CT Communities Among Safest in US; Ridgefield, Madison Reach Top 10

If you’re looking for the safest communities in America, you don’t have to go far. A new analysis of locales across the country has found that the Connecticut communities of Ridgefield and Madison are the second and third safest places in the nation.  Fourteen municipalities made the Top 100 list – more than any other state with the exception of New Jersey, which had 30.

The top three cities (Hopkinton, MA; Ridgefield, CT; Madison, CT) each reported zero violent crimes in 2017—and each has a median income of more than $100,000, according to the data analysis, from the website Safewise.

“The Northeast dominates with 70% of the country’s safest cities. Connecticut consistently ranks among the safest states in the country, with both violent and property crime rates well below national averages,” says SafeWise security analyst Rebecca Edwards. “All 10 of the Connecticut cities on the 100 Safest Cities list had less than zero violent crimes per 1,000 people, and had property crime rates 3 times lower than the national average."

The 100 cities that made the list represent 18 states and every region, although the Northeast dominates with 70 percent of the country’s safest cities. When it comes to violent crime, these cities saw 504 total offenses in 2017. Assault was the most common violent crime, but more people fear robbery, according to the State of Safety. Overall, the safest cities boast an average violent crime rate of 0.20 incidents per 1,000 people—compared to the national average of 4.49.

Also making the list from Connecticut in the top 25 were New Canaan (#14), Cheshire (#16), Avon (#18), and Darien (#25).  Additional Connecticut communities earned a place among the top 100:   Simsbury (#30), Brookfield (#35), Westport (#36), Wilton (#48), Guilford (#53), Rocky Hill (#64), and Wolcott (#91).

The website reported that according to FBI data, the nation’s violent and property crime rates both fell between 2016 and 2017—reflecting the trends of the past two decades. Violent crime dropped by 49% between 1993 and 2017. There was a slight increase in violent crime in 2015 and 2016 but it took another downward turn in 2017.  Property crime has decreased even more—falling by 50% between 1993 and 2017 - and hasn’t seen an increase since 2001.