North Texas City Named The Safest Place in the US for Trick-or-Treating

Arlington, Texas, has officially been crowned the safest city in the U.S. for trick-or-treating in 2025, according to the Action Network’s Trick-or-Treat Risk Index.

Yes, you read that right — a sports betting website has delved into Halloween safety metrics. And while you might wonder what a site known for odds and parlays knows about pedestrian safety, let’s not forget, statistics are their bread and butter. If they can calculate the probability of a touchdown in the fourth quarter, they can probably figure out how likely it is for your kid to make it home with their candy haul intact.

So, what makes Arlington the Halloween MVP? The city boasts an impressively low implied probability of Halloween incidents — just 7%, compared to the national average of 35%. That’s about a 1 in 14 chance of something spooky (and not in the fun way) happening. For context, Memphis, the riskiest city on the list, has a 44% chance, which is basically a coin flip with a side of candy corn.

Arlington’s secret sauce? A combination of low violent and property crime rates, well-lit streets and a community that seems to genuinely care about keeping Halloween safe. Even at peak trick-or-treating hours, drivers in Arlington are apparently on their best behavior, expecting little ghosts and goblins to dart across the street at any moment. It’s a level of vigilance that would make even the most cautious soccer mom proud.

The Action Network’s methodology is worth a nod, though. They didn’t just throw darts at a map. Their Trick-or-Treat Risk Index factors in violent crime, property crime, pedestrian fatalities, DUI rates and even environmental elements like daylight hours and October temperatures. Arlington’s pedestrian fatality rate is a mere 0.9 per 100,000 people, and its violent crime rate is a low 319 per 100,000 — numbers that would make any city envious, Halloween or not.

Of course, we can’t ignore the irony of a sports betting site diving into public safety. But hey, if they can predict the over/under on a Cowboys game, why not Halloween safety? It’s all about the odds, and Arlington’s are looking as sweet as full-size Snickers in a sea of fun-sized disappointments.

So, Arlington families, take a bow. Your city is officially the gold standard for Halloween safety. While other cities are dodging traffic and clutching their candy bags like they’re in a heist movie, you can stroll the streets with confidence, knowing the biggest risk you face is getting to an empty “take one” bowl.

And to the rest of the country: take notes. Arlington’s got the playbook for a safe and spooky Halloween, and it’s a winner.