2020’s Safest Cities in America

Adam McCann, Financial WriterDec 2, 2019

Adam McCann, Financial Writer
Dec 2, 2019

People encounter hazards every day, some serious, others rare and innocuous. We fear certain kinds more than others, though, and COVID-19 is one of the biggest concerns in 2020. A recent Gallup poll found that 49% of Americans are “very” or “somewhat” worried about getting coronavirus, though that number has been as high as 59% in recent months. While COVID-19 has dominated the news this year, Americans still have other dangers to worry about, from mass shootings to riots to traffic accidents.

People can feel unsafe in other ways, too. Aside from the types of hazards that can cause bodily injury or other physical harm, taking out an unaffordable second mortgage, forgoing health insurance or even visiting unsecured websites are also ways people run into danger. One of the biggest worries for many people is the availability of affordable healthcare. In fact, half of all U.S. adults are worried a major health event could lead to bankruptcy.

No one can avoid all danger, however, and we take on a certain level of risk based on where we choose to live. Some cities are simply better at protecting their residents from harm. To determine where Americans can feel most secure — in more than one sense — WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 42 key indicators of safety. Our data set ranges from COVID-19 cases in the past seven days per 100,000 residents and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and road quality.

Table of Contents

Main Findings Ask the Experts Methodology

Main Findings

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Safest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank (1 = Safest)	City	Total Score	‘Home & Community Safety’	‘Natural-Disaster Risk’	‘Financial Safety’
1	Columbia, MD	85.08	4	63	7
2	South Burlington, VT	83.99	6	36	21
3	Plano, TX	81.76	2	113	30
4	Nashua, NH	81.32	9	27	67
5	Lewiston, ME	80.83	24	12	32
6	Salem, OR	80.68	10	70	57
7	Burlington, VT	80.55	22	37	29
8	Raleigh, NC	80.10	20	55	13
9	Warwick, RI	80.09	8	22	104
10	Virginia Beach, VA	80.04	12	44	63
11	Gilbert, AZ	79.94	26	14	16
12	Casper, WY	79.14	34	20	60
13	Portland, ME	79.13	33	11	34
14	Boise, ID	78.98	48	71	1
15	Cheyenne, WY	78.79	31	97	15
16	Vancouver, WA	78.62	21	87	38
17	Chesapeake, VA	78.60	16	69	72
18	Chandler, AZ	78.58	46	8	10
19	Cedar Rapids, IA	78.40	19	101	49
20	Madison, WI	78.15	36	89	11
21	Fremont, CA	78.07	5	157	27
22	Bismarck, ND	77.92	72	64	2
23	Scottsdale, AZ	77.57	51	53	18
24	Juneau, AK	77.54	73	50	22
25	Winston-Salem, NC	77.31	59	40	59
26	Worcester, MA	77.22	32	17	84
27	Peoria, AZ	77.11	58	26	28
28	Yonkers, NY	77.05	17	39	138
29	Lincoln, NE	76.90	53	105	3
30	Irvine, CA	76.89	1	150	120
31	Manchester, NH	76.76	54	30	62
32	Durham, NC	76.51	62	42	24
33	Rochester, NY	76.25	45	4	103
34	Mesa, AZ	76.15	61	18	40
35	Missoula, MT	76.06	40	108	73
36	Pearl City, HI	76.02	3	N/A	12
37	Buffalo, NY	75.90	56	5	90
38	Oceanside, CA	75.50	13	144	87
39	Grand Rapids, MI	75.44	66	7	85
40	Fort Wayne, IN	75.40	57	59	89
41	Chula Vista, CA	75.33	18	132	95
42	Tempe, AZ	75.28	79	9	39
43	Aurora, IL	75.24	25	91	143
44	Greensboro, NC	75.09	70	33	68
45	Cape Coral, FL	74.98	27	111	135
46	San Diego, CA	74.66	30	130	79
47	Newport News, VA	74.61	60	21	110
48	Grand Prairie, TX	74.60	39	112	96
49	Dover, DE	74.57	81	1	118
50	Fargo, ND	74.46	104	77	8
51	Brownsville, TX	74.21	85	2	100
52	Huntington Beach, CA	74.19	11	170	108
53	Nampa, ID	74.12	113	49	14
54	Spokane, WA	74.08	96	19	33
55	Charlotte, NC	73.94	83	57	45
56	Laredo, TX	73.82	99	24	69
57	Glendale, AZ	73.76	98	13	55
58	Las Cruces, NM	73.66	76	66	132
59	Henderson, NV	73.64	50	95	121
60	Santa Rosa, CA	73.56	28	153	92
61	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	73.51	23	159	93
62	Sioux Falls, SD	73.48	97	103	4
63	Irving, TX	73.47	49	125	86
64	Huntington, WV	73.41	86	47	83
65	Bridgeport, CT	73.39	64	16	163
66	Santa Clarita, CA	73.38	7	168	165
