 118.35 | 10,592 |
| Lethbridge Police Service | 123.85 | 117.35 | 9,465 |
| Grande Prairie (RCMP) | 143.20 | 143.98 | 14,101 |
The Calgary Police Service’s CSI (62.94) is about 39% lower than the Edmonton Police Service’s (103.86), a gap similar to the one at metro level in our Calgary vs Edmonton crime comparison. For the four metro areas, see safest places to live in Alberta; for city detail, see is Calgary safe? and is Edmonton safe?
Among all 34 services, the highest 2025 values were recorded in Wetaskiwin (256.86), Lloydminster (RCMP, 189.69) and Cold Lake (186.25). Our most dangerous cities in Alberta ranking covers the metro areas.
Is crime in Alberta’s towns going down?
Crime severity fell in 21 of the 34 Alberta police services with 10,000+ people in 2025, while Alberta’s provincial CSI dropped 7% to 90.62, its lowest level in the 2015–2025 series (our calculation from Statistics Canada data). Among the safest towns, the biggest falls were in Beaumont (−36%), Fort Saskatchewan (−14%) and St. Albert (−12%). The index rose in Okotoks (+14%), High River (+12%) and Strathcona County (+8%), although all three remain below the provincial average. Alberta is also the only province whose 2025 CSI is lower than in 2015; see crime rate by province and Alberta vs BC crime.
How should I read a town ranking?
- A police service area is not always the town limits. Statistics Canada reports by police service; RCMP “municipal” figures cover the municipality the detachment polices under contract, and nearby rural areas are reported separately.
- Small places swing more. A town of 10,000–20,000 people can move several points in a year because of a few serious incidents. Look at more than one year.
- Visitors count against residents. Tourist towns, shopping hubs and highway stops record incidents involving non-residents, which raises their per-resident rates.
- It is reported crime only. In 2019, only about 29% of victimizations in Canada were reported to police.
- We do not rank First Nations police services or services with fewer than 10,000 people in this guide.
How do I check crime near an address in Alberta?
- Start with the town’s figures above, then compare with the province and Canada.
- Use the official police map where one exists. See our Calgary crime map, Edmonton crime map, Red Deer crime map and Lethbridge crime map guides.
- Ask the local RCMP detachment or town office about community crime reports.
- Follow our step-by-step guide to checking crime in your neighbourhood, or use the Canada crime map.
Moving to a smaller Alberta town?
Safety App Canada puts official crime data on a live map, plans walking routes that avoid high-risk areas and sends one-tap SOS alerts to the people you trust. Coming soon to Android and iPhone.
Safest towns in Alberta FAQ
What is the safest town in Alberta?
Beaumont had the lowest Crime Severity Index of Alberta’s police services serving 10,000+ people in 2025, at 26.54, and the lowest crime rate, at 2,699 incidents per 100,000.
What is the safest city in Alberta?
Among Alberta communities with more than 50,000 people, Airdrie had the lowest 2025 CSI (42.67), followed by St. Albert (52.27). Among the four metro areas, Calgary is lowest at 61.7.
Is Airdrie safer than Calgary?
Yes, on the official measures (see is Airdrie safe?). Airdrie’s 2025 CSI of 42.67 is about 32% below the Calgary Police Service’s 62.94, and its crime rate (3,943 per 100,000) is about 22% lower (our calculation).
Is Cochrane a safe place to live?
Yes. Cochrane’s 2025 CSI of 36.70 was the second lowest of 34 Alberta services and about 51% below the national 75.0, with no homicides in 2024 or 2025.
Is St. Albert safer than Edmonton?
Yes. St. Albert’s 2025 CSI of 52.27 was about half the Edmonton Police Service’s 103.86, and its crime rate of 5,156 per 100,000 was about 34% lower.
Related: Safest places to live in Alberta · Most dangerous cities in Alberta · Safest towns in Ontario · Safest cities in Canada · Is Red Deer safe? · Safest towns in B.C. · Is Alberta safe? · Is Fort McMurray safe? · is St. Albert safe? · is Spruce Grove safe? · is Leduc safe?. In an emergency call 911.
