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Morgan Quitno Press' 5th Annual Safest Metro Area Award

SAFEST METRO RANK ORDER (1 is "safest", 255 is "most dangerous")

A Score of "0.00" would reflect an average crime rate at the national rate in the six crimes reviewed.   A positive score reflects an average rate above the national rate.  A negative score, shown in parentheses, reflects an average rate below the national rate.

Press Release | Alpha Metro Order | Most Dangerous Metro Order | "Missing" Metro Areas

Methodology | Previous Years' Rankings | City Award | MQ Home

Most Dangerous Order

Safest Order

Metropolitan Area

1997 Population

Score

255

1

Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI

341,326

(76.50)

254

2

La Crosse, WI-MN

122,353

(73.23)

253

3

Pittsfield, MA

99,502

(71.58)

252

4

Danbury, CT

163,600

(70.69)

251

5

Johnstown, PA

239,041

(70.33)

250

6

Sheboygan, WI

108,878

(69.21)

249

7

Eau Claire, WI

144,391

(68.73)

248

8

Wausau, WI

141,831

(68.72)

247

9

Green Bay, WI

210,852

(65.51)

246

10

Elmira, NY

94,352

(65.00)

245

11

Binghamton, NY

262,321

(64.54)

244

12

Bismarck, ND

88,564

(63.24)

243

13

Nassau-Suffolk, NY

2,619,121

(63.05)

242

14

Grand Forks, ND-MN

104,790

(61.31)

241

15

Pocatello, ID

75,750

(60.89)

240

16

Dubuque, IA

88,988

(60.77)

239

17

St. Cloud, MN

160,983

(60.68)

238

18

Lafayette, IN

169,975

(60.60)

237

19

Wheeling, WV-OH

158,100

(59.97)

236

20

Monmouth-Ocean, NJ

1,054,409

(59.58)

235

21

Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ

1,088,827

(59.51)

234

22

Cumberland, MD-WV

102,301

(59.38)

233

23

Florence, AL

138,890

(59.20)

232

24

Dutchess County, NY

260,996

(58.46)

231

25

Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN

163,298

(57.24)

230

26

Stamford-Norwalk, CT

331,114

(56.94)

229

27

Jamestown, NY

141,908

(56.49)

228

28

Bangor, ME

67,198

(55.75)

227

29

Newburgh, NY-PA

355,286

(54.86)

226

30

Utica-Rome, NY

313,390

(53.66)

225

31

Lewiston-Auburn, ME

104,040

(53.50)

224

32

Kokomo, IN

101,273

(53.23)

223

33

Cheyenne, WY

78,804

(52.93)

222

34

Brazoria, TX

223,716

(52.07)

221

35

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR

249,368

(50.90)

220

36

Grand Junction, CO

110,341

(50.73)

219

37

Jacksonville, NC

155,053

(50.23)

218

38

Decatur, AL

141,136

(49.31)

217

39

Syracuse, NY

753,844

(49.21)

216

40

Punta Gorda, FL

132,844

(48.66)

215

41

Provo-Orem, UT

314,034

(48.49)

214

42

Bergen-Passaic, NJ

1,328,669

(47.67)

213

43

St. Joseph, MO

100,284

(47.39)

212

44

Rochester, MN

115,847

(47.18)

211

45

Roanoke, VA

234,944

(47.04)

210

46

Madison, WI

389,766

(45.89)

209

47

Portland, ME

237,357

(45.88)

208

48

Lynchburg, VA

208,518

(45.10)

207

49

Pittsburgh, PA

2,402,258

(44.57)

206

50

Joplin, MO

145,059

(44.50)

205

51

Boise, ID

371,511

(44.18)

204

52

Kenosha, WI

140,188

(42.41)

203

53

Charlottesville, VA

144,577

(42.38)

202

54

Boulder-Longmont, CO

265,777

(42.21)

201

55

Janesville-Beloit, WI

148,473

(40.83)

200

56

Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

226,106

(40.46)

199

57

Iowa City, IA

100,814

(40.38)

198

58

New London-Norwich, CT-RI

301,816

(40.05)

197

59

Barnstable-Yarmouth, MA

143,497

(39.85)

196

60

San Luis Obispo-Atascadero, CA

229,653

(39.62)

195

61

Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

466,285

(39.27)

194

62

Columbia, MO

124,327

(39.22)

193

63

Hagerstown, MD

128,820

(38.49)

192

64

Ventura, CA

721,437

(38.40)

191

65

Erie, PA

279,554

(37.88)

190

66

Ann Arbor, MI

527,037

(37.65)

189

67

Medford-Ashland, OR

170,612

(37.28)

188

68

Sioux Falls, SD

159,398

(37.12)

187

69

Hickory-Morganton-Lenoir, NC

321,101

(37.09)

186

70

Hartford, CT

1,055,187

(36.57)

185

71

Springfield, MO

323,694

(35.21)

184

72

Jackson, MI

157,755

(35.03)

183

73

Olympia, WA

196,586

(34.88)

182

74

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, CA

390,612

(34.80)

