(NEXSTAR) — If you're ready to trade in the car break-ins and police sirens for a slice of small-town life, check out the quaint communities of New England and the mecca of quirky architecture in Indiana. It would be a good idea to point your finger at it.
money nerdResearchers at the personal finance website analyzed last year's FBI crime data for more than 1,000 small towns and cities with populations between 30,000 and 100,000.
Use MoneyGeek the study Professors from the University of Miami and the University of Colorado at Denver calculated the cost of crime in each town. The cost of a crime includes the direct loss suffered by the victim, the associated medical costs, the loss of property, and the cost of bringing the suspect to justice.
After all the calculations were done, we found that the safest small city in the country was Columbus, Indiana. The city south of Indianapolis had the lowest property crime rate of all small towns and cities, as well as the lowest violent crime rate. (Aside from its low crime rate, you may have heard of Columbus for its architecture and public art. The city was the setting for the 2017 film “Columbus,” which featured the city's unique design. )
Several areas in the Northeast have even less violent crime, dominating the top 20 list of safest small towns and cities. Two are in Connecticut, three are in New Jersey, four are in New York, and three are in Massachusetts.
But not all small towns are safe havens. Saginaw, Michigan had the highest violent crime rate of all small towns and cities analyzed. According to a study by MoneyGeek, Atlantic City, New Jersey has the highest real estate crime rate. When it comes to the cost of crime, residents of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, pay the highest price.
According to MoneyGeek analysis, the top 20 safest small towns and cities in the United States are:
| rank | city | crime cost per person | Violent crime rate (per 100,000 residents) | property crime rate | Total crime damage (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | columbus indiana | $22 | 19 | 112 | $1,130 |
| 2 | wallingford, connecticut | $40 | 9 | 476 | $1,748 |
| 3 | Lone Peak, Utah | $41 | 13 | 279 | $1,254 |
| 4 | Zionsville, Indiana | $52 | twenty one | 279 | $1,704 |
| 5 | Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey | $55 | 27 | 227 | $2,647 |
| 6 | Yorktown, New York | $57 | 20 | 675 | $1,993 |
| 7 | Carmel Town, New York | $64 | 32 | 307 | $2,170 |
| 8 | Wallkilltown, New York | $68 | 16 | 994 | $2,154 |
| 9 | Upper Arlington, Ohio | $70 | 14 | 920 | $2,498 |
| 10 | lexington, massachusetts | $74 | 29 | 294 | $2,503 |
| 11 | shrewsbury, massachusetts | $78 | 27 | 608 | $3,187 |
| 12 | Wellesley, Massachusetts | $79 | 26 | 433 | $2,460 |
| 13 | North Royalton, Ohio | $85 | 29 | 326 | $2,603 |
| 14 | North Huntingdon Township, Pennsylvania | $86 | 35 | 611 | $2,746 |
| 15 | Rancho Santa Margarita, California | $91 | 48 | 433 | $4,201 |
| 16 | Harrisontown, New York | $93 | twenty three | 643 | $2,786 |
| 17 | westfield new jersey | $95 | 16 | 866 | $2,890 |
| 18 | greenwich connecticut | $95 | twenty four | 936 | $6,056 |
| 19 | Stafford Township, New Jersey | $97 | 20 | 1109 | $2,968 |
| 20 | mason ohio | $101 | 28 | 580 | $3,618 |
Overall, the country is becoming safer from violent crime, the FBI announced earlier this year. The FBI analyzed data for 2023 and found that overall violent crime was down 3% from the previous year. Murder and manslaughter rates fell further.
On the other hand, certain types of property crimes have spiked quite significantly. According to an FBI study, auto thefts increased by about 13% in 2023.
The FBI's national analysis relies on the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Data is incomplete because not all U.S. government agencies participate. However, it is quite thorough. Last year's report included data from 16,000 institutions across the country.
