For the second consecutive year, six cities in California — more than any other state — were listed among the nation’s top 25 safest cities, according to Morgan Quitno Press, publisher of the 12th annual “City Crime Rankings” report. Based on 2004 crime statistics recently released by the FBI, the Golden State’s “safest” cities are Mission Viejo (#4), Thousand Oaks (#7), Lake Forest (#9), Irvine (#13), Sunnyvale (#17) and Simi Valley (#22). Additionally, San Jose and San Diego are among the safest cities with populations of 500,000 or more, ranked first and sixth, respectively.

Newton, Mass., is ranked as “America’s Safest City,” while Camden, N.J., is the nation’s most dangerous city. Camden is joined at the bottom of the crime rankings by Detroit, Mich., St. Louis, Flint, Mich., and Richmond, Va.