Chicago ranks as 161st worst city for crime in new national survey

Threats to safety in the U.S. come in many forms, from public health crises and natural disasters to mass shootings and 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 big worry for many people right now is the cost of inflation, which threatens Americans’ financial safety.

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 41 key indicators of safety. Our data set ranges from traffic fatalities per capita and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and the percentage of the population that is uninsured.

Top 5 Safest Cities in the U.S.

Warwick, RI
Overland Park, KS
Burlington, VT
Juneau, AK
Yonkers, NY

“When people think about safety in a city, their minds probably immediately go to things like the crime rate, auto fatality rate or risk of natural disasters. The safest cities in America protect residents from these threats of bodily harm and property damage, but on top of that, they also help secure people’s financial safety. Financial safety includes things like minimizing the risk of fraud and identity theft, keeping the population employed and insured, and combating homelessness.”

Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Source: WalletHub

Safest Cities in the U.S.

Overall Rank*	City	Total Score	Home & Community Safety Rank	Natural-Disaster Risk Rank	Financial Safety Rank
1	Warwick, RI	71.21	8	9	44
2	Overland Park, KS	70.04	4	118	16
3	Burlington, VT	68.79	33	6	9
4	Juneau, AK	68.74	86	1	57
5	Yonkers, NY	68.65	3	29	118
6	Casper, WY	68.42	51	5	7
7	South Burlington, VT	68.35	46	6	3
8	Columbia, MD	68.02	2	11	51
9	Lewiston, ME	67.77	63	4	2
10	Salem, OR	66.93	52	13	31
11	Nashua, NH	66.72	13	111	8
12	Boise, ID	66.65	41	46	6
13	Laredo, TX	66.43	26	25	81
14	Santa Rosa, CA	66.43	32	20	93
15	Virginia Beach, VA	66.37	27	53	43
16	Nampa, ID	66.35	43	16	46
17	Irvine, CA	66.05	6	127	116
18	Chesapeake, VA	66.03	24	42	61
19	Cedar Rapids, IA	66.00	23	43	74
20	Bismarck, ND	65.95	42	65	4
21	Honolulu, HI	65.82	31	57	27
22	Portland, ME	65.75	58	23	1
23	Chula Vista, CA	65.52	21	39	113
24	Vancouver, WA	65.45	80	2	70
25	Madison, WI	65.25	30	88	21
26	Lincoln, NE	65.23	35	115	14
27	Fremont, CA	64.98	20	137	65
28	Pearl City, HI	64.91	1	57	13
29	Gilbert, AZ	64.83	9	155	36
30	Port St. Lucie, FL	64.78	10	56	167
31	Boston, MA	64.59	50	31	26
32	Omaha, NE	64.52	40	96	35
33	Aurora, IL	64.50	17	62	126
34	Missoula, MT	64.30	88	8	19
35	Fargo, ND	64.10	54	74	20
36	Glendale, CA	64.02	7	150	146
37	West Valley City, UT	63.76	45	82	37
38	Sioux Falls, SD	63.75	57	86	12
39	San Diego, CA	63.68	38	39	90
40	Chandler, AZ	63.49	19	155	30
41	Scottsdale, AZ	63.49	22	155	24
42	Huntington Beach, CA	63.44	25	127	106
43	Worcester, MA	63.37	37	80	40
44	Santa Clarita, CA	63.30	5	150	175
45	Huntsville, AL	63.28	44	63	42
46	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	63.21	18	166	97
47	St. Paul, MN	63.16	74	44	23
48	Moreno Valley, CA	63.12	16	68	153
49	Oceanside, CA	63.00	36	39	103
50	Garden Grove, CA	62.72	29	127	120
51	Oxnard, CA	62.58	49	59	111
52	Bridgeport, CT	62.31	56	28	91
53	Rapid City, SD	62.02	69	98	5
54	Manchester, NH	61.76	55	111	17
55	Cape Coral, FL	61.52	14	132	168
56	Fontana, CA	61.47	28	166	135
57	Hialeah, FL	61.32	12	116	174
58	Providence, RI	61.23	61	47	96
59	Seattle, WA	61.22	109	22	15
60	Fort Wayne, IN	61.22	65	32	102
61	Brownsville, TX	61.13	48	95	68
62	Newport News, VA	60.66	76	30	85
63	Wichita, KS	60.60	73	91	22
64	Des Moines, IA	60.46	71	50	75
65	Grand Prairie, TX	60.39	11	179	125
66	Peoria, AZ	60.34	39	143	53
67	Cheyenne, WY	59.86	79	114	29
68	Billings, MT	59.86	113	37	10
69	Reno, NV	59.73	110	26	52
70	Modesto, CA	59.71	104	21	87
71	Mesa, AZ	59.68	53	155	49
72	Anchorage, AK	59.33	135	3	18
73	Raleigh, NC	59.32	60	165	32
74	Austin, TX	59.23	64	142	45
75	Jersey City, NJ	58.94	93	17	137
76	Lubbock, TX	58.88	62	120	95
77	Ontario, CA	58.71	47	166	139
