Posted by: Adam McCann

People encounter hazards every day, some serious, others rare and innocuous. But we fear certain kinds more than others. According to Gallup, nearly half of Americans fear being a victim of a mass shooting or a terrorist attack. 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 the availability of affordable healthcare, which 80 percent of Americans worry about either a “great deal” or a “fair amount.”

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 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.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/41926/geochart-safest-cities.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2rh9drK>

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	85.33	3	63	77
2	Yonkers, NY	84.80	1	39	116
3	Plano, TX	83.54	2	113	44
4	Gilbert, AZ	83.44	7	14	61
5	South Burlington, VT	83.33	33	36	3
6	Virginia Beach, VA	83.22	11	44	22
7	Bismarck, ND	82.92	26	64	9
8	Nashua, NH	82.84	16	27	45
9	Chandler, AZ	82.54	17	8	46
10	Warwick, RI	82.17	20	22	76
11	Chesapeake, VA	81.96	15	69	38
12	Scottsdale, AZ	81.90	23	53	34
13	Fargo, ND	81.85	27	77	31
14	Burlington, VT	81.35	39	37	35
15	Peoria, AZ	81.16	28	26	79
16	Madison, WI	80.95	32	89	10
17	Laredo, TX	80.93	34	24	83
18	Cedar Rapids, IA	80.84	31	101	12
19	Lewiston, ME	80.75	56	12	30
20	Aurora, IL	80.73	5	91	148
21	Winston-Salem, NC	80.58	41	40	84
22	Raleigh, NC	80.42	55	55	27
23	Brownsville, TX	80.40	38	2	120
24	Salem, OR	80.39	35	70	50
25	Boise, ID	80.35	53	71	1
26	Worcester, MA	79.92	44	17	55
27	Cape Coral, FL	79.76	8	111	139
28	Vancouver, WA	79.30	46	87	36
29	Irvine, CA	79.15	4	150	105
30	Fremont, CA	79.01	12	157	15
31	Portland, ME	78.99	75	11	21
32	Cheyenne, WY	78.84	49	97	75
33	Sioux Falls, SD	78.81	54	103	8
34	Mesa, AZ	78.70	51	18	87
35	Casper, WY	78.64	95	20	23
36	Irving, TX	78.55	18	125	100
37	Henderson, NV	78.53	30	95	113
38	Pembroke Pines, FL	78.44	19	48	171
39	Grand Prairie, TX	78.41	22	112	124
40	Jersey City, NJ	78.38	21	84	154
41	Juneau, AK	78.28	101	50	2
42	Chula Vista, CA	78.14	29	132	65
43	Lincoln, NE	78.04	67	105	4
44	Rochester, NY	78.01	64	4	92
45	Tempe, AZ	77.98	73	9	71
46	Durham, NC	77.81	86	42	29
47	Las Cruces, NM	77.81	72	66	97
48	Newport News, VA	77.80	65	21	81
49	Rancho Cucamonga, CA	77.72	9	159	91
50	Nampa, ID	77.66	90	49	43
51	Manchester, NH	77.65	83	30	69
52	Glendale, CA	77.60	6	151	133
53	Charlotte, NC	77.38	66	57	80
54	Huntington Beach, CA	77.32	10	170	94
55	Glendale, AZ	77.24	77	13	99
56	Omaha, NE	76.97	58	107	37
57	Fort Wayne, IN	76.90	87	59	54
58	San Diego, CA	76.87	45	130	49
59	Santa Rosa, CA	76.54	42	153	18
60	Greensboro, NC	76.51	88	33	88
61	Norfolk, VA	76.44	68	81	95
62	Arlington, TX	76.34	40	122	110
63	Corpus Christi, TX	76.32	99	3	64
64	Billings, MT	76.31	106	58	24
65	Tallahassee, FL	76.19	80	28	123
66	Grand Rapids, MI	76.11	100	7	56
67	Dover, DE	76.06	103	1	136
68	Missoula, MT	75.95	76	108	89
69	Rapid City, SD	75.90	84	129	14
70	Buffalo, NY	75.89	98	5	66
71	Oceanside, CA	75.78	43	144	68
72	Bridgeport, CT	75.59	70	16	167
73	Gulfport, MS	75.39	91	56	151
74	Salt Lake City, UT	75.24	89	116	25
75	Des Moines, IA	75.15	60	143	28
76	Minneapolis, MN	75.13	78	131	17
77	Providence, RI	74.97	97	10	111
78	Fort Smith, AR	74.52	109	94	60
79	Ontario, CA	74.38	36	156	117
80	Augusta, GA	74.37	120	61	145
81	Montgomery, AL	74.34	62	93	173
82	San Antonio, TX	74.23	93	73	129
83	San Jose, CA	74.23	69	169	16
84	Reno, NV	74.09	74	158	13
