The 10 Safest States in America
Explore the Best States for Public Safety
Public safety is vital to public health and happiness, and a state’s safety can be a crucial factor in deciding where to relocate your family.
In calculating the Best States for public safety, U.S. News considered the violent crime rate and the property crime rate per 100,000 people in each state, as measured by the FBI in 2016. Violent crime includes murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crime includes burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft. A higher state ranking indicates a lower crime rate for such metrics.
Public safety also accounts for 50 percent of a state’s rank for crime and corrections.