Most preppers spend time getting ready for actual disasters, be they natural or man-made. But in reality, statistically, it’s a lot more probable that you’ll be a victim of violent crime rather than any major event.
And not for nothing, society is continuing to fracture and fray around the edges in our current year, with no signs of slowing.
Accordingly, moving or settling in a safe area is a great way to stay out of trouble. Like it or not, some towns, counties, and regions just experience a lot more crime than others.
If you live in or are thinking of moving to Texas, I’m here to help with a list of the 10 safest places in the state.
A Word on Metrics
Really quick before we get on to the list, I want to talk about the metrics used to arrive at my determination. Broadly, areas that are high crime experience high levels of all kinds of crime, but as we know, crimes aren’t created equal.
I’m particularly worried about, and used statistics for, violent crimes to make this list: robbery, burglary, home invasion, assault, murder, arson, sexual assault, and so forth.
It’s not to say we shouldn’t worry about crimes like shoplifting, but naturally, those stats will skew the numbers in towns and cities that have lots of commercial and retail property.
For this list, I’m looking at crimes that will affect you where you live, work, and play. With that in mind, let’s get to it…
Towns and Cities
Hutto
Hutto is one of the safest towns in Texas, if not the safest town in Texas.
With a population right around 20,000 people, it has a modest hometown feel but unbelievably averages only slightly more than 100 total crimes every year and has for the past several years. Of those crimes, only about 10% are classified as violent.
I know it seems hard to believe in a day when all news sources, even local news, are plastered with crime reports and unsavory happenings, but Hutto seems to be a town out of the past, back when people trusted each other, got along, and generally acted right.
It’s attracting attention and is growing, so who knows what might happen in the future, but if I wanted safe small-town life, this would be the very first destination on my list.
Fairview
Located in Collin County just a little bit north of Dallas, Fairview is known for its low overall crime thanks to highly proactive policing, including competent community policing.
Fairview is a blended sort of settlement that combines rural and suburban living with plenty of amenities including parks, shopping, dining, and lots of options for entertainment.
Fairview sits at the intersection of several major highways which can ferry you to Dallas and its big city attractions and infrastructure when needed, but you are far enough away to avoid the crime and nastiness that the city is known for…
As you might imagine, this is another small town, and the population is right around 11,000.
Horizon City
Another small town that is perfect for preppers looking to raise a family, Horizon City is located in El Paso County just a little bit east of El Paso.
Horizon City has a very low crime rate, despite being in a region with higher-than-average crime rates for Texas; part of this is strong community values and a tradition of looking out for one another.
If you’re looking for a more affordable place to settle, but one that is still quite safe, Horizon City is perfect and you’ll only be about 25 minutes away from El Paso if you need even more shops, medical care, and more.
Memorial Villages
On the fringes of West Houston, Memorial Villages is an upscale cluster of six small independent cities that form one larger, unique community.
It’s expensive and not a place for those who aren’t well-to-do, but with money and prosperity comes highly efficient police and high social trust, and that translates directly into low crime rates of all kinds, including violent crime.
However nice it is when times are good, I would have serious concerns about the safety and well-being of the settlement if law and order collapsed or Houston proper became embroiled in riots. Have a bug-out plan just in case.
Fulshear
Another town near Houston, and roughly 30 minutes west of downtown, Fulshear is growing rapidly, but still only has about 34,500 residents.
Smack in the middle of a beautiful and lush Fort Bend County, Fulshear offers all the benefits of a modestly sized town but in the middle of gorgeous green vistas.
The local economy is built primarily on farming and ranching, both ventures that engender trust and cooperation among neighbors, and also self-sufficiency.
People look out for one another, and the county sheriff and local police are well-trained, efficient, and don’t screw around when it comes to crime.
Naturally, not much crime happens in Fulshear! One of the nicest places to settle if you want to be near Houston but well away from the urban sprawl.
Counties
Kenedy Co.
One of the least populated counties in Texas, and the least populated in its region, Kenedy County is the place to go if you want to keep neighbors and everyone else at a good distance.
This county is purely rural, and sustained by oil production, ranching, and access to the nearby Gulf of Mexico.
Wide open with many protected wildlife habitats, there are so few people in the county that there isn’t much opportunity for actual violent crime to occur.
I advise that if you’re going to live way out on your own, there won’t be anybody coming to help you in time should something bad happen. Plan accordingly.
Brewster Co.
Remote and wild Brewster County in West Texas is the location of Big Bend National Park, and so is a major tourist attraction if you look at it that way. However, the surrounding communities are all small, close-knit, and generally revolve around conservation.
Seriously built-up areas are small and sparse compared to the rest of the state, and abundant natural beauty makes living here a real joy.
Violent crime is rare, though the influx and outflow of tourists does bring its fair share of property and non-violent crime. However, this is rarely serious or a major concern to the locals who call Brewster County their home.
Loving Co.
Another oil and gas county that is sparsely populated outside of workers, Loving County is located near the Texas border with New Mexico. It has the dubious honor of being one of the least populated counties in the entirety of the United States.
Some visitors have compared Loving County to going to the moon or Mars: it is vast, wide open, and imparts an inescapable sense of remoteness and seclusion.
Assuming you are staying away from the places that service the oil field workers, you aren’t going to run into many other people and so accordingly there’s hardly any crime.
Terrell Co.
Despite being on the border with Mexico, Terrell County is mostly made up of ranchers, farmers, and oil production and refinement workers. The communities that dot the county are all close-knit, even insular, and everyone knows each other.
This leads to very little in the way of domestic crime, and most residents report that nothing of note happens except very rarely. However, folks who are wary of being on the border with a failed state that is turning into a Narco Kingdom might want to look elsewhere.
King Co.
Going all the way to the other end of the state we have King County located in the middle of North Texas in the rolling plains.
A tiny population with minimal infrastructure, gargantuan farms and ranches, and vast, wide-open spaces means that there’s not much going on one way or the other in the county, including crime!
Obviously, living in such a place isn’t for everyone but if you want peace and quiet and no worries about crime, you can do a whole lot worse…
Tom Marlowe practically grew up with a gun in his hand, and has held all kinds of jobs in the gun industry: range safety, sales, instruction and consulting, Tom has the experience to help civilian shooters figure out what will work best for them.
