Wallet Hub releases list of safest largest cities in America

Illinois cities and suburbs barely make this year’s list, but among the safest are Aurora at 13 and Chicago at 133. The Wallet Hub study compares the largest cities in each state based on a range of criteria including number of law enforcement, assaults, hate crimes, unemployment and traffic fatalities

Wallet Hub, the financial services firm which analyzes data across America, released its list of the safest largest cities in America based on a wide range of criteria. Aurora makes the list ranking at 13 while Chicago ranks at the bottom at 133. Many smaller and mid sized cities and communities are not included.

With fears of falling victim to cybercrime, identity theft and home burglaries topping the list of crime worries among Americans, according to the most recent Gallup polls, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Safest Cities in America as well as accompanying videos.

To determine where Americans can feel most protected against life’s hazards, including nonphysical forms of danger, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 39 key metrics. The data set ranges from assaults per capita to unemployment rate to road quality.

Wallet Hub map of safest cities in American 2018, least to best

Safety in Chicago (1=Safest, 91=Avg.):

21^st – Traffic Fatalities per Capita
1^st – Law-Enforcement Employees per Capita
141^st – Assaults per Capita
78^th – Hate Crimes per Capita
148^th – Unemployment Rate
52^nd – % of Households with Emergency Savings
123^rd – % of Uninsured Population
79^th – Natural-Disaster Risk Level

For the full report, please click here.

Here is an interactive map showing the cities included with a link to their information:

Source: WalletHub

People encounter hazards every day, some serious, others rare and innocuous. But we fear certain kinds more than others. According to Gallup, four in 10 Americans “fear being a victim of a mass shooting,” while 24 percent of U.S. adults are concerned about terrorism. Many also worry about falling victim to hate crimes or sexual assault. The list goes on, and these sentiments often are expressed in response to recent headlines.

But people can feel unsafe in other ways, too. Besides 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. At the top of the list of worries is cybercrime, which 71 percent of Americans worry about.

