Wayland, Massachusetts is the safest city in the United States in 2022. Described as a quiet, peaceful community, the town of just under 14,000 people located 30 minutes west of Boston boasts by far the lowest overall crime rate in the nation at 7.22 per 100,000 people.
CCTV Camera World recently released its study of the 100 Safest Cities in America in 2022, analyzing the most recent FBI crime data through 2020 and ranking destinations by measuring violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents in more than 7,000 cities across the country. The results show the Northeast is home to a majority of the safest destinations, with cities in states like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts popping up again and again.
Trailing Wayland in the top 10 are Northport, New York (27.56 per 100,000); Milton, Wisconsin (31.57 per 100,000); Homer, New York (32.46 per 100,000); Coxsackie, New York (37.66 per 100,000); Durham, New York (37.76 per 100,000); New Hanover, New Jersey (38.17 per 100,000); Pine Plains, New York (41.68 per 100,000); Rangely, Colorado (44.37 per 100,000) and Colstrip, Montana (44.46 per 100,000). New York is the standout here with 10 cities ranking among the 25 safest in America.
CCTV Camera World also looked at crime data for the country's small (population between 50,000 and 149,999), mid-size (population between 150,000 and 500,000) and large cities (population of 500,000-plus).
The latter category was led by El Paso, Texas, where crimes occurred at a rate of 2,356.7 per 100,000 people in 2020.
However, three other large cities, including San Diego, New York City and Mesa, Arizona, each reported rates below the U.S. average of 2,356.7 per 100,000 people. Boston, Las Vegas, San Jose, Los Angeles, Fort Worth and Sacramento round out the top 10 safest large cities, with crime rates ranging from 2,490.81 to 3,428.38 per 100,000.
California, Florida and Texas are among the top-ranking states when it comes to the nation's safest mid-size cities.
Port St. Lucie, Florida is number one at 934.85 per 100,000, followed by Cary, North Carolina; Santa Clarita, California; Frisco, Texas; McKinney, Texas; Gilbert, Arizona; Cape Coral, Florida; Yonkers, New York; Fontana, California and Chula Vista, California. Each city's crime rate falls somewhere between 1,012.95 and 1,500.93 per 100,000.
In terms of the country's smallest cities, the Northeast once again dominates. Franklin, Massachusetts is the safest small city with a rate of just 110.85 per 100,000. Long Beach, New York; Westford, Massachusetts; Monroe Township, New Jersey and Bernards Township, New Jersey round out the top five safest small cities. Rounding out the top 10 are Marshfield, Massachusetts; Carmel, New York; Zionsville, Indiana; Newtown, Connecticut and Bergenfield, New Jersey. These small cities' crime rates range from 176.32 to 354.7 per 100,000.
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