Small towns in the United States are often celebrated for their tight-knit communities and perceived safety.
MoneyGeek, a personal finance site, conducted an updated analysis using last year’s FBI crime data to identify the safest small towns in every state.
Northeast Dominance, National Insights
Researchers focused on towns and cities with populations ranging from 30,000 to 100,000 and calculated the cost of crime in each area, considering impacts on victims, justice system costs, and the nature of crimes committed.
MoneyGeek’s analysis revealed that many of the safest small communities are situated in the Northeast, showcasing low property crime rates and even lower violent crime rates.
Monroe Township in New Jersey secured the top spot, followed closely by Hillsborough Township, another New Jersey community.
Additional towns in the top 10 included Wallingford (Connecticut), Shrewsbury (Massachusetts), Westfield (New Jersey), Cranberry Township (Pennsylvania), and Princeton (New Jersey).
Beyond the Northeast, towns like Zionsville (Indiana), Mason (Ohio), and Lone Peak (Utah) also scored highly for safety.
Notably, California, despite its larger cities’ crime rates, had two cities in the top 15: Rancho Santa Margarita in Orange County and Danville, a Bay Area suburb.
MoneyGeek further broke down the data to identify the small town or city with the lowest cost of crime in every state.
Notable mentions included Alabaster (Alabama), Juneau (Alaska), San Luis (Arizona), and Bella Vista (Arkansas), each showcasing low per capita crime costs.
While the study highlighted safe small towns, it also emphasized that not every small town is a bastion of safety.
For instance, Monroe, Louisiana, exhibited a higher cost of crime in 2022 than the majority of large cities, illustrating regional variations in safety.
Read more: Top 5 Safest Places In Texas
Small Town Safety Analysis
The analysis addressed broader national crime trends, noting that while violent crime slightly decreased in 2022, property crime experienced a 7.1% increase.
The murder rate notably dropped by 6.1% between 2021 and 2022. Property crimes, including motor vehicle theft, contributed to the overall rise in reported property crimes.
Limitations in using FBI crime data for small towns and cities in Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. To address this, researchers pulled data from local city police departments in these states.
The analysis provides valuable insights into the safest small towns in every state based on crime cost. By considering various factors, the study sheds light on regional variations in safety and highlights communities that prioritize security for their residents.
As crime trends continue to evolve, such analyses contribute to a better understanding of safety dynamics in smaller communities across the United States.
Read more: Top 5 Dangerous Places In Georgia
