Violent crime has been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years, driven by more criminal activity in some of the nation's urban centers.

But there are cities and towns that are notable for their low crime statistics, according to a new ranking.

Many small towns and suburban areas of the U.S. continue to have low crime rates, particularly when compared to the nation's cities, according to a new report on the nation's 100 safest cities by alarms.org, the official site of the National Council for Home Safety and Security. Such locations comprise the report's top 10 list of safest cities.

But that's not the whole story. The report also found that many cities also have relatively low crime rates compared to the nation's high-crime areas, and in some cases have lower crime rates than many small towns and suburban areas.

"It is not a universal truth that small towns and rural areas are safer than larger cities," the report states. "In fact, many cities are safer and less crime-stricken than numerous isolated small communities in rural areas struggling with poor policing, underachieving school systems, and high unemployment."

These 10 cities, in ascending order, topped the list for safest towns in America:

10. Western Springs, Ill.

The town of 13,391 did not report a single violent crime in 2016. Many business professionals, doctors and lawyers live in the area due to its proximity to Chicago. The median household income is $141,607 and 77.8 percent of resident hold a bachelor’s degree.