85	Overland Park, KS	74.08	110	121	5
86	Pearl City, HI	74.05	13	N/A	39
87	Santa Clarita, CA	73.98	14	168	172
88	Moreno Valley, CA	73.71	37	166	137
89	Fontana, CA	73.67	47	163	121
90	Tampa, FL	73.58	79	92	155
91	Fort Worth, TX	73.51	71	134	125
92	Garden Grove, CA	73.38	50	171	108
93	Colorado Springs, CO	73.20	96	126	62
94	St. Paul, MN	73.13	48	N/A	11
95	Oxnard, CA	73.02	63	148	119
96	Hialeah, FL	72.98	25	128	179
97	New Haven, CT	72.83	124	6	150
98	Sacramento, CA	72.80	105	119	57
99	Boston, MA	72.75	137	35	7
100	Huntsville, AL	72.59	92	142	85
101	Anaheim, CA	72.58	59	154	126
102	Columbus, GA	72.37	104	38	169
103	Port St. Lucie, FL	72.35	24	N/A	141
104	Nashville, TN	72.28	114	115	53
105	Columbia, SC	72.25	107	83	153
106	Knoxville, TN	72.16	118	78	109
107	Mobile, AL	72.06	119	43	162
108	Toledo, OH	72.01	115	60	146
109	Santa Ana, CA	71.99	57	167	142
110	Honolulu, HI	71.96	52	N/A	20
111	North Las Vegas, NV	71.93	94	99	166
112	Fayetteville, NC	71.85	112	51	168
113	New York, NY	71.67	127	34	104
114	Aurora, CO	71.53	102	133	96
115	Spokane, WA	71.50	140	19	78
116	Riverside, CA	71.42	81	164	112
117	Amarillo, TX	71.33	113	162	26
118	Phoenix, AZ	71.23	132	25	101
119	Tulsa, OK	71.22	126	120	42
120	El Paso, TX	71.09	128	74	118
121	Modesto, CA	71.06	116	135	67
122	Richmond, VA	70.95	131	75	107
123	Portland, OR	70.87	139	86	33
124	Jacksonville, FL	70.81	125	62	160
125	Austin, TX	70.70	135	98	40
126	Houston, TX	70.66	117	102	143
127	Fresno, CA	70.59	123	117	114
128	Louisville, KY	70.52	129	106	74
129	Long Beach, CA	70.49	85	152	149
130	Chicago, IL	70.06	122	79	164
131	Miami, FL	69.64	82	118	181
132	West Valley City, UT	69.60	61	N/A	51
133	Atlanta, GA	69.52	121	82	170
134	Charleston, WV	69.15	156	45	41
135	Garland, TX	69.06	136	110	115
136	Milwaukee, WI	68.90	138	52	152
137	Albuquerque, NM	68.45	141	88	131
138	Cincinnati, OH	68.23	144	76	134
139	Springfield, MO	67.94	145	127	58
140	Charleston, SC	67.80	134	165	70
141	Indianapolis, IN	67.73	133	124	127
142	Pittsburgh, PA	67.72	151	72	48
143	Bakersfield, CA	67.04	130	146	135
144	Wilmington, DE	67.04	155	23	140
145	San Francisco, CA	66.80	149	123	19
146	Stockton, CA	66.59	143	140	103
147	Huntington, WV	66.30	167	47	90
148	Shreveport, LA	66.25	147	100	163
149	Oakland, CA	66.23	142	155	82
150	Seattle, WA	66.13	150	141	6
151	Columbus, OH	66.09	158	46	102
152	Akron, OH	66.09	148	68	158
153	Lubbock, TX	65.55	159	114	52
154	Chattanooga, TN	65.20	153	109	98
155	Lexington-Fayette, KY	65.11	111	N/A	32
156	Newark, NJ	64.91	146	29	182
157	Dallas, TX	64.58	152	104	130
158	Baltimore, MD	64.20	160	67	157
159	Tacoma, WA	64.06	154	145	73
160	Denver, CO	64.05	157	139	63
161	Tucson, AZ	63.89	173	65	106
162	Las Vegas, NV	63.29	164	96	144
163	Kansas City, MO	63.21	163	138	93
164	Orlando, FL	62.48	175	32	122
165	New Orleans, LA	62.36	170	31	165
166	Cleveland, OH	62.18	165	54	176
167	Washington, DC	62.15	176	80	59
168	St. Petersburg, FL	61.90	108	N/A	147
169	Philadelphia, PA	60.73	178	15	128
170	Wichita, KS	60.47	168	172	86
171	Los Angeles, CA	60.37	161	149	159
172	Anchorage, AK	60.29	174	161	72
173	Jackson, MS	59.98	166	137	177
174	Memphis, TN	59.90	172	85	175
175	Oklahoma City, OK	58.59	162	173	47
176	Birmingham, AL	57.70	171	136	178
177	Little Rock, AR	56.49	177	147	132
178	Baton Rouge, LA	56.26	182	90	138
179	Detroit, MI	56.07	180	41	180
180	San Bernardino, CA	53.93	181	160	161
181	Fort Lauderdale, FL	45.88	169	N/A	174
182	St. Louis, MO	42.90	179	N/A	156

