2017’s Safest States in America

With every new headline about a mass shooting, terrorist attack, hate crime or natural disaster, many of us fear for our safety and that of our loved ones. Safety is a fundamental human need. And we require some form of it, such as personal and financial protection, in every setting of daily life. But we’re likely to feel more secure in some states than in others.

In order to determine the safest states in America, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states across 37 key safety indicators grouped into five different categories. Our data set ranges from assaults per capita to unemployment rate to total loss amounts from climate disasters per capita. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology.

Main Findings

Safest States in America

Ask the Experts

No place is completely immune to danger of any form. Some areas simply deal with safety issues better than others. For additional insight and advice, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. There are many different potential threats to one’s safety: crime, weather, pollution, dangerous workplaces. In choosing a place to live, how should people weigh the risks?
2. Donald Trump ran as the “Law & Order” candidate. What actions can he undertake now to reduce crime and improve public safety?
3. Do you agree with President Trump that increased border security will reduce crime?
4. What can state and local policymakers do to reduce crime in their communities?
5. What tips do you have for consumers looking to improve their financial safety?

• Donald Hummer Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg
• Smitha Radhakrishnan Associate Professor of Sociology at Wellesley College
• Liza Chowdhury Assistant Professor in the School of Criminal Justice, Political Science and International Affairs at Fairleigh Dickinson University
• John D. Cohen Distinguished Professor of Professional Practice in Criminal Justice in the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Donald Hummer

Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Pennsylvania State University Harrisburg

There are many different potential threats to one’s safety: crime, weather, pollution, dangerous workplaces. In choosing a place to live, how should people weigh the risks?

In terms of safety from crime, the answer is fairly obvious -- choose to live where crime isn't a common occurrence. Published crime statistics are fairly easy to find, however they must be disaggregated for full understanding, preferably by neighborhood, census tract, or block level. Data at a city or county level is only marginally helpful. Keep in mind also that risk of victimization is highly correlated with lifestyle variables. Individuals whose activities do not place them in situations where crime is likely (e.g., substance use, keeping late night hours, situations where conflicts and disagreements arise regularly) are far less likely to be victimized regardless of where they live.

Violence is primarily a function of intimate social relationships (some romantic, many others not). People have disagreements, emotions take over, incidents occur, and it's a continuous cycle. This is why violence is so difficult for the justice system to impact -- it happens behind closed doors, it happens in a heartbeat when guardianship isn't around, it happens as a by-product of illicit markets. In a dysfunctional setting it can even be viewed as natural or inevitable.

Donald Trump ran as the “Law and Order” candidate -- what actions can he undertake now to reduce crime and improve public safety

What we've learned from experience is that the Office of the U.S. President, and the federal government in general, can do little to reduce crime and influence public safety directly. Of course, there is no way to measure how much crime is prevented at this level, say, through anti-terror strategies, but the crimes most Americans fear (perhaps after a terrorist attack) are acts of random or street violence. These are local issues that have proved difficult to impact using traditional crime control strategies. The federal government does play a role in terms of earmarking funds for entities such as the National Institute of Justice for research and the Office of Community-Oriented Policing Strategies for technical assistance and grant funds for local law enforcement agencies, but other than financial support, the federal government plays a minor role.

While there is disagreement in criminological circles (as there always has been) about how to reduce crime, I contend that reducing inmate populations and the culture of violence to which they are exposed while incarcerated is a first key step. Once in the system, it is extremely difficult for an offender to break the cycle of rearrest and reincarceration. The federal government can lead by example, but to this point the federal system has demonstrated itself to be more punitive than states for crimes under its jurisdiction (particularly drug and firearms offenses) with reliance on mandatory minimum sentences and its scaling back of parole for federal inmates.

Do you agree with President Trump that increased border security will reduce crime?

Not at all. The vast majority of illegal immigrants the President wants to “wall out” come to earn money and that's it. And earn money doing the types of jobs (agriculture, slaughterhouses, service jobs) that U.S. citizens either won't do or won't do for the wages being offered. Political issues aside, the probability of a U.S. citizen being victimized by an illegal immigrant is far less than being victimized by a family member.

