In a new report on the safest cities and states in the US, Vermont was named the safest state, while South Burlington was named the safest city and Burlington was named the fourth safest city. Pictured here: Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, Vermont.
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What are the safest cities in the US? With more than 430 mass shootings in the United States, almost 14,000 Americans lost to gun violence, nearly 29,000 motor vehicle deaths across the country and $24 billion dollars in climate disasters—all in 2024 alone—it’s no wonder that safety is top of mind for many Americans, whether they’re looking for a place to travel or somewhere to live.
To address these concerns, WalletHub has issued a new report on the safest cities in the US, as well as the safest states, providing a data-driven look at where Americans are best protected from physical, financial and environmental threats.
“When people think about safety in a city, their minds probably immediately go to things like the crime rate, auto fatality rate or risk of natural disasters,” Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub, said in a statement. “But the safest cities in America go beyond protecting residents from bodily harm and property damage. They also work to secure people’s financial safety, ensuring lower rates of identity theft, unemployment and housing instability.”
To determine the rankings, WalletHub compared more than 180 US cities and all 50 states across 52 safety metrics. The analysis looked at factors like violent crime rates, road safety, financial stability, vulnerability to natural disasters and more. Each city and state was graded across three key dimensions: home and community safety, natural-disaster risk and financial safety. Scores were weighted to reflect the relative importance of each factor.
The Safest Cities In The US
Topping the list as the safest city in America is South Burlington, Vermont. Located along the shores of Lake Champlain, South Burlington is known for its picturesque landscapes, parks like Overlook and Red Rocks and proximity to Vermont’s Green Mountains. The city has a low crime rate—coming in ninth on the list for home and community safety. South Burlington also has the lowest pedestrian fatality rate in the country and the 13th-lowest percentage of uninsured motorists. Financial safety is also a strong point: With a national low unemployment rate of 1.9%, South Burlington residents are at lower risk of financial hardship, benefiting from one of the lowest rates of underwater mortgages and non-business bankruptcies per capita. And there’s a low risk of natural disasters, from flooding to wildfires. The neighboring city of Burlington, Vermont also did well on the list, coming in at number four.
Casper, Wyoming was named the second safest city in the US.
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Coming in second on the list is Casper, Wyoming, a city known for its wide-open spaces and outdoor recreation. Casper scores high for pedestrian and neighborhood safety. It has one of the lowest pedestrian fatality rates in the nation. It also does well when it comes to crime. It’s the second-safest city for walking alone at night and the fourth-safest for walking alone during the day, per a recent Numbeo study, and it has the 32nd-lowest aggravated assault rate in the country. Casper’s low risk of fraud—with the fewest identity theft complaints and second-fewest fraud complaints per capita—adds to its high safety rating.
Warwick, Rhode Island, rounds out the top three safest cities in the US. The waterfront city not far from Providence is known for exceptionally low crime rates and proactive community safety efforts. Warwick has the fewest murders and aggravated assaults per capita, along with one of the lowest rates of theft. Residents also benefit from favorable conditions for financial security, with low poverty levels and a strong employment rate.
While many cities have successfully cultivated safe environments, others face ongoing challenges, struggling with high crime rates and safety risks that impact both physical and financial well-being. New Orleans ranks at the bottom of the list of safest cities, followed closely by another Louisiana city: Baton Rouge. Rounding out the five least safe cities are Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Detroit and Memphis.
New Orleans was named the least safe city in a new report.
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The Safest States In The US
In WalletHub’s ranking of states, Vermont is named the safest in the US for 2024. Nearly 77% of parents in Vermont report feeling secure in their communities. With a strong job market, Vermont’s 2.1% unemployment rate is one of the lowest nationwide, supported by the state’s overall economic stability, which includes the lowest percentage of underwater mortgages and the second-fewest identity theft complaints per capita. Vermont’s commitment to road safety is also noteworthy, with the seventh-fewest traffic fatalities per 100 million miles traveled.
New Hampshire was named the second safest state in the US. Pictured here: autumn in Lake Winnipesaukee.
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New Hampshire ranks as the second-safest state on the WalletHub list, largely due to its low rates of violent and nonviolent crime. New Hampshire holds the record for the fewest mass shootings in the past two years, and it also has the second-fewest murders per capita. Plus, more than 78% of New Hampshire’s residents say that they feel safe in their neighborhoods (the highest rate in the country). Financially, the state is also strong, with a low unemployment rate and the country’s lowest poverty rate.
Maine is the third safest state. Maine has low crime rates, with the second-fewest aggravated assaults and the third-fewest thefts per capita. It excels in both financial stability and job security, with one of the lowest unemployment rates and the third-best job growth rate in the US. Additionally, Maine has the third-lowest non-business bankruptcy filings per capita.
While some states excel in protecting their residents, others face challenges across various safety categories. Louisiana ranks as the least safe state in the US for 2024, due in large part to its high crime rates, financial instability and vulnerability to natural disasters. Louisiana is closely followed by Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and Florida, which each experience elevated risks in categories like violent crime, financial insecurity, and environmental threats.
Read on for the lists of the safest cities in the US in 2024, as well as the safest states. You can compare this to past rankings like the 2023 list of the safest cities in the US. You can also get more details in WalletHub’s original reports.
A view of Lake Champlain. South Burlington, which overlooks Lake Champlain, was named the safest city in the US.
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Ranked: The 25 Safest Cities In The US
- South Burlington, Vermont
- Casper, Wyoming
- Warwick, Rhode Island
- Burlington, Vermont
- Boise, Idaho
- Yonkers, New York
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Columbia, Maryland
- Portland, Maine
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Irvine, California
- Fargo, North Dakota
- Chesapeake, Virginia
- Missoula, Montana
- Nashua, New Hampshire
- Juneau, Alaska
- Vancouver, Washington
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Huntsville, Alabama
- Laredo, Texas
- Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Chula Vista, California
- Fremont, California
- Glendale, California
Vermont was named the safest state. Pictured here: the skyline of Montpelier.
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Ranked: The Safest States In The US
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Utah
- Hawaii
- Connecticut
- Minnesota
- Rhode Island
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Arizona
- Virginia
- Maryland
- New Jersey
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Delaware
- Kentucky
- Oregon
- North Carolina
- New York
- Alaska
- Michigan
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- West Virginia
- Illinois
- Ohio
- New Mexico
- Nebraska
- Kansas
- Nevada
- California
- Montana
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Colorado
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Florida
- Arkansas
- Texas
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
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