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 39 key indicators of safety. Our data set ranges from assaults per capita to unemployment rate to road quality. Read on for our findings, a detailed description of our methodology and a Q&A with safety experts for additional insight.Safest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank (1 = Safest)	City	Total Score	‘Home & Community Safety’ Rank	‘Natural-Disaster Risk’ Rank	‘Financial Safety’ Rank
1	Columbia, MD	85.98	4	63	34
2	South Burlington, VT	84.94	15	36	10
3	Plano, TX	84.11	1	113	41
4	Virginia Beach, VA	83.67	9	44	22
5	Warwick, RI	83.46	11	22	51
6	Gilbert, AZ	83.31	8	14	48
7	Yonkers, NY	83.28	2	39	121
8	Bismarck, ND	82.66	24	64	52
9	Nashua, NH	82.37	23	27	53
10	Boise, ID	82.15	30	71	1
11	Brownsville, TX	82.09	22	2	131
12	Chandler, AZ	81.79	27	8	44
13	Aurora, IL	81.75	3	91	150
14	Chesapeake, VA	81.71	19	69	39
15	Scottsdale, AZ	81.64	26	53	33
16	Burlington, VT	81.61	43	37	27
17	Lewiston, ME	81.54	67	12	6
18	Fargo, ND	81.33	32	77	29
19	Salem, OR	81.02	40	70	25
20	Worcester, MA	80.77	31	17	58
21	Laredo, TX	80.59	47	24	60
22	Peoria, AZ	80.38	36	26	64
23	Portland, ME	80.32	68	11	13
24	Cape Coral, FL	80.19	6	111	155
25	Casper, WY	79.95	41	20	137
26	Vancouver, WA	79.87	54	87	12
27	Winston-Salem, NC	79.82	38	40	117
28	Raleigh, NC	79.69	64	55	40
29	Pembroke Pines, FL	79.44	21	48	153
30	Irvine, CA	79.34	5	150	83
31	Madison, WI	79.27	62	89	4
32	Durham, NC	79.25	57	42	59
33	Fremont, CA	79.22	14	157	15
34	Jersey City, NJ	79.13	16	84	147
35	Tempe, AZ	79.12	51	9	89
36	Cedar Rapids, IA	78.99	46	101	55
37	Sioux Falls, SD	78.95	49	103	30
38	El Paso, TX	78.79	34	74	140
39	Chula Vista, CA	78.77	17	132	65
40	Mesa, AZ	78.77	50	18	90
41	Grand Prairie, TX	78.70	20	112	116
42	Lincoln, NE	78.69	60	105	36
43	Augusta, GA	78.49	66	61	127
44	Glendale, CA	78.22	7	151	101
45	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	78.14	12	159	57
46	Buffalo, NY	77.97	71	5	86
47	Glendale, AZ	77.97	56	13	119
48	Grand Rapids, MI	77.95	75	7	76
49	Newport News, VA	77.87	73	21	70
50	Spokane, WA	77.79	86	19	38
51	Irving, TX	77.77	28	125	85
52	Las Cruces, NM	77.66	70	66	158
53	Manchester, NH	77.56	90	30	49
54	Charlotte, NC	77.46	69	57	75
55	Fort Wayne, IN	77.14	77	59	96
56	San Diego, CA	77.11	45	130	42
57	Henderson, NV	77.06	44	95	128
58	Tallahassee, FL	76.94	82	28	105
59	Nampa, ID	76.93	88	49	81
60	Santa Rosa, CA	76.88	48	153	11
61	Huntington Beach, CA	76.87	18	170	67
62	Providence, RI	76.82	83	10	99
63	Omaha, NE	76.66	65	107	47
64	Norfolk, VA	76.62	76	81	68
65	Billings, MT	76.53	102	58	37
66	Juneau, AK	76.51	128	50	9
67	Richmond, VA	76.42	87	75	110
68	Cheyenne, WY	76.39	78	97	114
69	Corpus Christi, TX	76.39	91	3	109
70	Arlington, TX	76.29	39	122	124
71	Pearl City, HI	76.22	10	N/A	16
72	Rochester, NY	76.12	84	4	142
73	Greensboro, NC	76.05	89	33	115
74	Oceanside, CA	75.71	55	144	45
75	Hialeah, FL	75.65	13	128	176
76	Dover, DE	75.51	116	1	148
77	Gulfport, MS	75.21	103	56	134
78	Salt Lake City, UT	75.11	97	116	14
79	New Haven, CT	74.98	106	6	132
80	Bridgeport, CT	74.96	85	16	170
81	Fort Smith, AR	74.71	105	94	78
82	Moreno Valley, CA	74.68	25	166	146
83	Santa Clarita, CA	74.55	29	168	136
84	Garden Grove, CA	74.51	35	171	100
85	Rapid City, SD	74.49	99	129	26
86	Des Moines, IA	74.46	63	143	73
87	Nashville, TN	74.46	108	115	19
88	Fontana, CA	74.33	37	163	118
89	San Jose, CA	74.31	81	169	7