To that end, the most likely victim of an illegal immigrant is another illegal immigrant. Despite the exceptions to the rule that are inevitably cited by those with an agenda to further, crime remains essentially intra-class, intra-racial, and perpetrated by someone known to the victim. Crime is the result of people sharing space and time with motivation and opportunity to offend. Add in the growing substance abuse and mental health issues in this country and you begin to see the genesis of offenses.

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce crime in their communities?

Again, we need to continue the trend of using the justice system as a panacea for “solving” problems associated with human behavior. There is a school of criminological thought that crime is nothing more than a symptom of an unhealthy society. The more crime, the more unhealthy that society tends to be. The average American still tends to think that the threat of punishment is enough to dissuade people from doing the things they do, or might do.

But this just isn't the case and the empirical research shows this over and over. Any opiate user released on parole knows that if they use and test positive, they are going back to jail or prison. But the addiction is too strong. Young men who carry guns in our inner cities pretty much know that if they get caught with an illegally concealed weapon, they get a mandatory minimum prison term. But the possible ramifications of not being armed when everyone around them is leads to a mental calculus that shows carrying a weapon is worth the risk. And can you really deter an individual with untreated mental health issues? If they can't understand the implications of their actions? These are the issues that state and local policymakers need to address. They are monumental and will require vast numbers of stakeholders, but we're starting to do it: address the deprivation of the poorest in our communities, get a handle on the substance abuse/addiction epidemic, increase the resources for mental health and services for children and youth. If these things improve, crime goes down. No question, but they are huge macro-level issues that didn't develop overnight and won't be fixed overnight.

Smitha Radhakrishnan

Associate Professor of Sociology at Wellesley College

There are many different potential threats to one’s safety: crime, weather, pollution, dangerous workplaces. In choosing a place to live, how should people weigh the risks?

Depends on who you are. If you are a person of color, queer, or have a non-conforming gender identity, for example, you may feel safer in places that rate less well on general statistics like crime, weather, and pollution. In the U.S., some of the most oppressive and unethical policies (i.e., segregation in housing, environmental racism) have been put into place to make dominant groups -- especially middle and upper class whites -- feel safe. These policies have evolved to the detriment of communities of color. There is a vast sociological literature on the history of housing in the U.S.

The question of workplaces is slightly different, though related. In our current economy, those who work in dangerous workplaces seldom have much of a choice (i.e., food processing, a very dangerous industry that has not been outsourced).

As a sociologist, I’m not too good at answering “should” questions, but I can tell you what most Americans do choose in practice: a place where their family feels safe. For some, zip code crime rates will be the biggest consideration, but for many, health factors, including what the air is like and whether the water is safe for their kids are far more fundamental.

Donald Trump ran as the “Law and Order” candidate -- what actions can he undertake now to reduce crime and improve public safety?

Given recent and ongoing events, Trump can stand up more firmly and vocally against the various hate crimes that his candidacy has emboldened and his presidency, at least so far, has done little to prevent. A strong line against such crimes would certainly make many of us feel a bit safer in our own communities.

Do you agree with President Trump that increased border security will reduce crime?

To the extent of my knowledge, there is no research that supports any type of relationship between border security and crime. Immigrants -- including undocumented ones -- are far less likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes.

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce crime in their communities?

Forge relationships of trust between law enforcement personnel and local communities. Forge context-specific strategies to improve safety that take everyone’s needs and histories into account without penalizing specific groups arbitrarily. Start to heal the tortured history of law enforcement in the U.S. by focusing on questions of livelihoods in urban and rural communities alike. Enhance institutions like schools, churches, hospitals, museums and libraries to make them more inclusive.

A great example of a town that has been doing that with some success is Lowell, MA. The Boott Cotton Mills Museum has made huge strides in recent decades to engage the community it lives in, with important effects. In tandem with all these efforts, in the current climate, state and local policymakers can establish hotlines, support groups, and institutionalized processes to ensure that all hate crimes are treated as acts of terrorism.

What tips do you have for consumers looking to improve their “financial” safety?

