If you’re looking to live somewhere with low crime, accessible healthcare, and strong public health systems, you might want to consider heading to the Northeast. A new study from injury law firm Bader Scott has revealed the safest states to live in across America, and Rhode Island tops the list.
The research analyzed 60 safety-related factors across nine key categories, including crime rates, access to healthcare, mortality from accidents, and public health indicators like immunization and infectious disease control. Each state was evaluated on a 100-point scale, with higher scores indicating a lower level of overall risk. These factors were then weighted based on their relevance to personal and public safety, allowing researchers to calculate a final safety score for each state.
Rhode Island ranked as the safest state in the nation, scoring 69.86 out of 100. Despite being one of the smallest states geographically, Rhode Island excelled in multiple safety categories. It placed third in safety from crime, eighth in vehicle and pedestrian safety, and fourth in healthcare affordability and access. The state also performed especially well in immunization and infectious disease prevention, earning a score of 77.68 out of 100, signaling its commitment to public health and disease control.
Coming in second is Minnesota, with a safety score of 69.15. The state ranked seventh nationally for mortality rates and general health and sixth for poverty, substance abuse, and suicide. It also scored highly for infectious disease control, receiving an 80.32 out of 100 in that category, reflecting strong immunization coverage and preventative healthcare efforts.
Massachusetts took third place with a score of 69.01, thanks to its top ranking in healthcare affordability and access and a fourth-place finish in mortality due to accidents. The state continues to set a national example in healthcare delivery and access.
Other standout states in the top ten include Vermont (4th, 68.27), which leads the nation in vehicle and pedestrian safety and ranks third for immunization and infectious disease. Hawaii (5th, 66.90) topped the list for air and environmental quality, a reflection of its clean natural environment, and came in second for mortality rates and general health.
Connecticut (6th, 66.83) performed well in both healthcare access and accident-related mortality, while New Hampshire (7th, 66.02) placed second for poverty, substance abuse, and suicide. Utah (8th, 66.01) leads the country in both mortality and general health and in low levels of substance abuse. New Jersey (9th, 65.69) ranked first in crime safety and second in accident mortality, and Maine (10th, 63.43) took second place in crime safety and performed well in traffic and pedestrian safety metrics.
Top 10 Safest States in the U.S.
| Rank | State | Overall Safety Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | 69.86 |
| 2 | Minnesota | 69.15 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 69.01 |
| 4 | Vermont | 68.27 |
| 5 | Hawaii | 66.90 |
| 6 | Connecticut | 66.83 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 66.02 |
| 8 | Utah | 66.01 |
| 9 | New Jersey | 65.69 |
| 10 | Maine | 63.43 |
Why Safety Rankings Matter
Commenting on the findings, Seth Bader, spokesperson for Bader Scott, said:
“Whether you’re planning a move, curious about your current state’s safety level, or just interested in understanding how your region compares to others, these rankings offer valuable insights. Being aware of the everyday risks where you live can help guide personal decisions-like improving home security, purchasing additional insurance, or evaluating healthcare access. But long-term safety also depends on policy-level changes. It’s critical that lawmakers and community leaders use this type of data to reduce public health risks and promote safer environments for everyone.”
Methodology
The safety index was built by analyzing 60 factors and standardizing each on a scale from 0 to 10 (with 10 being the safest). These were then grouped into the following nine categories and weighted accordingly:
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Air & Environmental Quality (10%)
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Financial Security & Cost of Living (10%)
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Healthcare Affordability & Access (16%)
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Immunization & Infectious Disease (6%)
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Mortality Due to Accidents (11%)
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Mortality Rates & General Health (11%)
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Safety From Crime (20%)
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Poverty, Substance Abuse & Suicide (6%)
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Vehicle & Pedestrian Safety (10%)
Each state’s scores were aggregated to produce an overall safety score out of 100.