The 5 Safest Cities in the U.S.
If you're looking for tranquility but with metro comforts, these five safest cities might be the thing.


Location is a key factor to consider when buying a home. Most people take into account nearby schools, restaurants, transportation options, and importantly, the safety in their prospective city. Let's face it, no one wants to live in a neighborhood with high crime rates. For this reason, whether or not an area is safe is typically a deal breaker for most home buyers.
Therefore, knowing which cities across the U.S. are the safest to live in can help you feel secure in your future home. Going abroad? Take a look at the 10 safest countries to visit.
How the safest cities were determined
WalletHub compared 182 cities in the U.S. (including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state) across 41 safety factors to determine which cities are the safest. These 41 safety indicators were divided into three key categories:
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
- Home and community safety: Presence of terrorist attacks, thefts per capita, murders per capita, traffic fatalities per capita, etc.
- Natural-disaster risk: Earthquake risk, flood risk, tornado risk, etc.
- Financial safety: Unemployment rate, share of uninsured drivers, poverty rate, job security, etc.
"Our country faces many threats and hazards every year," Laurie J. Holien, Homeland Security and Emergency, Management Program Director at Idaho State University told WalletHub. "The top natural hazards are usually related to extreme weather. Other public safety threats that threaten American lives and property include targeted acts of violence, wildfires, and cyber-related crimes."
You can view the full list of factors on WalletHub.com. Each factor was graded on a 100-point scale (100 representing the highest level of safety) and evaluated based on its corresponding weight. To reach an overall safety score, WalletHub determined each city's weighted average across all metrics.
These 5 cities were found to be the safest in the U.S.
1. Nashua, NH
- Overall score: 86.00
- Home and community safety: #8
- Natural disaster risk: #27
- Financial safety: #8
2. Columbia, MD
- Overall score: 85.97
- Home and community safety: #1
- Natural disaster risk: #63
- Financial safety: #85
3. South Burlington, VT
- Overall score: 85.18
- Home and community safety: #21
- Natural disaster risk: #36
- Financial safety: #1
4. Gilbert, AZ
- Overall score: 84.24
- Home and community safety: #10
- Natural disaster risk: #14
- Financial safety: #56
5. Warwick, RI
- Overall score: 84.03
- Home and community safety: #9
- Natural disaster risk: #22
- Financial safety: #68
Taking a further look at the data, here are the cities that ranked safest in each specific category. Columbia, MD ranked safest in home and community safety, Dover, DE was the safest based on natural disaster risk and South Burlington, VT ranked first in financial safety.
Least safe cities in the U.S.
The following five cities were found to be the least safe.
- Detroit, MI: Tied for most assaults per capita/ Highest unemployment rate
- Baton Rouge, LA: Tied for second most traffic fatalities per capita
- San Bernardino, CA: Second lowest overall score in home and community safety
- Fort Lauderdale, FL: Tied for second most traffic fatalities per capita/ Tied for second lowest % of households with emergency savings
- St. Louis, MO: Tied for most assaults per capita
Even in the safest locations you need to make sure you have cover for all eventualities. After all, even in a city with a low crime rate, a natural disaster (rather than a man-made one) might be the thing that upturns your domestic life. Use our home insurance tool — in partnership with Bankrate — to find the best deals available.
Related Content
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Erin pairs personal experience with research and is passionate about sharing personal finance advice with others. Previously, she was a freelancer focusing on the credit card side of finance, but has branched out since then to cover other aspects of personal finance. Erin is well-versed in traditional media with reporting, interviewing and research, as well as using graphic design and video and audio storytelling to share with her readers.
-
New Trump Tax Bill: Five Changes Homeowners Need to Know Now
Tax Changes Trump’s new tax legislation is reshaping how tax breaks for homeowners work.
-
The Smart Way to Retire: 13 Habits to Steal From the Wealthy
Check out these practical strategies that anyone can adopt, not just the rich, and get closer to achieving your retirement dreams.
-
Are Rideshare Drivers on the Road to Financial Ruin?
Being a rideshare driver can be a great way to meet people and make money. But overlooking this one thing could cost you thousands.
-
My Car Is 10 Years Old. Should I Drop Down to Minimum Coverage on My Car Insurance?
Reducing your car insurance to minimum coverage could save you thousands on premiums. But when is it worth the risk?
-
Google's AI Overview Is Wrong About Life Insurance 57% of the Time, Says Study
You need more than a grain of salt when getting life insurance tips from Google's AI overview.
-
Are You an Auto Theft Target? Discover the Clues
Thieves seized more than 850,000 cars last year. See which models, states and behaviors draw the eyes of opportunists.
-
Spot Heat Exhaustion in Your Pet Before It Costs Them — and You
Heat strokes aren't just for humans. The signs of heat exhaustion in pets can be harder to spot, but just as deadly.
-
These Cities Have the Most Dangerous Drivers — and It Could Cost You
A new list shows the cities where you're most likely to encounter collisions, making them dangerous places to drive. That factor could also raise your insurance costs.
-
A Meteorite May Have Hit a Home in Georgia. Would Insurance Cover the Damage?
In a rare event, a meteorite may have crashed through the roof of a Georgia homeowner. Here’s what home insurance would cover.
-
My Car Was Stolen — Here’s What I Did and How You Can Protect Yourself
Don’t wait until it happens to you. Learn how to prepare for auto theft, protect your vehicle, and respond quickly if your car is stolen.