When it comes to safety scenes of street muggings and house break-ins are the first to come to mind. But there are other factors we might not consider that can have a big impact on a city’s safety.
The chances of a natural disaster for example, or how expensive rental properties are compared to other cities. We also have to consider factors like how many law enforcement employees and firefighters there are per capita, as well as unemployment rates and median credit scores.
WalletHub has taken all of these metrics, and more, into account and ranked 180 US cities in terms of their overall safety. Here are the safest.
10. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Residents of this city fall in love with its combination of beach vibes and urban atmosphere. But it’s not just the city’s white sand beaches that make it so great. It’s also amongst the country’s safest cities.
The city’s cost of living is cheap when compared to other coastal cities like Miami and San Diego, which contributes towards Virginia Beach’s financial security.
Virginia Beach also has low crime rates. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime is just 1 in 1048, which is much lower than the national average. There are lots of neighborhood watch programs in place that make the city’s streets and residential areas feel even safer.
9. Portland, Maine
Portland has a small-town feel to it that is characterized by close-knit and friendly neighborhoods. This is largely possible because of how safe the city is.
With crime rates significantly below the national average, it’s no wonder Portland ranked as the 9th safest city in the country. Overall, your chance of being a victim of a violent crime is as low as 1 in 443. Because of this, the city has bustling streets and a vibrant, and safe, nightlife.
Financial security is another thing Portland’s residents enjoy, which is essential for people’s individual wellbeing.
8. Columbia, Maryland
Whilst Columbia only made it to 8th place on WalletHub’s safest cities list, it ranked first on their Best City for Women study! The city has smaller gender pay gaps than other major cities in the US, and women enjoy better access to health care.
The city’s crime rates are also very low. Your chance of being a victim of a violent crime in Columbia is as low as 1 in 463, well below the national average.
Natural disasters are also rare in Columbia, which is a rising worry as climate change starts to take effect.
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids hasn’t only ranked as the seventh safest US city, it has also been named amongst the 100 Best Places to Live in the US and as the 13th Best City to Buy a House.
The city has some of the most affordable rental properties going, which means its residents can forget about high living costs and enjoy their hard-earned cash.
Like every city, there are some neighborhoods worth avoiding in Cedar Rapids, like Wellington Heights, but overall the city is safe and visitors can explore without needing to worry.
6. Yonkers, New York
Continuous efforts made by the city’s police force are seeing rapid drops in crime rates. The city boasts a much lower crime rate than the state’s average, with just 10.45 incidents per 1,000 residents.
One of the main reasons that Yonkers ranked as one of the country’s safest cities is because of its financial safety. A pro-business city, it is a great place to start up a new business. Both small, independent businesses and bigger ones thrive in Yonkers, making it a vibrant and prosperous city.
5. Boise, Idaho
This charming city ranks especially highly when it comes to home and community safety. The streets of Boise are secure, which brings everyone together and fosters a strong sense of community.
Known for its low crime rates, break-ins and muggings are rarely a topic of conversation in Boise. Residents and visitors can safely wander Boise’s streets during the daytime and at night without much to worry about.
The weather is another thing that makes Boise so great. Generally warm and sunny, the city experiences close to no bad or extreme weather.
4. Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is a pretty safe city. It is the smallest of the 50 largest cities in the US, enjoying much of the safety of smaller cities whilst having everything you’d expect from a bigger metropolitan city.
There are very few violent crimes in Burlington, and things like muggings are pretty rare. One thing to be aware of is that there is more risk of your car being broken into, so don’t leave any valuables on your front seats!
Generally, the neighborhoods in the west are considered more dangerous, whilst the northwest parts of the city are safer. There’s a great community feeling in the northwest parts of Burlington that makes it feel especially safe.
3. Warwick, Rhode Island
If it’s personal safety that’s on your mind, then Warwick is the place to go. It has the country’s lowest number of murders and second lowest rates of aggravated assaults per capita. As well as that, there are very few reports of theft.
It has low rates of residents without health insurance and the sixth-lowest percentage of residents living in poverty in the country.
In terms of natural disasters, it is pretty safe from hail storms, wildfires, tornadoes, and earthquakes. Fraud complaints are also very rare. All of this means you can rest assured in Warwick.
2. Casper, Wyoming
Ranked as one of the most street-safe cities in the US, Casper is the country’s second safest city. It’s the second safest city for walking alone at night, and the fourth safest for walking alone in the day. It’s got low rates of aggravated assault and low murder rates too.
Casper doesn’t see many severe weather warnings or get hit by many natural disasters, adding to its overall safety. It’s low risk for hail storms, flooding, tornados, and earthquakes alike.
Another area to consider that impacts how safe a city is is theft. Casper has very few identity theft reports and ranks the second lowest for fraud complaints per capita.
1. South Burlington, Vermont
Boasting the ninth-most EMTs and paramedics per capita along with some of the country’s safest roads, South Burlington is partly the country’s safest city because of its low pedestrian fatality rate.
It’s also a very financially secure city. As we know, safety is about more than just crime rates. The city has the lowest unemployment rate in the country, great mortgage security, and very few issues of bankruptcy. This puts its residents at a lower risk of becoming homeless or being unable to access things like health care.
Another reason South Burlington is so safe? It’s low risk for natural disasters.
All of this makes South Burlington a great place to live and contributes to the city’s vibrant community feel.
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