For the second consecutive year, Vermont was ranked as the safest state in the nation, according to a new report released by
WalletHub. The Northeast dominated the list of safest places in the country, with six states in the region nabbing spots in the top 10.
WalletHub factored in 37 safety indicators for each of the 50 states, including crime, unemployment, job security, road safety, emergency preparedness data, workplace safety, and more to rank states on their safety.
"Higher tax rates can certainly be correlated to safer environments, as oftentimes [taxes] are reinvested into communities and policing," says Jill Gonzalez, a WalletHub analyst. "The states in the Northeast tend to offer better personal, residential and financial security, as well as better emergency preparedness."
The top safest states for 2017, according to WalletHub, are:
- Vermont
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- Washington
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Hawaii
Source: “2017’s Safest States in America,” WalletHub (June 6, 2017) and “Do You Live in One of the Safest – or Most Dangerous – States?” realtor.com® (June 7, 2017)
