The 20 Safest Cities in the United States

How important is it that you and your family feel safe when you are home? The majority of people would answer that it is one of the most critical aspects of their town. There are some extremely crime-ridden areas of the United States and every country around the world has some form of crime whether its car thefts, burglaries, pickpockets or potentially worse. For this reason when many are in their homes they want to feel that it is a safe place, free of harm.

But if you are looking to relocate to a safe place where not just the interior of your home is safe, the following is a list of the 20 safest cities in the United States to help you make your decision.

Twenty: Weston, Massachusetts

Rounding out the top twenty is Weston, Massachusetts, an affluent town with a high household income. The city earmarks its wealth by giving back to the wellness and health of its residents and the entire world. In 2011, the city committed to reducing energy usage by 20-percent by 2016 and was awarded a “Green Community” title from the Commonwealth. This award further motivated the town to continuing working toward complete operation balanced with nature through a variety of programs such as “Living with Coyotes” which educates residents about co-existing with the town’s wildlife.  Weston has 0.25 violent crimes and 3.50 property crimes per 1,000 residents.

Nineteen: Rye, New York

Next on the list is Rye, New York which is located north of New York City. Rye was founded in 1660 and considered to be the oldest town in Westchester County. The town executives work to preserve the history of the town, its harbor along the Long Island Sound, and offer green space for residents. There is even a new initiative to support the animal inhabitants within the town limits. Part of this initiative is the Rye Deer Hotline which encourages residents to call the number when they spot a White Tail Deer so the town can monitor its populations. With a total human population of 16,016, the numerous violent crimes is 0.25 and property crimes per 1,000 is 3.37

Eighteen: Winona, Minnesota

In addition to boasting extremely low crime rates, Winona, Minnesota is a city that is focused on the health and wellness of its residents. One of the many programs offered by the town is The Friendship Center which was created for older adults to improve their quality of life by creating social activities. Another town-sponsored program is centered on storm water awareness to improve the health of the residents. This initiative educates individuals as to how to keep their drinking water safer. This well-rounded approach keeps citizens engaged and involved in their community thus practically eliminating crime. For a population of 27,000, there were only 0.91 violent crimes and 2.61 property crimes per 1,000 people in 2015.

Seventeen: Floral Park Village, New York

Floral Park gets its name from the 200 acres of land that were used to commercially grow flowers, all the way into the late 20th century. As a result, Floral Park Village has blossomed into an excellent Long Island location where kids can learn more about Internet safety. By using the national I-Safe Program, children are educated about how to responsibility use the Internet. Since there are so many children on the Internet each day, it is critical to teach them how to do so safely. With a population of just under 16,000, the number of violent crimes is 0.57 and property crimes is 2.95 per 1,000 people.

Sixteen: Western Springs, Illinois

Located in Cook County, Western Springs has many public safety ideas. For instance, residents can have the sidewalks in front of their home replaced for free if there is a potential trip hazard of over one and one quarter inches. Also, the city’s water is collected from wells and has been since the late 1800s. As a result, the local government has create a variety of enhancements to the water infrastructure to guarantee safety. With a population of around 13,000, the number of violent crimes per 1,000 people is 0.15 and the number of property crimes is 3.33.

Fifteen: Weston, Connecticut

Perhaps the name “Weston” is synonymous with safety as this is the second of its kind on this list from two different states. Like Weston, Massachusetts, Weston, Connecticut invests in its community and residents. The most impactful purchases have been from the Weston police department of state-of-the-art technology such as computer forensics and an advanced communication center that instantly alerts residents during an emergency. The town has completely supported these purchases to Weston an even safer community. The number of violent crimes is 0.19 and property crimes is 3.17 per 1,000 residents.

Fourteen: Franklin, Massachusetts

Named after Benjamin Franklin, the city constructed the nation’s first public library which houses a number of literary donations from famous statesmen. Franklin was founded on the principles of civic duty and education and continues to uphold those standards of education the masses about senior citizen issues through The Franklin Council on Aging. This amount of emphasis in caring for the senior residents proves that town citizens can trust that the local government has their best interests in min. The population of Franklin is just under 33,000 and it has a violent crime rate of 0.15 and property crime rate of 3.20 per 1,000 people.

Thirteen: Wilton, Connecticut

Major companies like Cannondale and Melissa and Doug have developed Wilton, Connecticut into a stable and booming economy. The police department has kept up their side of the bargain to keep low crime rates. One such method is through the “Citizen Police Academy” which is a safety program that educates residents about crime prevention and detection over a 12-week period. These types of programs help engage the community to cut down crime. With a population of 18,800, the number of violent crimes is 0.05 and property crimes per thousand is 3.24.

Twelve: South Park Township, Pennsylvania

Named after its huge 3,000-acre park where residents can horseback ride, golf, ice skate or picnic, South Park Township, Pennsylvania is the 12th safest city in America due to its low violent crime rates. A major portion of this can be attributed to the Police Chief, Dennis M. McDonough who can be contacted directly via email or phone when they have an issue. Overall, the police department goes above and beyond the call of duty with two of the 14 officers being certified to install child safety seats. Therefore, you can make an appointment to have them properly install the seat in your car. The total population is 13,500 and the number of violent crimes is only 0.29 per 1,000 and property crimes is 2.95 per 1,000 residents.

