Newsletters
Travel
Melissa Wells
- WalletHub released a 2023 report listing the safest states in the US.
- States were ranked based on 52 safety indicators, including work safety and emergency preparedness.
- Vermont scored the highest, followed by Maine.
Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview
Thanks for signing up!
Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.
Advertisem*nt
In any given place across the country, residents are faced with threats to their safety, from weather and crime to hazardous workplaces or road conditions.
WalletHub recently released a 2023 report listing the safest states in the US. In the study, released on October 23, the 50 states were compared across 52 safety factors in five different categories: personal and residential safety, financial safety, road safety, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness.
Among the factors evaluated were fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, law-enforcement employees per capita, assaults per capita, the bullying incidence rate, the unemployment rate, and the percentage of adults with rainy-day funds, to name a few.
These 20 states are the safest in the US, according to the personal-finance website.
Advertisem*nt
20. Delaware
While ranking as WalletHub's 20th-safest state in the US, Delaware came in 14th place for personal and residential safety. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's deemed the 11th-safest state in the US. It also has the lowest bullying incidence rate, according to WalletHub's rankings.
19. North Carolina
North Carolina came in at No. 15 for personal and residential safety. It is also came in 20th place in WalletHub's metric for financial safety and fourth place for workplace safety.
Advertisem*nt
18. New Jersey
New Jersey ranked highly for personal and residential safety, coming in seventh place. In terms of road safety, New Jersey came in at No. 20 in the US. Per WalletHub's rankings, it tied with Wyoming for the most law-enforcement employees per capita.
17. Maryland
Maryland came in 17th place for workplace safety. It also tied for the lowest unemployment rate along with South Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.
Advertisem*nt
16. Indiana
Indiana is ranked as the 16th-safest state in the US. It came in 11th place for personal and residential safety and for workplace safety, respectively.
15. Idaho
While it's deemed the 15th-safest state in the US, Idaho placed 12th for personal and residential safety. The state came in 15th for road safety, and in the category of emergency preparedness it's considered the 14th-safest state in the US.
Advertisem*nt
14. Arizona
Arizona came in 19th place in WalletHub's metric for financial safety. It came in seventh place in both workplace safety and in the category of emergency preparedness.
WalletHub's rankings show that Arizona has the fifth-lowest total loss amount from climate disasters per capita. Both Arizona and Washington also have the third-fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
13. Virginia
Virginia came in fifth place in WalletHub's metric for financial safety. It ranked third for workplace safety and has the fourth-lowest bullying incidence rate.
Advertisem*nt
12. Washington
Washington came in sixth place in WalletHub's metric for financial safety and fifth for workplace safety. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's deemed the sixth-safest state in the US.
The northwestern state has the third-lowest total loss amount from climate disasters per capita. WalletHub's rankings tied both Washington and Arizona for the third-fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
11. Iowa
Iowa was ranked sixth in the personal and residential safety category. It's also No. 18 in WalletHub's metric for financial safety and sixth for workplace safety. And Iowa ranks highly for road safety, coming in third place in the US.
Advertisem*nt
10. Wyoming
While ranking as the 10th-safest state in the US, Wyoming scored relatively highly in the personal and residential safety (13th place) and financial safety categories (11th place).
In terms of road safety, Wyoming placed 14th in the US. Per WalletHub's rankings, it tied with New Jersey for the most law-enforcement employees per capita and has the fifth-fewest assaults per capita.
Advertisem*nt
9. Rhode Island
Rhode Island ranked eighth for personal and residential safety, and is deemed the ninth-best state for road safety in the US. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's the eighth-safest state.
It is also the state with the second-fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the fourth-fewest assaults per capita, the third-lowest bullying incidence rate, and the fourth-lowest share of uninsured residents, according to WalletHub's rankings.
The northeastern state is tied for the lowest unemployment rate with South Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Maryland. In addition, Rhode Island has the fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
Advertisem*nt
8. Minnesota
Minnesota ranked third for financial safety, and ninth in workplace safety. The midwestern state also scored highly for road safety, landing in fourth place in the US.
It's also the state with the fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel and the fifth-lowest share of uninsured residents. According to WalletHub's rankings, Minnesota has the fourth-highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds.
Advertisem*nt
7. Hawaii
Hawaii ranked as the 17th best state for personal and residential safety. It came in 13th place in the financial safety category, and 12th in both workplace safety and emergency preparedness.
The Aloha State has the fifth-fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the second-lowest bullying incidence rate, and the second-lowest share of uninsured residents. In addition, it has the highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds and the fifth-fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
Advertisem*nt
6. Connecticut
Connecticut ranked as the safest state in the country for personal and residential safety. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's considered the 16th-safest state. In addition, it has the third-fewest assaults per capita.
The northeastern state has the second-fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
Advertisem*nt
5. Massachusetts
While ranking as the fifth-safest state in the US, Massachusetts came in fifth place for personal and residential safety and 10th for financial safety. Massachusetts is the second-best state in the US for road safety, and placed 10th in the category of emergency preparedness.
According to WalletHub's rankings, it's also the state with the fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the fifth-lowest bullying incidence rate, the lowest share of uninsured residents, and the third-highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds.
Advertisem*nt
4. Utah
Utah is the safest state in WalletHub's metric for financial safety, and is the second-best in the country for workplace safety. It also ranked highly for road safety, coming in seventh place.
It's considered one of the most prepared states in an emergency as well, coming in fourth place in that category. And Utah has the second-lowest total loss amount from climate disasters per capita.
Advertisem*nt
3. New Hampshire
New Hampshire ranked second in the personal and residential safety category, and came in fourth place for financial safety. New Hampshire is the best state in the US for road safety, and the third-safest overall in the category of emergency preparedness.
It's also the state with the fourth-fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel. According to WalletHub's rankings, it has the second-fewest assaults per capita and is tied for the lowest unemployment rate with Maryland, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.
Advertisem*nt
2. Maine
Maine ranked third for personal and residential safety. It is also seventh in WalletHub's metric for financial safety.
Maine ranked eighth for road safety, and it's the second-safest state in the US for emergency preparedness. In addition, it has the fewest assaults per capita.
Advertisem*nt
1. Vermont
Vermont is WalletHub's safest state in the US.
The Green Mountain State is No. 1 in the country for workplace safety, came in second place in the financial safety category, and ranked fourth in personal and residential safety.
Vermont is also considered the ninth-safest state in the US for emergency preparedness. The state placed 10th for road safety, and has the third-lowest share of uninsured residents.
Read next
Advertisem*nt