Nothing terribly original: pay down your debt as much as possible, don’t spend more than you make, invest in homeownership, save as an automated habit, and don’t deny yourself some simple pleasures. All that said, the truth is that the current economy is making it much harder for younger folks to follow these basic rules. Many graduating students find it difficult to find jobs, even out of college, that provide a decent living wage. For more on this reality, check out the book, “Coming up Short: Working-Class Adulthood in an Age of Uncertainty,” by Jennifer Silva.

Liza Chowdhury

Assistant Professor in the School of Criminal Justice, Political Science and International Affairs at Fairleigh Dickinson University

There are many different potential threats to one’s safety: crime, weather, pollution, dangerous workplaces. In choosing a place to live, how should people weigh the risks?

In choosing a place to live based on safety factors, one should look at the city crime data. There are several online tools that can help you determine how the potential city's crime level is measured based on other communities. Another factor that should be considered is the school system and how good it is because education provides a safe haven and support system for youth in the neighborhood.

Also, are there residents that have lived there for several years or is it a lot of transient residents? The stability of the neighborhood is also based on how well residents know each other and participate in the well-being of the community. Finally, are there several programs or outlets for youth because these resources help provide youth opportunities and reduce the amount of youth related crime as well.

Donald Trump ran as the “Law and Order” candidate -- what actions can he undertake now to reduce crime and improve public safety?

Although he ran as a law and order candidate, crime is very related to poverty, lack of employment, trauma and scarcity of resources. Many communities that have large amounts of incarceration, presence of law enforcement also suffer from high levels of violence and community instability. These communities also have strained relationships with law enforcement and although the law and order model is followed in several of these areas, they also have a spatial concentration of crime because of the breakdown of families by the use of incarceration and the economic instability mass incarceration causes on these communities.

I would urge him to look at evidence-based practices like Cure Violence, which uses a public health approach to reduce gun violence. There are several evidence-based programs that discuss justice reinvestment that provides more funding in prevention and intervention by increasing school engagement, employment opportunities for youth and increased counseling services for youth instead of detention so the traumatic effects of incarceration do not lead them into a downward spiral. About 800,000 inmates reenter our society from prison every year and about half of them return not only based on new charges, but also for technical violations because they are unable to gain employment.

Our correctional system is a 60 billion dollar industry and for so many, to return back to prisons after such an enormous amount is being spent to run this system is not cost effective. Some prisons are doing more to help reintegrate inmates back into society by providing them college education, skill set for the new job market such as coding, helping them continue their relationships with their children and families so these social support systems stay intact once they return.

San Quentin prison is a prime example of this turn around. Drug programs must be more public health related and mental health resources must be provided to help those inmates who have dealt with a great deal of victimization heal so that they can become integrated into our society. Relationships between police and the community also need to improve. Community policing needs to be at the forefront of justice so that police can build trust with those it serves.

The militarization of police has allowed the police to increase no knock raids for low-level drug offenses and stop and frisk young minority males. This develops distrust and a fear towards law enforcement. If the President really wants to reduce communities with a high concentration of crime, I urge him to talk to criminal justice, public health, economic and mental health professionals that know the research and understand that crime has multiple layers. Locking people up and disrupting communities will only bring about more chaos.

Do you agree with President Trump that increased border security will reduce crime?

I think Border security was always in place in this country. The difference now is that we are targeting certain racial, ethnic groups for the crime in this country. I think this fear is misplaced. Most illegal immigrants are not engaging in crime in this country. Also, drugs are not only being smuggled from Mexico, this is an international problem. I think more attention needs to be paid to why are so many United States citizens addicted to drugs and what can we do to create better programs to reduce opioid or any other addiction in this country.

Using the criminal justice system to deal with the drug problem has not been successful. Since the beginning of the "War on Drugs" get-tough approach towards drugs in the 1970's, drug addiction has increased an enormous amount. This is proof that this model has been a failure. Now, the new enemy seems to be immigrants, but this will not stop gun violence in cities that are suffering due to poverty, lack of employment and high levels of victimization like East St. Louis, Chicago or Newark, NJ. What needs to happen is that the resources must go into integrating our youth, having better drug programs, training our officers to understand mental health and being a part of the community, creating more jobs in these locations and providing effective mental health services in the areas that are suffering from the most crime.