Ask the Experts

For the best ways to improve safety, we asked a panel of experts to weigh in with their thoughts on the following key questions:

1. What steps should local authorities take to help reduce the public costs associated with cleanups after major natural disasters? Should flood or other types of insurance be mandatory?
2. What measures can police departments take to increase public trust? How important is it to have a police force that is representative of the local community?
3. What should be the priorities for infrastructure investment under the Trump administration?
4. What can consumers do to increase their financial literacy, considering sound financial decisions increase a person's financial safety?

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• Jennifer A. Horney Ph.D., MPH, CPH – Professor and Founding Director, Program in Epidemiology, College of Health Sciences, Core Faculty, Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware
• Randy Kearns DHA, MSA, FACHE, FRSPH, CEM, NRP ret. – Assistant Professor of Healthcare Management, Department of Management & Marketing – College of Business Administration, University of New Orleans

Methodology

In order to determine the safest cities in which to live, WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Home & Community Safety, 2) Natural-Disaster Risk, and 3) Financial Safety.

We evaluated those dimensions using 41 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 determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. In determining our sample, we considered only the city proper in each case, excluding cities in the surrounding metro area.

Home & Community Safety - Total Points: 50

• Presence of Terrorist Attacks: Triple Weight (~7.89 Points)Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of terrorist attack or terrorist-related incident in the city between 2009 and 2019 august.
• Number of Mass Shootings: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Murders & Non-Negligent Manslaughters per Capita: Triple Weight (~7.89 Points)
• Forcible Rapes per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Assaults per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Thefts per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Sex Offenders per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Law-Enforcement Employees per Capita: Half Weight (~1.32 Points)
• Active Firefighters per Capita: Half Weight (~1.32 Points)
• EMTs & Paramedics per Capita: Half weight (~1.32 Points)Note: “EMTs” refer to Emergency Medical Technicians.
• Hate Crimes per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Share of Sheltered Homeless: Half Weight (~1.32 Points)
• Perception of Safety (Safety walking alone during daylight/night): Full Weight (~2.63 Points)Note: These data are based on perceptions of visitors of Numbeo website in the past 3 years. If the value is 0, it means it is perceived as very low, and if the value is 100, it means it is perceived as very high.
• Drug Poisoning Deaths per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Traffic Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)
• Pedestrian Fatalities per Capita: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)Note: “Pedestrians” also includes pedacyclists.
• Road Quality: Full Weight (~2.63 Points)

Natural-Disaster Risk - Total Points: 30

• Earthquake Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Flood Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Hail Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Hurricane Storm-Surge Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Tornado Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Wildfire Risk Level: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Financial Safety - Total Points: 20

• Unemployment Rate: Double Weight (~2.11 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Share of Uninsured Population: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Share of Uninsured Drivers: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Share of Owner Occupied Housing Units Spending at Least 35% of Their Household Income on Housing: : Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)Note: “Other” includes both financial and nonfinancial complaints.
• Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Share of Unbanked Households: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Job Security: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Total Workers in 2018 – Total Workers in 2017) / Total Workers in 2017
• Employment Growth: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the working-age population growth and compares figures between 2018 and 2017.
• Share of Households with Emergency Savings: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)Note: This metric measures the share of households that saved for unexpected expenses or emergencies in the past 12 months.
• Retirement Plan Access & Participation Rate: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)Note: “Retirement Plan” includes only employer-based plans.
• Personal Bankruptcy Filings per Capita: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)
• Share of Underwater Homes: Full Weight (~1.05 Points)Note: “Underwater” describes homes with negative equity.

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 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, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Insurance Research Council, Wm. Robert Johnston, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Chmura Economics & Analytics, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Road Information Program, Renwood RealtyTrac, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Zillow, County Health Rankings, Numbeo, Gun Violence Archive and ATTOM Data Solutions.

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