90	Ontario, CA	74.20	53	156	92
91	Overland Park, KS	74.18	112	121	8
92	Missoula, MT	74.00	114	108	80
93	St. Paul, MN	73.77	42	N/A	18
94	Fayetteville, NC	73.66	107	51	156
95	Columbia, SC	73.62	94	83	151
96	Honolulu, HI	73.61	52	N/A	5
T-97	Tampa, FL	73.45	92	92	138
T-97	Oxnard, CA	73.45	58	148	139
99	Anaheim, CA	73.09	59	154	112
100	Minneapolis, MN	72.96	113	131	21
101	San Antonio, TX	72.93	111	73	126
102	Fort Worth, TX	72.90	79	134	144
103	Portland, OR	72.66	138	86	3
104	Riverside, CA	72.47	72	164	107
105	Aurora, CO	72.46	98	133	62
106	Boston, MA	72.43	143	35	17
107	New York, NY	72.38	131	34	71
108	Port St. Lucie, FL	72.34	33	N/A	94
109	Columbus, GA	72.33	117	38	167
110	Reno, NV	72.30	104	158	23
111	Jacksonville, FL	72.27	127	62	104
112	Montgomery, AL	72.26	95	93	178
113	Huntsville, AL	72.05	93	142	106
114	Tacoma, WA	72.01	101	145	46
115	Louisville, KY	71.97	118	106	72
116	Sacramento, CA	71.91	109	119	93
117	Long Beach, CA	71.80	80	152	120
118	Fresno, CA	71.61	115	117	113
119	Santa Ana, CA	71.34	74	167	145
120	Phoenix, AZ	71.06	136	25	111
121	North Las Vegas, NV	71.02	100	99	172
122	West Valley City, UT	70.82	61	N/A	31
123	Austin, TX	70.39	142	98	35
124	Houston, TX	70.35	119	102	154
125	Atlanta, GA	70.34	121	82	159
126	Modesto, CA	70.31	126	135	54
127	Amarillo, TX	70.28	120	162	66
128	Toledo, OH	70.26	129	60	171
129	Mobile, AL	70.25	135	43	168
130	Tulsa, OK	70.19	124	120	84
131	Miami, FL	70.05	96	118	177
132	Milwaukee, WI	69.69	140	52	123
133	Chicago, IL	69.41	123	79	174
134	Indianapolis, IN	68.73	134	124	108
135	Springfield, MO	68.41	141	127	79
136	Huntington, WV	68.39	159	47	50
137	Charleston, WV	68.24	158	45	69
138	Akron, OH	68.12	146	68	166
139	Colorado Springs, CO	68.12	149	126	24
140	Charleston, SC	68.10	137	165	63
141	Shreveport, LA	68.07	139	100	163
142	Anchorage, AK	67.93	132	161	103
143	Seattle, WA	67.80	151	141	2
144	Garland, TX	67.66	150	110	102
145	Lubbock, TX	67.64	176	114	32
146	Cincinnati, OH	67.64	148	76	133
147	Newark, NJ	67.51	130	29	182
148	Albuquerque, NM	67.28	147	88	143
149	Pittsburgh, PA	67.06	152	72	77
150	Bakersfield, CA	67.06	125	146	165
151	Stockton, CA	66.99	144	140	98
152	San Francisco, CA	66.59	153	123	20
153	Birmingham, AL	66.43	122	136	180
154	Oakland, CA	66.19	145	155	82
155	Washington, DC	65.47	166	80	61
156	Baltimore, MD	65.08	155	67	149
157	Tucson, AZ	64.89	172	65	91
158	Chattanooga, TN	64.84	164	109	56
159	Columbus, OH	64.81	169	46	87
160	Denver, CO	64.74	154	139	43
161	Dallas, TX	64.64	157	104	125
162	Wilmington, DE	64.63	168	23	164
163	Knoxville, TN	64.28	171	78	88
164	Orlando, FL	63.92	175	32	74
165	Kansas City, MO	63.63	156	138	95
166	Lexington-Fayette, KY	62.94	133	N/A	28
167	St. Petersburg, FL	62.69	110	N/A	122
168	Las Vegas, NV	62.54	167	96	152
169	Cleveland, OH	62.39	162	54	179
170	New Orleans, LA	61.81	174	31	162
171	Philadelphia, PA	61.61	177	15	157
172	Memphis, TN	61.38	173	85	173
173	Jackson, MS	61.30	161	137	175
174	Los Angeles, CA	60.79	165	149	130
175	Wichita, KS	60.39	163	172	129
176	Oklahoma City, OK	57.73	160	173	97
177	Detroit, MI	57.42	180	41	181
178	Little Rock, AR	56.63	179	147	141
179	Baton Rouge, LA	56.39	182	90	135
180	San Bernardino, CA	55.50	181	160	161
181	Fort Lauderdale, FL	47.88	170	N/A	169
182	St. Louis, MO	44.47	178	N/A	160

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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