• Rhode Island is the safest place to live in America, scoring highly for crime prevention and healthcare access.
• The study evaluated 60 factors across nine key categories to score each state out of 100. 
• Minnesota and Massachusetts placed second and third respectively, performing well across health and safety metrics.

Injury lawyers Bader Scott analyzed 60 factors across nine categories – including crime rates, healthcare access, and immunization rates – to evaluate the risk of living in each state. Each state was scored out of 100 for each factor and then awarded an overall score out of 100, with a higher score indicating a safer area. 

Rhode Island is top with a score of 69.86 out of 100. Notably, the state placed third for the ‘safety from crime’ metric, and eighth for ‘vehicle and pedestrian safety’. The state also performed well for ‘healthcare affordability and access’, placing fourth nationally. 

Despite its small size, Rhode Island is clearly committed to public safety and well-being, scoring 77.68 out of 100 in the ‘immunization and infectious disease’ category. 

Minnesota is second with an overall score of 69.15 out of 100. The state stands out for ‘mortality rates and general health’, ranking seventh nationally, and ranks sixth for ‘poverty, substance abuse and suicide’. 

Like the frontrunner, the state also performs well for ‘immunization and infectious disease’, scoring 80.32 out of 100 in that category. 

Massachusetts is third with an overall score of 69.01 out of 100. The state leads for ‘healthcare affordability and access’ and is fourth for ‘mortality due to accidents’. 

Vermont is fourth with an overall score of 68.27. The state leads for ‘vehicle and pedestrian safety’, and excels in ‘immunization and infectious disease’, ranking third nationally with a score of 80.62 out of 100. 

Hawaii places fifth with an overall score of 66.90 out of 100. The state leads in ‘air and environmental quality’, and is second for ‘mortality rates and general health’. 

Connecticut is sixth with an overall score of 66.83 out of 100. The state ranks fifth for both ‘healthcare affordability and access’ and ‘mortality due to accidents’.

New Hampshire is seventh with a score of 66.02 out of 100. The state placed second nationally for ‘poverty, substance abuse and suicide’, and sixth in the ‘immunization and infectious disease’ category. 

Utah ranks eighth with an overall score of 66.01. The state leads in ‘mortality rates and general health’ and in ‘poverty, substance abuse and suicide’.

New Jersey takes ninth with a score of 65.69 out of 100. The state placed first overall for ‘safety from crime’ and second in ‘mortality due to accidents’.  

Maine rounds out the top ten with an overall score of 63.43 out of 100. The state places second in ‘safety from crime’ and eleventh in ‘vehicle and pedestrian safety’. 

The 10 safest states in America

	State	Overall Safety Score (Out of 100)
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

Commenting on the findings, Bader Scott spokesperson Seth Bader said:

“Whether you’re looking to relocate to another state, are considering moving to the U.S., or want a better understanding of the safety of your current area, being aware of the risks you face on a day-to-day basis and how they differ from other states is important.  

 “Shedding light on these risks can help you prioritize preventative measures like improving home security, investing in weather-proofing, or purchasing additional medical insurance. But ensuring safety isn’t just the responsibility of the individual – it’s vital that policymakers also look to reduce the biggest risks in each area.”