Persona Digest

The Pandemic Alters Safety

The coronavirus pandemic has redefined how people in the U.S. think about public safety, likely making health concerns as paramount as crime rates or transit fatalities.

In 2020, the virus has become a key factor in the personal finance site WalletHub’s evaluation of more than 180 major American cities for safety. While prominent metrics such as numbers of mass shootings and risk of natural disaster have carried over from previous years, the average number of positive COVID-19 tests in a community has become uniquely important.

These are the top 10 cities for safety in the U.S., according to WalletHub’s analysis:

10. Gilbert, Arizona

Gilbert has the fifth-lowest rate of assaults per capita in these rankings, according to WalletHub. In 2019, the city’s police department reported only 226 violent crime incidents for a population of more than 250,000.

9. Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, the largest city on this list, has among the lowest rates of law enforcement officers per capita, according to WalletHub, but its figures for violent crime remain low. The Raleigh Police Department reported 998 violent crime incidents for a population that was slightly more than 474,000 in 2019.

8. Virginia Beach, Virginia

WalletHub scored Virginia Beach well in terms of its financial safety. The Census Bureau estimated its median household income to be in excess of $74,000 in 2018 – higher than the state median.

7. Salem, Oregon

WalletHub gave Salem strong ratings for its low risk of natural disasters. The city has invested in public works to offset flood risks and bolstered seismic infrastructure in public buildings to mitigate earthquake damage.

6. Burlington, Vermont

Burlington, which ranked No. 17 for home and community safety, had a population just under 43,000 in 2019, according to the Census Bureau. The Burlington Police Department reported 169 incidents of violent crime that same year. According to WalletHub’s analysis, it has the fifth-lowest percentage of uninsured residents on this list.

5. Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston, with a population of slightly more than 36,000 in 2019, ranked No. 12 in terms of low natural disaster risks, and No. 19 for home and community safety.

4. Nashua, New Hampshire

For a comparatively larger city in New England – census estimates placed the population at roughly 89,000 in 2019 – the Nashua Police Department recorded only 127 incidents of violent crime last year. The city’s median household income was more than $73,000 in 2019, according to census data.

3. Plano, Texas

Plano’s population was almost 288,000 in 2019, according to census data, making it the third-most populous on this list. The city, which ranked No. 3 for home and community safety, had 484 violent crimes last year. Its census-reported median household income of slightly more than $92,000 far outpaces the rest of the state. WalletHub ranked the city No. 30 on its list for financial safety.

2. South Burlington, Vermont

South Burlington is small, but prosperous. The Census Bureau estimated its population at roughly 19,500 in 2019. The city’s median household income is slightly more than $71,000, and it scored especially well in WalletHub’s analysis of uninsured residents and low unemployment rates.

1. Columbia, Maryland

This census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, has the highest median household income in WalletHub’s top 10 – more than $105,000, according to the Census Bureau. It ranked No. 7 in financial safety, and No. 4 for home and community safety.