67	Colorado Springs, CO	73.14	68	126	36
68	Overland Park, KS	73.11	88	121	6
69	San Jose, CA	73.10	43	169	26
70	Omaha, NE	72.89	89	107	17
71	Norfolk, VA	72.88	55	81	147
72	New Haven, CT	72.61	84	6	144
73	Glendale, CA	72.40	15	151	161
74	Salt Lake City, UT	72.33	95	116	9
75	Sacramento, CA	72.19	65	119	91
76	Arlington, TX	72.15	63	122	101
77	Garden Grove, CA	72.07	14	171	154
78	Des Moines, IA	72.00	69	143	36
79	Oxnard, CA	71.94	41	148	116
80	Fayetteville, NC	71.75	92	51	139
81	Billings, MT	71.73	133	58	23
82	Providence, RI	71.50	103	10	122
83	Reno, NV	71.28	67	158	51
84	Anaheim, CA	71.26	29	154	155
85	Toledo, OH	71.12	90	60	148
86	Portland, OR	71.12	107	86	71
87	Tallahassee, FL	71.12	109	28	115
88	Tampa, FL	70.98	78	92	142
89	Fort Smith, AR	70.92	120	94	58
90	Fort Worth, TX	70.92	71	134	107
91	Gulfport, MS	70.90	94	56	167
92	Moreno Valley, CA	70.84	35	166	137
93	Minneapolis, MN	70.82	87	131	50
94	Huntsville, AL	70.80	82	142	52
95	Richmond, VA	70.69	100	75	126
96	Pembroke Pines, FL	70.68	77	48	173
97	Aurora, CO	70.64	80	133	80
98	Rapid City, SD	70.54	117	129	19
99	Ontario, CA	70.53	47	156	128
100	Santa Ana, CA	70.29	37	167	152
101	Corpus Christi, TX	70.17	138	3	76
102	San Antonio, TX	70.14	108	73	114
103	Columbus, GA	69.95	110	38	158
104	Austin, TX	69.88	123	98	43
105	Fontana, CA	69.85	52	163	136
106	Akron, OH	69.70	101	68	164
107	Phoenix, AZ	69.69	137	25	65
108	Augusta, GA	69.63	150	61	125
109	North Las Vegas, NV	69.46	93	99	149
110	Knoxville, TN	69.39	119	78	102
111	Tulsa, OK	69.20	114	120	53
112	Louisville, KY	69.13	116	106	75
113	Pittsburgh, PA	68.96	130	72	82
114	Riverside, CA	68.76	74	164	117
115	Mobile, AL	68.76	126	43	156
116	Fresno, CA	68.75	111	117	113
117	Boston, MA	68.67	146	35	74
118	Charleston, WV	68.66	155	45	70
119	Jacksonville, FL	68.34	134	62	106
120	St. Paul, MN	68.29	44	N/A	44
121	Seattle, WA	68.20	131	141	5
122	Columbia, SC	67.94	136	83	109
123	Honolulu, HI	67.64	38	N/A	78
124	Long Beach, CA	67.55	75	152	162
125	Cincinnati, OH	67.47	129	76	141
126	Nashville, TN	67.40	139	115	66
127	Springfield, MO	67.40	142	127	31
128	San Francisco, CA	67.36	147	123	25
129	Houston, TX	67.36	121	102	140
130	Jersey City, NJ	67.34	128	84	151
131	Modesto, CA	67.31	125	135	77
132	Amarillo, TX	67.27	122	162	47
133	Atlanta, GA	67.11	115	82	169
134	New York, NY	67.04	148	34	130
135	Chicago, IL	66.93	118	79	168
136	Garland, TX	66.88	145	110	94
137	Wilmington, DE	66.74	151	23	145
138	Port St. Lucie, FL	66.67	42	N/A	99
139	Wichita, KS	66.64	105	172	88
140	Montgomery, AL	66.55	132	93	172
141	Albuquerque, NM	66.53	143	88	133
142	Charleston, SC	65.81	135	165	48
143	Hialeah, FL	65.79	91	128	181
144	Tacoma, WA	65.77	144	145	61
145	Bakersfield, CA	65.65	124	146	111
146	Indianapolis, IN	65.58	140	124	105
147	Columbus, OH	65.48	156	46	97
148	Tucson, AZ	65.28	163	65	54
149	Newark, NJ	64.94	141	29	178
150	Milwaukee, WI	64.72	153	52	157
151	El Paso, TX	64.51	160	74	98
152	Kansas City, MO	64.14	152	138	81
153	West Valley City, UT	63.58	102	N/A	20
154	Shreveport, LA	63.40	154	100	170
155	Baltimore, MD	63.15	161	67	134
156	Stockton, CA	63.11	149	140	123
157	Miami, FL	63.06	127	118	182
158	Orlando, FL	62.18	169	32	146
159	Dallas, TX	62.12	165	104	119
160	Denver, CO	61.97	164	139	64
161	Lubbock, TX	61.92	171	114	41
162	Cleveland, OH	61.77	157	54	176
163	Lexington-Fayette, KY	61.65	112	N/A	35
164	Washington, DC	61.56	176	80	56
165	Las Vegas, NV	61.29	167	96	150
166	Anchorage, AK	60.84	168	161	42
167	Philadelphia, PA	60.21	178	15	129
168	New Orleans, LA	59.96	170	31	171
169	Little Rock, AR	59.46	158	147	159
170	Oakland, CA	58.96	166	155	131
171	Chattanooga, TN	58.94	175	109	124
172	St. Petersburg, FL	58.75	106	N/A	127
173	Los Angeles, CA	58.22	162	149	166
174	Oklahoma City, OK	57.71	159	173	46
175	Memphis, TN	57.24	173	85	177
176	Baton Rouge, LA	56.39	182	90	112
177	Jackson, MS	56.35	172	137	175
178	Detroit, MI	56.13	181	41	174
179	Birmingham, AL	54.89	174	136	180
180	San Bernardino, CA	54.14	180	160	153
181	St. Louis, MO	42.33	179	N/A	160
182	Fort Lauderdale, FL	40.22	177	N/A	179

Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of that city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for that metric category.

Ask the Experts

For the best ways to improve safety, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:

What steps should local authorities take to help reduce the public costs associated with cleanups after major natural disasters? Should flood or other types of insurance be mandatory?
What measures can police departments take to increase public trust? How important is it to have a police force that is representative of the local community?
What can local authorities do to ensure a safe reopening of businesses and prevent new surges in coronavirus cases?
What can consumers do to increase their financial literacy, considering sound financial decisions increase a person's financial safety?

Ask the Experts

: Roberta P. Lavin
Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAAN – Professor and Ph.D. Program Director – University of New Mexico, College of Nursing
Read More

: Jeremy Brooks
Project Manager, National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) , The Earth Institute – Columbia University
Read More

: Alessandra Jerolleman
Ph.D., MPA, CFM – Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Management – Jacksonville State University
Read More

: Duane Hagelgans
Center for Disaster Research & Education – Millersville University
Read More

: Stanley J. Kania III
Ph.D. – Adjunct Instructor, Ph.D. Program, Strategic Leadership & Administrative Studies – Marywood University
Read More

: Rebecca A. Rouse
DM – Professor of Practice & Associate Program Director, Emergency and Security Studies – Tulane University
Read More

More Experts

Methodology

In order to determine the safest cities in which to live, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Home & Community Safety, 2) Natural-Disaster Risk, and 3) Financial Safety.

We evaluated those dimensions using 42 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of safety.

We then determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Home & Community Safety - Total Points: 50

Average COVID-19 Cases in the Last Seven Days per 100,000 Residents: Triple Weight (~6.82 Points)
Presence of Terrorist Attacks: Triple Weight (~6.82 Points)
Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of terrorist attack or terrorist-related incident in the city between 2010 and 2020.
Number of Mass Shootings: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Murders & Non-Negligent Manslaughters per Capita: Triple Weight (~6.82 Points)
Forcible Rapes per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Assaults per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Thefts per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Sex Offenders per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Law-Enforcement Employees per Capita: Half Weight (~1.14 Points)
Active Firefighters per Capita: Half Weight (~1.14 Points)
EMTs & Paramedics per Capita: Half weight (~1.14 Points)
Note: “EMTs” refer to Emergency Medical Technicians.
Hate Crimes per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Share of Sheltered Homeless: Half Weight (~1.14 Points)
Perception of Safety (Safety walking alone during daylight/night): Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Note: These data are based on perceptions of visitors of Numbeo website in the past 3 years. If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as very high.
Drug Poisoning Deaths per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Traffic Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)
Pedestrian Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~~2.27 Points)
Note: “Pedestrians” also includes pedacyclists.
Road Quality: Full Weight (~2.27 Points)

Natural-Disaster Risk - Total Points: 30

Earthquake Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Flood Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Hail Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Hurricane Storm-Surge Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Tornado Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Wildfire Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Financial Safety - Total Points: 20

Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~2.11 Points)
Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Share of Uninsured Population: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Share of Uninsured Drivers: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Share of Owner Occupied Housing Units Spending at Least 35% of Their Household Income on Housing: : Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Note: “Other” includes both financial and nonfinancial complaints.
Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Share of Unbanked Households: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Job Security: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Total Workers in 2019 – Total Workers in 2018) / Total Workers in 2018.
Employment Growth: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Note: This metric was adjusted for the working-age population growth and compares figures between 2019 and 2018.
Share of Households with Emergency Savings: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Note: This metric measures the share of households that saved for unexpected expenses or emergencies in the past 12 months.
Retirement Plan Access & Participation Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Note: “Retirement Plan” includes only employer-based plans.
Personal Bankruptcy Filings per Capita: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Share of Underwater Homes: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
Note: “Underwater” describes homes with negative equity.

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, TransUnion, Parents for Megan’s Law, U.S. Fire Administration, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Insurance Research Council, Wm. Robert Johnston, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Road Information Program, Renwood RealtyTrac, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Zillow, County Health Rankings, Numbeo, Gun Violence Archive, ATTOM Data Solutions and The New York Times.

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