Relocating to a new city is never as simple as pointing one's finger at a map and deciding to live where it lands. And it shouldn't be. Before packing up, there are numerous factors to evaluate such as cost of living, education standards, health-care quality, or tax burden. But whatever one's motivations are for moving, safety should rank among the top priorities when comparing places and looking for the safest places to live.
By safety, we're not referring exclusively to protection from violence and crime. The term encompasses various categories, among them workplace safety, natural disasters, home and community stability, traffic safety, and, of course, financial security. Choosing a new place to call home can be challenging. But knowing which states offer the safest environments and the biggest bang for the buck will be useful.
With that in mind, and in observance of National Safety Month, WalletHub has identified the "Safest States to Live In." Using 26 key metrics, we've sorted the states according to different safety standards that take into account data related to crime, traffic accidents, employer insurance coverage, climate disasters, consumer bank accounts, and more. Check out the methodology section here for more detailed information on how we ranked each state.
Source: WalletHub.
