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, 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.

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	85.98	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

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?

< >

• John Firman Professor of Practice, American University, School of Public Affairs, Department of Justice, Law and Criminology
• Jennifer L. Schnieder CIH – Eugene H. Fram Chair in Applied Critical Thinking, Office of the Provost Principal, Collaboratory for Resiliency & Recovery, Professor, Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management & Safety Department, Rochester Institute of Technology

Methodology

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

We evaluated those dimensions using 39 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)
• 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: Composite metric:
  • Safety walking alone during daylight
  • Safety walking alone during night

  • 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 (~2.35 Points)
• Underemployment Rate: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Share of Uninsured Population: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Median Credit Score: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Debt-to-Income Ratio: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Poverty Rate: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Fraud & Other Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)Note: “Other” includes both financial and nonfinancial complaints.
• Identity-Theft Complaints per Capita: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Share of Unbanked Households: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Job Security: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: (Total Workers in 2017 – Total Workers in 2016) / Total Workers in 2016
• Employment Growth: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)Note: This metric was adjusted for the working-age population growth and compares figures between 2017 and 2016.
• Share of Households with Emergency Savings: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)Note: This metric measures the percentage of households that saved for unexpected expenses or emergencies in the past 12 months.
• Retirement Plan Access & Participation Rate: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)Note: “Retirement Plan” includes only employer-based plans.
• Personal Bankruptcy Filings per Capita: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)
• Share of Underwater Homes: Full Weight (~1.18 Points)Note: “Underwater” describes homes with negative equity.

 Videos for News Use:

• YouTube (for web embedding National)
• Raw files (for editing into clips)

 

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, 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.

Image: Saklakova / Shutterstock.com

from Wallet HubWallet Hub


via Finance Xpress