🛡️
The Safest States in America (2026)
Public safety remains one of the most important factors for residents choosing where to live. Our safety score is based on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) violent crime data for 2025, measured per 100,000 residents. States with lower violent crime rates receive higher scores. Safety accounts for 15% of our overall composite ranking. Northern New England states consistently rank among the safest, while several Southern states face higher crime rates. Property crime, while tracked separately, is not included in the safety score to maintain focus on the most impactful metric.
Weight12%
National Avg60.0
💰 Economy🛡️ Safety🏥 Health🎓 Education💼 Fiscal Health📈 Growth🏠 Affordability🌿 Environment🏞️ Outdoor Access🚇 Transportation🎭 Livability
Safety Score by State
| Rank | State | Grade | Safety Score | Overall Score | Key Metrics | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | A | 93.3 | 76.8 | 100 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 2 | New Hampshire | A+ | 92.0 | 86.6 | 110 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 3 | Connecticut | A | 88.5 | 73.5 | 136 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 4 | Rhode Island | B+ | 86.1 | 69.3 | 154 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 5 | New Jersey | B | 80.7 | 65.1 | 195 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 6 | Virginia | A | 79.9 | 74.3 | 201 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 7 | Wyoming | B+ | 79.6 | 68.2 | 203 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 8 | Vermont | A+ | 78.9 | 77.5 | 208 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 9 | Idaho | B+ | 78.1 | 69.2 | 214 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 10 | Kentucky | D | 77.6 | 38.0 | 218 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 11 | Utah | A+ | 76.3 | 81.5 | 228 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 12 | Minnesota | A+ | 72.5 | 77.1 | 256 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 13 | North Dakota | A | 71.1 | 77.1 | 267 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 14 | Mississippi | D | 70.7 | 31.4 | 270 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 15 | Hawaii | B | 70.4 | 64.8 | 272 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 16 | West Virginia | D | 68.7 | 32.5 | 285 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 17 | Nebraska | A | 68.0 | 74.5 | 290 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 18 | Oregon | B | 67.7 | 60.0 | 292 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 19 | Iowa | B+ | 67.3 | 68.7 | 295 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 20 | Wisconsin | B | 67.3 | 63.7 | 295 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 21 | Ohio | C+ | 66.3 | 49.1 | 303 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | B | 64.9 | 58.2 | 313 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 23 | South Dakota | A+ | 62.7 | 80.2 | 330 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 24 | Massachusetts | B+ | 60.7 | 70.3 | 345 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 25 | Kansas | B | 58.7 | 59.5 | 360 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 26 | Indiana | C+ | 58.5 | 49.6 | 361 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 27 | New York | B | 58.1 | 56.8 | 364 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 28 | Georgia | C+ | 57.6 | 51.3 | 368 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 29 | Washington | B | 57.1 | 63.2 | 372 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 30 | Montana | B+ | 56.4 | 70.8 | 377 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 31 | North Carolina | C+ | 56.0 | 53.5 | 380 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 32 | Florida | C+ | 55.5 | 51.7 | 384 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 33 | Illinois | C+ | 54.3 | 50.5 | 393 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 34 | Texas | C | 53.2 | 45.9 | 401 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 35 | Colorado | B+ | 51.6 | 67.4 | 413 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 36 | Maryland | B+ | 51.3 | 66.9 | 415 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 37 | Delaware | C+ | 50.3 | 52.4 | 423 violent crimes per 100K | Northeast |
| 38 | Alabama | C | 50.1 | 39.4 | 424 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 39 | Michigan | C | 49.3 | 45.0 | 430 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 40 | Arizona | C | 49.3 | 44.3 | 430 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 41 | Nevada | D | 49.2 | 39.2 | 431 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 42 | Oklahoma | C | 48.8 | 41.8 | 434 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 43 | California | C | 48.0 | 42.9 | 440 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 44 | South Carolina | C | 41.1 | 43.2 | 492 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 45 | Missouri | C+ | 40.7 | 48.7 | 495 violent crimes per 100K | Midwest |
| 46 | Louisiana | F | 37.3 | 25.2 | 520 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 47 | Arkansas | F | 29.5 | 29.9 | 579 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 48 | Tennessee | C | 27.7 | 45.3 | 592 violent crimes per 100K | South |
| 49 | New Mexico | D | 11.1 | 32.6 | 717 violent crimes per 100K | West |
| 50 | Alaska | D | 10.1 | 39.3 | 724 violent crimes per 100K | West |
Top 10 States for Safety
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the safest state in America in 2026?
Maine is the safest state in 2026, followed by New Hampshire and Connecticut. Rankings are based on FBI violent crime data per 100,000 residents.
Which states have the highest crime rates?
The states with the highest violent crime rates in 2026 are Alaska, New Mexico, and Tennessee, based on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data.
How is the safety score calculated?
The safety score is based on FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 residents (2024 data), inverted so lower crime yields higher scores. Safety carries a 15% weight in the composite.
Explore Other Categories
Data Sources
📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2024📎America's Health Rankings, 2025📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025📎National Park Service API, 2024📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, Migration Data 2021-2022