78	Winston-Salem, NC	58.61	78	97	69
79	Irving, TX	58.49	34	178	112
80	Amarillo, TX	58.46	82	154	38
81	Charlotte, NC	58.45	66	135	82
82	Grand Rapids, MI	58.44	98	64	48
83	New Haven, CT	58.41	102	36	73
84	San Jose, CA	58.39	100	99	39
85	Pembroke Pines, FL	58.36	15	174	171
86	Montgomery, AL	58.31	84	34	141
87	Columbus, GA	58.16	70	48	172
88	Anaheim, CA	58.12	72	127	127
89	North Las Vegas, NV	57.99	59	103	173
90	Lexington-Fayette, KY	57.97	91	73	80
91	Rochester, NY	57.85	95	67	83
92	Norfolk, VA	57.55	92	79	84
93	Spokane, WA	57.54	115	24	79
94	Riverside, CA	57.52	85	68	131
95	Sacramento, CA	56.82	114	54	99
96	Santa Ana, CA	56.81	81	127	133
97	Durham, NC	56.72	89	148	33
98	El Paso, TX	56.69	99	78	101
99	St. Petersburg, FL	56.60	101	45	136
100	Salt Lake City, UT	56.58	122	82	28
101	Fort Smith, AR	56.31	107	106	41
102	Tampa, FL	56.30	77	147	115
103	Charleston, WV	56.24	126	55	11
104	Tempe, AZ	56.21	83	155	47
105	Fresno, CA	55.94	87	176	117
106	Henderson, NV	55.73	96	103	151
107	Oklahoma City, OK	55.61	105	141	58
108	Huntington, WV	55.51	137	14	55
109	Plano, TX	55.51	75	171	88
110	Newark, NJ	55.42	94	35	179
111	Las Cruces, NM	55.34	116	60	89
112	Tucson, AZ	55.19	127	27	98
113	Miami, FL	55.16	68	116	180
114	Greensboro, NC	54.96	108	123	104
115	Arlington, TX	54.94	67	181	130
116	Minneapolis, MN	54.56	129	133	25
117	New York, NY	54.34	123	66	100
118	Springfield, MO	54.29	133	51	63
119	Gulfport, MS	54.18	97	144	107
120	Tallahassee, FL	54.00	106	139	123
121	San Francisco, CA	53.96	149	10	86
122	Stockton, CA	53.67	131	52	138
123	Long Beach, CA	53.58	112	150	148
124	San Antonio, TX	53.55	111	162	108
125	Fort Worth, TX	53.42	90	177	143
126	Knoxville, TN	53.36	132	90	62
127	Aurora, CO	53.35	125	93	132
128	Tulsa, OK	53.18	120	119	92
129	Bakersfield, CA	52.85	124	109	134
130	Corpus Christi, TX	52.48	147	18	56
131	Glendale, AZ	52.46	118	155	72
132	Columbia, SC	52.14	119	126	129
133	Garland, TX	52.07	103	173	145
134	Indianapolis, IN	51.94	138	33	128
135	Cincinnati, OH	51.36	134	102	121
136	Phoenix, AZ	51.28	130	155	71
137	Charleston, SC	50.98	128	145	78
138	Pittsburgh, PA	50.97	143	84	50
139	Portland, OR	50.96	157	19	34
140	Buffalo, NY	50.36	141	108	59
141	Tacoma, WA	50.22	161	12	60
142	Mobile, AL	50.20	117	170	155
143	Fayetteville, NC	49.62	121	164	160
144	Toledo, OH	49.58	136	72	170
145	Kansas City, MO	49.08	153	38	66
146	Dover, DE	49.00	142	76	144
147	Milwaukee, WI	48.49	151	49	109
148	Akron, OH	47.94	140	113	154
149	Louisville, KY	47.84	144	134	110
150	Las Vegas, NV	47.56	145	103	169
151	Augusta, GA	47.07	139	89	152
152	Shreveport, LA	46.86	146	75	176
153	Wilmington, DE	46.06	148	121	157
154	Albuquerque, NM	45.78	162	110	67
155	Colorado Springs, CO	45.34	152	180	76
156	Los Angeles, CA	44.69	150	150	163
157	St. Louis, MO	44.59	170	15	140
158	Birmingham, AL	44.01	156	94	165
159	Columbus, OH	43.83	164	85	122
160	Orlando, FL	43.45	160	122	119
161	Chicago, IL	43.16	154	140	159
162	Denver, CO	42.86	172	81	105
163	Dallas, TX	42.77	155	172	142
164	Little Rock, AR	42.75	159	146	114
165	Jacksonville, FL	42.28	158	124	158
166	Nashville, TN	41.98	168	149	54
167	Chattanooga, TN	41.80	174	77	64
168	Richmond, VA	41.39	175	70	94
169	Oakland, CA	41.28	169	137	124
170	Jackson, MS	40.43	167	125	149
171	Atlanta, GA	40.26	163	163	164
172	Washington, DC	39.81	178	92	77
173	Cleveland, OH	39.74	171	107	162
174	Philadelphia, PA	39.39	176	87	150
175	San Bernardino, CA	38.57	173	166	156
176	Houston, TX	38.10	165	182	161
177	Fort Lauderdale, FL	37.28	166	174	178
178	Baltimore, MD	36.69	180	61	166
179	Detroit, MI	36.38	177	100	181
180	Baton Rouge, LA	33.74	181	136	147
181	Memphis, TN	33.71	179	101	182
182	New Orleans, LA	31.57	182	71	177

Note: *No. 1 = Safest
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.

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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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