The finding was listed in the annual "City Crime Rankings 2011-2012: Crime in Metropolitan America," which was released Thursday.
Irvine was ranked third in the 2010 list.
The annual report ranks safest and most dangerous cities, including smaller cities with populations as low as 75,000 reporting crime data to the FBI. In the overall cities list, Irvine is the sixth safest U.S. city.
The report uses data compiled on murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries and motor-vehicle thefts.
