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Which State Is The Safest?

See Rankings Below or Click on These Links for More Information:

Click Here for the Complete 2002 State Awards Publication

|Dangerous Order | Award Rankings 1994 to 2002 | Methodology |

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"1" is Safest, "50" is Most Dangerous

2002 SAFEST STATE

ALPHA ORDER

  

RANK ORDER

2002 RANK

STATE

SUM

2001 RANK

CHANGE

 

2002 RANK

STATE

SUM

2001 RANK

CHANGE

34

Alabama

3.19

32

2

  

1

North Dakota

-67.50

1

0

40

Alaska

13.50

46

-6

  

2

Maine

-61.44

3

-1

46

Arizona

28.97

44

2

  

3

Vermont

-59.17

4

-1

29

Arkansas

-9.89

26

3

  

4

South Dakota

-55.63

7

-3

38

California

11.70

34

4

  

5

Idaho

-48.94

9

-4

21

Colorado

-19.45

25

-4

  

6

Wyoming

-48.71

5

1

14

Connecticut

-30.96

14

0

  

7

Iowa

-48.19

8

-1

39

Delaware

12.88

41

-2

  

8

New Hampshire

-47.23

2

6

49

Florida

39.09

49

0

  

9

Montana

-46.07

6

3

35

Georgia

9.56

38

-3

  

10

West Virginia

-45.14

11

-1

23

Hawaii

-19.03

18

5

  

11

Wisconsin

-40.99

10

1

5

Idaho

-48.94

9

-4

  

12

Utah

-33.19

12

0

41

Illinois

17.18

40

1

  

13

Virginia

-32.19

16

-3

25

Indiana

-15.18

27

-2

  

14

Connecticut

-30.96

14

0

7

Iowa

-48.19

8

-1

  

15

Nebraska

-30.04

17

-2

28

Kansas

-10.49

28

0

  

16

Kentucky

-29.17

13

3

16

Kentucky

-29.17

13

3

  

17

Minnesota

-27.02

15

2

50

Louisiana

41.58

47

3

  

18

New Jersey

-24.03

20

-2

2

Maine

-61.44

3

-1

  

19

Massachusetts

-23.75

21

-2

47

Maryland

33.30

45

2

  

20

Pennsylvania

-20.02

22

-2

19

Massachusetts

-23.75

21

-2

  

21

Colorado

-19.45

25

-4

42

Michigan

19.69

39

3

  

21

Oregon

-19.45

24

-3

17

Minnesota

-27.02

15

2

  

23

Hawaii

-19.03

18

5

31

Mississippi

-0.25

35

-4

  

24

Rhode Island

-15.47

19

5

30

Missouri

-1.55

30

0

  

25

Indiana

-15.18

27

-2

9

Montana

-46.07

6

3

  

26

Ohio

-13.69

23

3

15

Nebraska

-30.04

17

-2

  

27

New York

-12.19

29

-2

44

Nevada

27.57

48

-4

  

28

Kansas

-10.49

28

0

8

New Hampshire

-47.23

2

6

  

29

Arkansas

-9.89

26

3

18

New Jersey

-24.03

20

-2

  

30

Missouri

-1.55

30

0

48

New Mexico

36.69

50

-2

  

31

Mississippi

-0.25

35

-4

27

New York

-12.19

29

-2

  

32

Oklahoma

0.96

33

-1

36

North Carolina

9.60

37

-1

  

33

Washington

1.56

31

2

1

North Dakota

-67.50

1

0

  

34

Alabama

3.19

32

2

26

Ohio

-13.69

23

3

  

35

Georgia

9.56

38

-3

32

Oklahoma

0.96

33

-1

  

36

North Carolina

9.60

37

-1

21

Oregon

-19.45

24

-3

  

37

Texas

11.26

36

1

20

Pennsylvania

-20.02

22

-2

  

38

California

11.70

34

4

24

Rhode Island

-15.47

19

5

  

39

Delaware

12.88

41

-2

43

South Carolina

23.17

43

0

  

40

Alaska

13.50

46

-6

4

South Dakota

-55.63

7

-3

  

41

Illinois

17.18

40

1

45

Tennessee

28.58

42

3

  

42

Michigan

19.69

39

3

37

Texas

11.26

36

1

  

43

South Carolina

23.17

43

0

12

Utah

-33.19

12

0

  

44

Nevada

27.57

48

-4

3

Vermont

-59.17

4

-1

  

45

Tennessee

28.58

42

3

13

Virginia

-32.19

16

-3

  

46

Arizona

28.97

44

2

33

Washington

1.56

31

2

  

47

Maryland

33.30

45

2

10

West Virginia

-45.14

11

-1

  

48

New Mexico

36.69

50

-2

11

Wisconsin

-40.99

10

1

  

49

Florida

39.09

49

0

6

Wyoming

-48.71

5

1

  

50

Louisiana

41.58

47

3
METHODOLOGY: The Most Dangerous State 2002 rankings are determined by a four step process. First, rates for six crime categories — murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft — are plugged into a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given crime category.

Second, the outcome of this equation is then multiplied by a weight assigned to each crime category. For this year’s award, we again gave each crime category equal weight. Thus state comparisons are based purely on crime rates and how these rates stack up to the national average for a given crime category.

Third, the weighted numbers are added together to achieve state’s score ("SUM.") In the fourth and final step, these composite scores are ranked from highest to lowest to determine which states are the most dangerous and safest. Thus the farther below the national average a state’s crime rate is, the lower (and safer) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and more dangerous) a state ranks in the final list.