Safest States to Live In 2026: Complete Rankings
Looking for a safe state? We ranked all 50 states by violent crime rate using FBI data. The safest states have rates 60-70% below the national average — and they share some interesting characteristics.
Key Insights
- →Safest state: Maine at just 100.1 violent crimes per 100K
- →That's 72% below the national rate of 359.1 per 100K
- →New England's combined violent crime rate is 218.0 — well below the national average
- →46 of the 25 safest states saw crime decrease year-over-year
- →The gap between the safest and most dangerous state is 10.0x
- →Lowest murder rate: New Hampshire at 1.0 per 100K
The 25 Safest States
Ranked by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents. Lower is safer.
| # | State | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Property Rate | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | 100.1 | 2.4 | 1142.1 | -72% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | 1.0 | 918.0 | -69% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 136.0 | 2.5 | 1366.1 | -62% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 153.6 | 2.1 | 1032.4 | -57% |
| 5 | Wyoming | 203.4 | 2.4 | 1231.9 | -43% |
| 6 | Mississippi | 210.5 | 7.4 | 1363.0 | -41% |
| 7 | Kentucky | 213.1 | 6.1 | 1349.9 | -41% |
| 8 | Hawaii | 217.7 | 1.6 | 1946.8 | -39% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 217.7 | 2.4 | 1427.3 | -39% |
| 10 | Virginia | 217.9 | 4.8 | 1569.7 | -39% |
| 11 | Vermont | 219.1 | 3.4 | 1627.5 | -39% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 220.5 | 2.1 | 1626.7 | -39% |
| 13 | Utah | 229.6 | 2.6 | 1408.9 | -36% |
| 14 | Idaho | 230.6 | 1.6 | 736.3 | -36% |
| 15 | Iowa | 243.3 | 2.1 | 1296.8 | -32% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 245.6 | 5.0 | 1435.0 | -32% |
| 17 | West Virginia | 248.8 | 5.3 | 1161.9 | -31% |
| 18 | North Dakota | 254.3 | 2.6 | 1682.1 | -29% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 256.6 | 2.9 | 1606.3 | -29% |
| 20 | Florida | 267.1 | 3.9 | 1420.4 | -26% |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 278.5 | 4.2 | 1154.1 | -22% |
| 22 | Illinois | 289.2 | 5.8 | 1715.2 | -19% |
| 23 | Ohio | 293.7 | 5.0 | 1551.2 | -18% |
| 24 | Indiana | 312.9 | 5.5 | 1378.6 | -13% |
| 25 | Massachusetts | 314.7 | 1.8 | 1112.1 | -12% |
What Makes a State Safe?
The safest states in America share several common characteristics beyond just low crime numbers:
- Higher median incomes: Economic stability reduces the desperation that drives crime. Most of the safest states have above-average household incomes.
- Lower poverty rates: The poverty-crime connection is well-documented. States with less concentrated poverty tend to be safer.
- Education: States with higher rates of college education consistently rank among the safest.
- Lower population density: Rural and suburban states tend to have lower crime rates, though this isn't universal.
- Community cohesion: Smaller states with strong community bonds and social networks tend to report less crime.
- Climate: Northern states tend to have lower crime rates, partly because cold weather reduces outdoor activity and associated crime.
Safest States Overall (Violent + Property Crime)
Property crime affects daily quality of life even more than violent crime statistics suggest. Here are the states with the lowest combined violent and property crime rates:
| # | State | Violent Rate | Property Rate | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | 230.6 | 736.3 | 966.9 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 110.1 | 918.0 | 1028.1 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 153.6 | 1032.4 | 1186.0 |
| 4 | Maine | 100.1 | 1142.1 | 1242.2 |
| 5 | West Virginia | 248.8 | 1161.9 | 1410.7 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 314.7 | 1112.1 | 1426.8 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 278.5 | 1154.1 | 1432.6 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 203.4 | 1231.9 | 1435.3 |
| 9 | Connecticut | 136.0 | 1366.1 | 1502.1 |
| 10 | Iowa | 243.3 | 1296.8 | 1540.1 |
New England: America's Safest Region
New England states consistently dominate the safest states list. With a combined violent crime rate of 218.0 per 100,000 across 15,386,085 residents, the region is significantly safer than the national average. Every New England state ranks in the top half of safest states.
| State | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 100.1 | 2.4 | -3.6% |
| New Hampshire | 110.1 | 1.0 | -4.3% |
| Connecticut | 136.0 | 2.5 | -10.8% |
| Rhode Island | 153.6 | 2.1 | -8.3% |
| Vermont | 219.1 | 3.4 | +1.4% |
| Massachusetts | 314.7 | 1.8 | -1.9% |
Beyond Crime: Quality of Life Factors
When choosing where to live, crime rates are just one piece of the puzzle. The safest states also tend to score well on other quality-of-life measures:
- Healthcare access: Many of the safest states have above-average healthcare systems and insurance coverage rates.
- Education quality: Top-performing school systems correlate with safer communities.
- Employment: Low unemployment rates and diverse economies provide stability.
- Natural environment: Many safest states offer abundant outdoor recreation, which contributes to community wellbeing.
- Cost of living trade-offs: Some of the safest states (like New Hampshire) have relatively high costs of living, while others (like Idaho) remain affordable.
Important Caveats
State-level crime data can be misleading. Even the safest states have dangerous neighborhoods, and the most dangerous states have perfectly safe communities. For more specific data, explore our city-level crime database or use our "Is It Safe?" tool to check specific locations.