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce crime in their communities?

I think they need to really take a look and understand which geographic locations have the most crime and differentiate the crime based on violent, property, drug etc. to understand what evidence based or specific type of intervention is needed in each community that is suffering from high crime rates. I think it is their responsibility to integrate that community and not demonize or isolate them so that they can build trust and gain agency to develop effective strategies. I think the policy makers should invest in better training for our officers so they can know how to interact in communities that there is distrust so that they can build relationships. Also, justice reinvestment to put more money towards effective programming for youth and supporting youth advocacy programs that are working.

An assessment should be made of all programs that are servicing justice involved youth and adults to make sure money is not being mishandled and all programs are doing what they indicate they would do to help communities or lose contracts from the state because of their ineffectiveness. State and policy makers need to really understand why crime occurs and should reach out to the experts and have constant conversations with the experts and those in the field to create partnerships so that everyone is a part of the solution. Crime is a multifaceted problem and no one agency can solve it. Better communication must be made between those who are working with those that are involved with the justice system.

What tips do you have for consumers looking to improve their “financial” safety?

I urge consumers to be careful about the sites they view or purchase from because of the large amounts of cyber theft. Also, to know and keep on top of their financial statements and bank statements, to be vigilant if they see any suspicious activity.

John D. Cohen

Distinguished Professor of Professional Practice in Criminal Justice in the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

There are many different potential threats to one’s safety: crime, weather, pollution, dangerous workplaces. In choosing a place to live, how should people weigh the risks?

It is always prudent to be an educated consumer -- and that especially applies when selecting a place to live. Most jurisdictions have web pages that provide detailed statistics and other information about crime and other factors that can aid a person or family in deciding whether that is where they want to live. In addition to paying attention to crime rates, check out local media web sites. Ask yourself -- are there other issues like weather, flooding, power lines or anything else that could impact your quality of life and that could influence your decision to live in a specific community?

Donald Trump ran as the “Law and Order” candidate -- what actions can he undertake now to reduce crime and improve public safety?

Over the past decade, we have seen an overall decrease in crime nationally. That said, over the past two years, a number of cities have experienced an increase in violent crime -- in particular aggravated assaults, homicides and robberies. Most of that increase comes from crime occurring in a small number of communities and is driven by conflicts involving armed gang members fighting over control of illegal drug markets. This increase in violent crime comes at a time when the relationship between law enforcement and some in the community are frayed.

The Trump Administration can aid in dealing with this growing issue by supporting local efforts to engage in community-based, information driven crime prevention efforts which emphasize local law enforcement working closely with all communities to prevent crime and improve the quality of life in neighborhoods across America. I am somewhat concern that the Administration's political rhetoric on illegal immigration as well as proposed reductions in homeland security grant funding for state and local law enforcement may negatively impact cooperation between some state and local law enforcement organizations and the federal government -- but only time will tell if that is the case.

Do you agree with President Trump that increased border security will reduce crime?

Stopping the flow of illegal drugs coming into the Nation from Central and South America is important in that these drugs fuel a growing public health and public safety crisis in communities across the Nation. Increased violence between street gangs competing for control of illicit drug sales, a growing opioid epidemic and increased property and violent crime are some of the ways these illegal drugs impact communities across America. Preventing these drugs from coming into the U.S. via the southern border is but a part of what is needed. Much has been spent over the past 10 years to beef up the security along the southern border. And while there can be additional improvements, building a border wall will not solve the problem because smugglers today use other routes to trans-ship illegal drugs into the U.S. (and this applies to human smugglers as well).

More problematic is that the resources required to build the wall are being taken from other law enforcement, health care and mental health programs that are critical to addressing the drug problem. Calls to "build a wall" is great political theater, but from a security and law enforcement perspective it is of marginal value -- particularly if it means taking resources away from other vital interdiction, law enforcement, drug treatment and education programs.

What can state and local policymakers do to reduce crime in their communities?

Support efforts by local law enforcement authorities to build stronger relationships with community members -- even those from immigrant communities.

What tips do you have for consumers looking to improve their “financial” safety?

