Goleta ranked in top 100 safest cities

Neighborhood Scout is a location-based research company and every year it ranks the safest cities in the country and Goleta is living up to its reputation.

“It’s called Goleta the Goodland so there’s a reason for that,” said long-time resident Doug Georges.

Now the Goodland is a part of the top 100 safest cities list.

“I’m not surprised. I’ve had a really good experience here for all of the years I’ve lived here and it’s felt safe,” said Jennifer Stroh.

Neighborhood Scout ranked Goleta 95th.

Each year the research company comes up with the list based on cities with a population of 25,000 or more and the total number of crimes per 1,000 residents.

“I feel pretty safe walking around here,” said Hans Adam.

Compared to other communities in California, Goleta’s crime rate is lower than 82 percent of cities in the state.

“To be one of 23 cities in California and the only city in the Santa Barbara County area to receive this award is really a great recognition,” said Vyto Adomaitis, city public safety director.

Goleta Mayor Roger Aceves told NewsChannel 3 he is proud of the ranking.

“As people move to communities, the first question they ask is how safe is it? So to have something like this where we could put the award on our website and let people know that we do have a safe community, that would encourage them to look at our community as opposed to relocate. Not only as residential but also businesses that want to start up in our community,” he said.

Aceves hopes that the safe cities list will be a boost for the local economy.

The only other tri-county city on the list is Moorpark in at number 43.

Click here for the full Neighborhood Scout list.