181

75

Casper, WY

64,417

(34.54)

180

76

Lowell, MA-NH

282,324

(34.05)

179

77

Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA

948,966

(33.90)

178

78

San Angelo, TX

107,086

(32.22)

177

79

Des Moines, IA

419,768

(30.29)

176

80

Asheville, NC

213,754

(30.19)

175

81

Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA

180,594

(29.91)

174

82

Duluth-Superior, MN-WI

246,797

(29.62)

173

83

Rochester, NY

1,086,828

(29.60)

172

84

Santa Rosa, CA

421,101

(29.04)

171

85

Sherman-Denison, TX

102,875

(29.03)

170

86

Boston, MA-NH

3,457,976

(28.94)

169

87

Orange County, CA

2,610,845

(28.15)

168

88

Fort Walton Beach, FL

168,881

(28.06)

167

89

Fort Smith, AR-OK

190,019

(27.82)

166

90

Killeen-Temple, TX

303,735

(27.75)

165

91

Salem, OR

320,978

(27.32)

164

92

Reading, PA

343,703

(26.86)

163

93

Danville, VA

113,008

(26.77)

162

94

Mansfield, OH

176,879

(26.48)

161

95

Racine, WI

184,840

(25.78)

160

96

Lincoln, NE

230,475

(25.63)

159

97

Fitchburg-Leominster, MA

137,090

(25.08)

159

97

Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, MI

1,013,769

(25.08)

157

99

San Jose, CA

1,598,682

(25.05)

156

100

Worcester, MA-CT

483,371

(24.81)

155

101

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

241,222

(24.67)

154

102

Jonesboro, AR

75,474

(24.49)

153

103

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA

124,706

(23.90)

152

104

Charleston, WV

252,912

(21.59)

151

105

Waterbury, CT

182,398

(21.52)

150

106

Bellingham, WA

152,666

(21.50)

149

107

Honolulu, HI

880,272

(19.99)

148

108

Wichita Falls, TX

139,605

(19.09)

147

109

Panama City, FL

146,938

(18.86)

146

110

Abilene, TX

128,936

(17.59)

145

111

Chico-Paradise, CA

197,363

(17.01)

144

112

Rapid City, SD

88,621

(16.50)

143

113

Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX

314,072

(16.03)

142

114

Columbus, GA-AL

292,205

(15.58)

141

115

Fort Wayne, IN

478,179

(15.52)

140

116

Trenton, NJ

335,625

(15.46)

139

117

Brockton, MA

251,863

(15.30)

138

118

Bremerton, WA

231,404

(14.76)

137

119

Odessa-Midland, TX

250,991

(13.67)

136

120

Elkhart-Goshen, IN

167,184

(13.34)

135

121

Eugene-Springfield, OR

314,195

(12.08)

134

122

Yolo, CA

150,312

(11.99)

133

123

Bryan-College Station, TX

137,915

(11.44)

132

124

Sioux City, IA-NE

120,206

(11.42)

131

125

Longview-Marshall, TX

215,566

(11.32)

130

126

Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT

1,271,704

(10.61)

129

127

South Bend, IN

260,406

(9.59)

128

128

Goldsboro, NC

114,732

(9.29)

127

129

Dothan, AL

137,662

(8.84)

126

130

Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI

2,759,627

(7.21)

125

131

Lawton, OK

119,753

(7.00)

124

132

New Haven-Meriden, CT

560,409

(6.81)

123

133

Reno, NV

325,650

(6.60)

122

134

Denver, CO

1,904,156

(6.37)

121

135

Rocky Mount, NC

147,330

(5.24)

120

136

Vallejo-Fairfield-Napa, CA

495,385

(4.84)

119

137

Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

543,942

(4.65)

118

138

Melbourne-Titusville-Palm Bay, FL

465,762

(4.46)

117

139

El Paso, TX

703,190

(4.28)

116

140

Norfolk-Va Beach-Newport News, VA-NC

1,573,608

(3.49)

115

141

Dover, DE

127,863

(2.63)

114

142

Huntsville, AL

323,619

(2.20)

113

143

Austin-San Marcos, TX

1,019,596

(1.40)

113

143

Victoria, TX

84,023

(1.40)

111

145

Lubbock, TX

243,004

(0.62)

110

146

San Diego, CA

2,702,151

(0.57)

109

147

New Bedford, MA

176,310

(0.53)

108

148

Spokane, WA

415,653

(0.24)