Four words -- protect your sensitive information. Whether one shops online or in stores, protect your sensitive information from being misappropriated -- that includes your credit card and bank account numbers, date and place of birth and especially your social security number. There are people out there trying to steal that data and use it to commit crimes. Only shop online using trusted web sites that adequately protect your personal information and remember that thieves are using scanners and other means to steal your credit card number.

Review your bank statements and credit card bill regularly (I look at mine every couple of days) and if you see something suspicious, notify your bank or credit card company immediately. Do not open or click links contained in suspicious email because that is one way for thieves to gain access to information on your computer including passwords for your online banking system. Do not provide your social security number to anyone who calls you on the phone and requests it. It is important for the public to remember, these thieves are crafty and can sound very convincing.

Methodology

In order to determine the safest states in which to live, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states across five key dimensions: 1) Personal & Residential Safety, 2) Financial Safety, 3) Road Safety, 4) Workplace Safety, and 5) Emergency Preparedness.

We evaluated those dimensions using 37 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 calculated the total score for each state based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.

Personal & Residential Safety - Total Points: 40

• Murders & Non-Negligent Manslaughters per Capita: Double Weight (~5.33 Points)
• Forcible Rapes per Capita: Double Weight (~5.33 Points)
• Assaults per Capita: Double Weight (~5.33 Points)
• Thefts per Capita: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)
• Sex Offenders per Capita: Double Weight (~5.33 Points)
• Drug Abuses per Capita: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)
• Law-Enforcement Employees per Capita: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)
• Active Firefighters per Capita: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)
• Suicide Rate: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)
• Bullying Incidence Rate: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)
• Share of Elder-Abuse, Gross-Neglect and Exploitation Complaints: Full Weight (~2.67 Points)

Financial Safety - Total Points: 15

• Share of Population Lacking Health-Insurance Coverage: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~1.88 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Debt per Income: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Share of Adults with Rainy-Day Funds: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
  Note: “Other” includes both financial and nonfinancial complaints.
• Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Share of Unbanked Households: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
• Job Security: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
  Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Total Workers in 2016 – Total Workers in 2015) / Total Workers in 2015
• New Unemployment Claims per Total Civilian Labor Force: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
  Note: “New Unemployment Claims” refers to the number of people making an initial claim for unemployment insurance benefits.
• Employment Growth (2016 vs. 2015): Full Weight (~0.94 Points)
  Note: This metric was adjusted for the working-age population growth.
• Personal Bankruptcy Filings per Capita: Full Weight (~0.94 Points)

Road Safety - Total Points: 15

• Fatalities per 100 Million Vehicle Miles of Travel: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• DUIs per Capita: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Pedestrian & Pedalcyclist Fatality Rate per Capita: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Road Quality: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Driving Laws Rating: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: This metric is based on the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety’s Roadmap Report of State Highway Safety Law. In order to achieve the highest rating, according to the organization, “States must have 11 to 15 laws including both primary enforcement seat belt laws, or 9 or more laws including both primary enforcement seat belt laws and an all-rider helmet law.”

Workplace Safety - Total Points: 15

• Fatal Occupational Injuries per 100,000 Full-Time Workers: Double Weight (~6.00 Points)
• Injuries & Illnesses per 10,000 Full-Time Workers: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Median Days Lost Due to Occupational Injuries & Illnesses: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
• Presence of Occupational Safety & Health Act Plans: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
  Note: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Under the [Occupational Safety and Health] Act, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace. OSHA's mission is to assure safe and healthful workplaces by setting and enforcing standards, and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.”

Emergency Preparedness - Total Points: 15

• Number of Climate Disasters Causing $1 Billion+ in Damages in Past Decades: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)
  Note: “Past Decades” refers to the period between 1980 and 2017.
• Total Loss Amount from Climate Disasters Causing $1 Billion+ in Damages in Past Decades per Capita: Full Weight (~7.50 Points)
  Note: “Past Decades” refers to the period between 1980 and 2017.

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, Administration for Community Living - AGing Integrated Database, United Health Foundation, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, U.S. Department of Labor - Employment and Training Administration, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Road Information Program, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, U.S. Department of Labor - Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Centers for Environmental Information, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FINRA Investor Education Foundation and CoreLogic.