With the U.S. experiencing over 400 mass shootings and nearly 25,000 motor vehicle deaths so far this year, WalletHub today released its report on 2024’s Safest Cities in America, as well as expert commentary, to highlight where people are at the lowest risk of physical and financial harm.
WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 41 key metrics. The data set ranges from traffic fatalities per capita and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and the percentage of the population that is uninsured.
| Safest Cities in America | Least Safe Cities in America |
| 1. South Burlington, VT | 173. San Bernardino, CA |
| 2. Casper, WY | 174. Philadelphia, PA |
| 3. Warwick, RI | 175. Oakland, CA |
| 4. Burlington, VT | 176. Cleveland, OH |
| 5. Boise, ID | 177. Baltimore, MD |
| 6. Yonkers, NY | 178. New Orleans, LA |
| 7. Cedar Rapids, IA | 179. Baton Rouge, LA |
| 8. Columbia, MD | 180. Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| 9. Portland, ME | 181. Detroit, MI |
| 10. Virginia Beach, VA | 182. Memphis, TN |
Safest vs. Least Safe
- Virginia Beach, Virginia, has the fewest aggravated assault incidents (per 100,000 residents), which is 65.5 times fewer than in Oakland, California, the city with the most.
- Warwick, Rhode Island, has the fewest thefts (per 1,000 residents), which is 47.8 times fewer than in Jackson, Mississippi, the city with the most.
- Washington, D.C., has the most law-enforcement employees (per 100,000 residents), which is 5.3 times more than in Irvine, California, the city with the fewest.
- Jersey City, New Jersey, has among the fewest pedestrian fatalities (per 100,000 residents), which is 39 times fewer than in Memphis, Tennessee, the city with the most.
