![\"Most](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/movotoblog\/2014\/07\/safest-states\/safest-states.jpg\")
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\nThat\u2019s what the Movoto Real Estate<\/a> Blog is here to find out. As you can see on our map, some states are perfect for people seeking out security and peace, while others are a little bit more safety challenged. But which were our top 10? The safest states in the nation were:
\n1. New Hampshire<\/a>
\n2. Idaho<\/a>
\n3. Vermont<\/a>
\n4. North Dakota<\/a>
\n5. Maine<\/a>
\n6. Iowa<\/a>(Tie)
\n6. South Dakota<\/a>(Tie)
\n8. Wyoming<\/a>
\n9. Minnesota<\/a> (Tie)
\n9. Virginia<\/a> (Tie)
\nAs you can see, the Eastern states really made a good showing for this list and have solid stats to back up their rankings. What sort of stats, you may ask? We\u2019ll go over that in our next section which examines our methodology.\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
How We Created This Map<\/h2>\n
In order to get these results, we used the 2010 U.S. Census and the 2012 FBI Uniform Crime Report<\/a> to gather what we deemed relevant safety information. That information included:<\/p>\n All of these were collected over a five-year period, so as to get a more fair and consistent look at crime in each state. Then, we ranked each state in each category, and compiled all the rankings for each state into one big deal score. A Big Deal Score closer to one was considered better. The state with the best Big Deal Score became our safest place and, without a doubt, that state was New Hampshire. It\u2019s pretty easy to see why New Hampshire took the No. 1 spot. With merely one murder per 100,000 people, that stat earned this state the first place ranking for murders per capita. but the good scores didn\u2019t stop there. Like our No. 1 state, Idaho offered few murders and low violent crime as well. Ranking fifth for murders and seventh for violent crime, residents here should be able to live their lives without fearing for personal safety. Our third place state of Vermont had a few really stand out scores. The third lowest murders per 100,000 people and the second lowest violent crime mean that this state is all about loving your neighbor rather than causing them harm. In short, this is a nonviolent state, which we\u2019re sure doesn\u2019t surprise residents at all. Way up north, you\u2019re going to find a state that has a lot of pride as well as few thefts of any sort. To be more clear, North Dakota ranked second safest for property crime, with merely 65,249 crimes of this type total or 1,949 per 100,000 people. Speaking of non-violent states, it would be hard not to mention Maine for that particular criterion. For starters, this state had the lowest violent crime ranking, at only 121 of those crimes per 100,000 people. It also didn\u2019t hurt that the murders here were the eighth lowest on our list. Definitely one of our more populated states, Iowa still knew how to keep its residents safe. For starters, this place had the second lowest murders, at less than two per 100,000 people. The property crime as also very low, ranking ninth. It may be a little less safe than its northern neighbor, and it may be tied with Iowa, but South Dakota still knew a thing or two about security.The standout ranking here was in property crime, which ranked No. 1 with merely 1,856 crimes per 100,000 people. South Dakotans, your stuff is seriously safe. For people looking for overall good scores in safety, it would be prudent not to overlook Wyoming. With beautiful landscapes and the fifth lowest violent crime, locals can enjoy the scenery with ease. The ninth lowest murders, only two per 100,000 people, certainly didn\u2019t hurt either. Minnesota offered a lot in the way of personal safety for its locals. With only 217 crimes per 100,000 people and only a little over two murders per 100,000 people, there really wasn\u2019t much violence to be found here. Virginia posted some rather fascinating numbers. With a little over four murders per 100,000 people, this state ranked 26th for that category, higher than all others in the top 10. Still, that\u2019s a fairly low number compared to many other states, and the other rankings are much stronger. It can feel like a big scary world out there, especially if you check news websites, but rest assured that there are still some very safe places to be found. More than that, there are some very safe states. @media (min-width: 1000px) { .centered{ margin-left:185px; margin-right:185px; } .hideDesktop{ display:none; } } @media (max-width: 1000px) { .hideMobile{ display:none; } } There\u2019s safety to be found in small communities, big cities, and caring neighborhoods in just about every state. You may wonder, though, which state reigns supreme in safety? That\u2019s what the Movoto Real Estate Blog is here to find out. As you can see on our map, some states are perfect for people seeking out security and peace, while others are a little bit more safety challenged. But which were our top 10? The safest states in the nation were: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":31915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-places","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\nLet\u2019s examine in more depth why each state in our top 10 deserved the title of safest in the nation.<\/p>\n1. New Hampshire: Breathe Easy Today And Sleep Well Tonight<\/h2>\n
\nNew Hampshire also had the third lowest violent crime and the seventh lowest property crime on our list. All that came out to this state having the fifth lowest total crime overall. So if you\u2019re looking to worry less and sleep like a rock at night, you might be looking for The Granite State.<\/p>\n2. Idaho: You Can Relax, Your Stuff Is Safe<\/h2>\n
\nThis home of famous potatoes should also be famous for their property crime, which is the third lowest in the nation. Those rankings mean that Idaho had the third lowest total crime in the nation and earned our No. 2 ranking.<\/p>\n3. Vermont: A Non-Violent Place, Naturally<\/h2>\n
\nThe property crime here was a little higher, only ranking 12th. Still, that\u2019s a very good score and Vermont managed to rank sixth safest for overall crime on our list.<\/p>\n4. North Dakota: Legendary For Safety<\/h2>\n
\nThe good marks didn\u2019t stop there. Violent crime was low here as well, ranking ninth. In fact, North Dakota has the second lowest total crime on our list, and didn\u2019t finish higher simply because the murders per capita were ranked slightly higher at No. 11.
\nCompared to places like Louisiana, however, which ranked last in that category, North Dakota is still looking mighty safe.<\/p>\n5. Maine: They Wouldn\u2019t Hurt A Fly<\/h2>\n
\nWhile Maine did do a little worse in property crime, where it ranked 14th, this state had the 10th lowest overall crime and is a perfect place for people who want to not fret about personal safety and space.<\/p>\n6. Iowa: The American Heartland\u2019s Got Heart<\/h2>\n
\nThe violent crime ranked 16th, which is a little higher than others in our top 10, but was still better than places like connecticut and New Jersey. Overall, Iowa had the ninth lowest crime rate on our list, which was good enough for our sixth place for safest states.<\/p>\n6. South Dakota: Where You Can Trust Your Neighbor<\/h2>\n
\nUnfortunately, the other two rankings, murder and violent crime, were both a big higher than many others in our top 10, at 19th and 15th respectively. Still, both those rankings were better than Pennsylvania and Montana, so locals of this strong state can still stand proud.<\/p>\n8. Wyoming: Like No Place On Earth For Safety<\/h2>\n
\nThere was a bit of property crime here, ranking 13th, but these were still solid rankings across the board. If you\u2019re looking to stay safe and gain some solitude, you could do a whole lot worse than Wyoming.<\/p>\n9. Minnesota: A Real Star In The North<\/h2>\n
\nThe property crime was a little higher, ranking 18th with 2,638 crimes of that sort per 100,000 people. However, that ranking is still better than most of the nation, and Minnesota shone as a real star on this list.<\/p>\n9. Virginia: It\u2019s For Lovers, Not Fighters<\/h2>\n
\nFor example, Virginia had the sixth lowest violent crime and the 10th lowest property crime on our list. That brought this place to eighth in total crimes per 100,000 people, and kept it at No. 9 overall. Virginia does claim it\u2019s for lovers, and the numbers seem to back it up on that.<\/p>\nAmerica Is Always A Safe Bet<\/h2>\n
\nNew Hampshire locals should be proud to know they\u2019re in the nation\u2019s safest state, and should breathe easy tonight as they keep that in mind.\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Safest](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/movotoblog\/2014\/07\/safest-states\/table.png\")
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