Eleven: Sudbury, Massachusetts

The streets of Sudbury, Massachusetts were used during Paul Revere’s famous horseback ride to inform the town that “The British are coming!” Since that time, Sudbury has made more history through public safety. Each Friday night, the Sudbury Teen Center opens its doors for teens to socialize in a safe and supervised environment which cuts down on drug driving, crime and other dangers. With a population of 18,500, the city has a staggeringly low 0.05 violent crimes and 3.17 property crimes per 1,000 people.

Ten: Campton Hills, Illinois

Situated just west of Chicago, Campton Hills has numerous parks and historic farms allowing the community to create the “Leave No Child Inside” initiative. This program encourage residents and their family to go outside, enjoy public land and be active within their community. With more of the population outdoors, it helps the police keep an eye on local properties and, consequently, crime rates at a low. The town of Campton Hills has a population of 11,300 and only 0.18 violent crimes and 3 property crimes per 1,000.

Nine: Imperial, California

Located just north of the United States-Mexico border sits Imperial, California. The police have an E-Policing Program that provides crime and news updates to online community members so they are abreast to emergencies or alerts. All residents can sign up for email alerts sent by the Management Analyst and partake by signing up in the Neighborhood Crime Watch program. With a population of 16,500, the number of violent crimes is 0.30 and property crimes is 2.78 per 1,000 people.

Eight: Hopkinton, Massachusetts

As the location for the beginning of the Boston Marathon, Hopkinton has a special focus on safety and wellness by offering anonymous mental health screenings and resident access to seminars that are focused on wellness. The Hopkinton Youth Commission offers families with free social and clinical services. The population of Hopkinton is a little over 16,000 and only a 0.06 violent crime rate and 2.65 property crime rate per 1,000.

Seven: Upper Providence Township, Pennsylvania

Located in Delaware County outside of Philadelphia, the citizens of Upper Providence Township, Pennsylvania are involved in their community and it has had an excellent return on investment. Organizations such as the Upper Providence Environmental Commission have helped to clean up the streets due to hazardous waste collection and regular clean-up events. The town has become more beautiful as a result of gardening workshops, composite sites that encourages the population to leave food scraps and Christmas trees, freed education about green living and a take home free fertilizer program for gardens and laws. With a population of only 10,300, the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents is 0.19 and the property crime rate per 1,000 is 2.51.

Six: Ridgefield, Connecticut

Located at the southeastern tip of Connecticut, not far from New York City lies Ridgefield, a city that has made a name for itself as a result of its dedicate to safety. Each year, the police host a Halloween celebration as well as teach the Government of Ridgefield against Drunk Driving (G.R.A.D.D) program. The initiative unites the community to fight substance abuse and other common issues that could compromise the safety of the residents. With a population of just over 25,000, the number of violent crimes is 0.04 and property crimes is 2.57 per 1,000 people.

Five: Broadview Heights, Ohio

Public safety, a strong sense of community and quality education are the high standards that Broadview Heights strives to achieve. In order to make that possible, the town hosts events such as the Outdoor Rock Concert Series that brings together people and raises funds for local charities. These types of efforts have helped the Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School to achieve the award for being one U.S. News Best High Schools while making the development of the kindergarten safety initiative, known as Safety Town, possible. Out of a population of 19,300, the number of violent crimes is 1.19 and property crimes is 1.35 per 1,000 residents.

Four: Washington Township, New Jersey

Washington Township, New Jersey is the result of the residents working with the local government to make a better community. The Washington Township Family and Community Services/Municipal Alliance Commission promotes community wellness through alcohol and drug classes. The residents have cultivated a thriving town through community garden programs. These small plots of land bring together the community and allow residents to maintain peace between their neighbors and the environment. With only 0.37 violent crimes and 1.76 property crimes per 1,000 residents, the population of 18,700 is safe.

Three: Norfolk, Massachusetts

In 1776, famous leaders like George Washington graced the local taverns. Over 240 years following the Revolutionary War, there are no traces of the brutality that occurred during that time period. In actuality, Norfolk is third on this list due to the town’s commitment to keep its residents secure. The town has programs in place for rabies clinics, free pet vaccinations and the DARE program to educate the youth about the dangers of substances. With a 0.17 violent crime rate and 1.86 property crime rate per 1,000 people, the residents of Norfolk can sleep easy tonight.

Two: Wayland, Massachusetts

Best known for having built the first public library in Massachusetts, Wayland has maintained the tradition of fire safety and prevention education with residents. The fire department has excellent programs that focus on how tobacco products create risks and the steps babysitters should take during a fire. The Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program brings firefighters into a classroom to teach children from preschool to 12th grade about what to do in a fire and how to prevent them. With a population of 13,500, the number of violent crimes per 1,000 is 0.44 and property crimes per 1,000 is 0.96.

One: Lewisboro Town, New York

The safest city in America is Lewisboro Town, New York, which is situated on the southern edge of the Connecticut-New York border. Only 50 miles north of New York City, Lewisboro is a small town that gives residents a peace of mind. Amazingly, the number of violent crimes per 1,000 people is 0 and the number of property crimes per 1,000 is 0.39 amongst a population of 12,712. This is primarily due to the town’s dedication to public safety of its residents. The “Complete Streets” initiative was implemented to protect bikers and pedestrians with driving and aid children in finding safe walking routes to school.