107

149

Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI

1,471,427

0.58

106

150

San Francisco, CA

1,689,734

1.00

105

151

Tyler, TX

168,100

1.17

104

152

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA

2,287,805

1.48

103

153

Lafayette, LA

364,408

1.60

102

154

Amarillo, TX

208,406

2.21

101

155

Atlantic City-Cape May, NJ

336,176

2.34

100

156

Salinas, CA

361,277

2.45

99

157

San Antonio, TX

1,520,247

2.61

98

158

Redding, CA

164,278

2.70

97

159

Toledo, OH

618,551

2.78

96

160

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

487,623

3.08

95

161

Omaha, NE-IA

675,091

3.21

94

162

Washington, DC-MD-VA-WV

4,513,915

3.27

93

163

Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

1,647,495

3.36

92

164

Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High Pt, NC

1,163,214

5.28

91

165

Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA

1,764,437

6.48

90

166

Laredo, TX

172,479

7.27

89

167

Texarkana, TX-AR

128,574

8.12

88

168

Yuba City, CA

138,780

8.53

87

169

Ocala, FL

230,845

8.66

86

170

Macon, GA

326,174

9.58

85

171

Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, CA

352,384

11.26

84

172

Bakersfield, CA

625,540

11.94

83

173

Savannah, GA

292,473

12.70

82

174

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

1,012,905

12.86

81

175

Enid, OK

57,957

13.45

80

176

Yakima, WA

217,096

13.49

79

177

Corpus Christi, TX

398,307

13.66

78

178

Anniston, AL

119,633

14.91

77

179

Bridgeport, CT

452,228

17.33

76

180

Merced, CA

202,078

17.71

75

181

Newark, NJ

1,970,655

18.63

74

182

Fort Pierce-Port St. Lucie, FL

292,254

18.79

73

183

Pueblo, CO

135,937

18.90

72

184

Naples, FL

185,283

19.03

71

185

Tuscaloosa, AL

160,764

19.04

70

186

Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL

385,893

19.45

69

187

Tulsa, OK

756,523

19.62

68

188

Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, SC

897,487

19.73

67

189

Alexandria, LA

127,553

20.49

66

190

Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ

141,414

20.51

65

191

Pensacola, FL

389,382

20.67

64

192

Galveston-Texas City, TX

248,220

20.79

63

193

Anchorage, AK

255,634

22.80

62

194

Gadsden, AL

102,273

22.81

61

195

Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX

394,229

22.95

60

196

Fayetteville, NC

300,747

24.71

59

197

Albany, GA

124,109

25.75

58

198

Montgomery, AL

322,867

25.98

57

199

Columbus, OH

1,432,800

26.05

56

200

Wilmington, NC

203,106

26.18

55

201

Riverside-San Bernardino, CA

2,969,344

27.49

54

202

Daytona Beach, FL

462,598

27.66

53

203

Oklahoma City, OK

1,026,118

28.74

52

204

Dallas, TX

2,958,553

29.15

51

205

Waco, TX

208,534

29.25

50

206

Houston, TX

3,864,390

29.44

50

206

Springfield, MA

471,064

29.44

48

208

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

2,264,864

29.55

47

209

Fort Lauderdale, FL

1,452,443

30.11

46

210

Tacoma, WA

670,980

30.29

45

211

Florence, SC

124,334

31.25

44

212

Indianapolis, IN

1,490,823

31.97

43

213

Richmond-Petersburg, VA

942,111

32.06

42

214

Atlanta, GA

3,534,929

32.21

41

215

Oakland, CA

2,240,478

32.34

40

216

Sumter, SC

109,491

32.60

39

217

Modesto, CA

417,583

32.70

38

218

Columbia, SC

499,876

34.30

37

219

Greenville, NC

119,868

34.59

36

220

Sacramento, CA

1,479,844

36.43

35

221

Charleston-North Charleston, SC

535,936

37.23

34

222

Birmingham, AL

894,530

37.87

33

223

Mobile, AL

524,259

38.82

32

224

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC

1,320,693

39.06

31

225

Jersey City, NJ

562,790

39.30

30

226

Phoenix-Mesa, AZ

2,764,715

40.21

29

227

Orlando, FL

1,429,848

41.01

28

228

Tucson, AZ

817,689

41.60

27

229

New York, NY

8,596,217

42.02

26

230

Tallahassee, FL

266,088

45.05

25

231

Stockton-Lodi, CA

531,958

45.65

24

232

Shreveport-Bossier City, LA

381,600

46.04

23

233

Detroit, MI

4,435,676

47.31

22

234

Flint, MI

445,874

49.01

21

235

Monroe, LA

147,694

50.11

20

236

Lake Charles, LA

174,811

50.24

19

237

Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR

553,480

51.55

18

238

West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL

1,002,457

52.34

17

239

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA

9,394,202

54.01

16

240

Jacksonville, FL

1,023,100

61.07

15

241

Baton Rouge, LA

563,031

61.23

14

242

Fresno, CA

856,862

62.25

13

243

Baltimore, MD

2,505,920

63.66

12

244

Gary-Hammond, IN

631,914

65.59

11

245

Gainesville, FL

202,746

66.33

10

246

Nashville, TN

1,109,843

69.14

9

247

Jackson, TN

99,627

70.00

8

248

Jackson, MS

421,653

74.38

7

249

Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

451,138

77.67

6

250

Albuquerque, NM

675,809

83.48

5

251

Myrtle Beach, SC

156,870

86.44

4

252

New Orleans, LA

1,320,311

108.45

3

253

Memphis, TN-AR-MS

1,094,180

140.53

2

254

Miami, FL

2,127,082

148.26

1

255

Pine Bluff, AR

86,428

165.83