The 20 Safest Cities in Maine—2017

Alexia Chianis Apr 17, 2017

If you’re looking for a safe region of the country to settle down in, consider New England. Crime isn’t much of a problem among New England states, and that certainly holds true for Maine. According to the most current FBI Crime Report, fewer than twenty crimes per 1,000 people were reported in Maine in 2015—that’s roughly 30% less than the national average.

The twenty safest cities in Maine experienced even less criminal activity. On average, these cities reported fewer than one violent crime per 1,000 people, whereas 3.83 violent crimes were reported for every 1,000 people nationally. Also, 95% of these cities reported fewer than ten total violent crimes, with Cumberland, Pittsfield, and Cape Elizabeth citing none at all. Equally noteworthy is the fact that no city on our list experienced a murder.

Property crimes in Maine’s safest cities were also few and far between, with a mere 7.97 crimes reported per 1,000 residents—a rate approximately 70% less than the national average. These are remarkable statistics considering these cities represent a total population of over 130,000.

The citizens, leaders, and law enforcement professionals of Hampden deserve special recognition. Their collaborative efforts helped the city move from twentieth to eighth place on our list over the past year. We also recognize the accomplishments of York County. Six of the state’s twenty safest cities—Eliot, Kennebunk, South Berwick, North Berwick, Kennebunkport, and Wells—are located in York, the second-most populated county in the Pine Tree State.

What’s more, maintaining a low crime rate is a top priority in Cumberland—the state’s safest city. In an interview with SafeWise, Cumberland’s chief of police, Charles J. Rumsey IV, explained that a “high level of citizen engagement” helps keep crime under control. Police officers participate in a variety of community outreach programs and events, but Chief Rumsey says that’s not all. He adds, “Officers make interacting with citizens a daily priority—they don’t wait for an official event. Whether they’re getting out of their cars and talking with kids, or checking in on business owners, our officers constantly seek out opportunities to engage with the citizens they serve.”

Review our list to find out if your city is one of the safest in the Pine Tree State. Then consult our Maine Safety Directory for home security tips, community safety initiatives, and a map of the state’s most and least burglarized counties.

How We Chose the Safest Cities in Maine

To identify the twenty safest cities in Maine, we reviewed the 2015 FBI Crime Report statistics and population data. We eliminated all cities with fewer than 3,000 residents as well as any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI.

From there, we evaluated the remaining cities. We narrowed it down based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) and property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft) in each city. To further level the playing field, we calculated the likelihood of these crimes occurring out of 1,000 people in each city.

Learn more about how we rank our Safest Cities reports.

1. Cumberland ↑

Previous Rank: 3

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property Crimes per 1,000: 2.36

2. Eliot ↓

Previous Rank: 1

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.63
Property Crimes per 1,000: 2.85

3. Rockport ↑

Previous Rank: 9

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.30
Property Crimes per 1,000: 4.75

4. Richmond ↑

Previous Rank: 7

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.18
Property Crimes per 1,000: 4.74

5. Fort Kent ↓

Previous Rank: 2

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.75
Property Crimes per 1,000: 5.76

6. Camden ↑

Previous Rank: 24

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.41
Property Crimes per 1,000: 6.62

7. Kennebunk ↓

Previous Rank: 5

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.36
Property Crimes per 1,000: 6.88

8. Hampden ↑

Previous Rank: 20

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.40
Property Crimes per 1,000: 7.14

9. South Berwick ↑

Previous Rank: 13

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.63
Property Crimes per 1,000: 5.99

10. Monmouth ↓

Previous Rank: 4

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.49
Property Crimes per 1,000: 7.14

11. Yarmouth ↓

Previous Rank: 10

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.23
Property Crimes per 1,000: 7.83

12. Pittsfield ↓

Previous Rank: 11

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property Crimes per 1,000: 8.37

13. Cape Elizabeth ↑

Previous Rank: 14

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property Crimes per 1,000: 9.32

14. North Berwick ↓

Previous Rank: 6

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.21
Property Crimes per 1,000: 9.43

15. Kennebunkport ↓

Previous Rank: 8

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.12
Property Crimes per 1,000: 9.24

16. Wilton

Previous Rank: 16

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.01
Property Crimes per 1,000: 9.56

17. Gorham ↑

Previous Rank: 22

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.41
Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.47

18. Falmouth ↓

Previous Rank: 15

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.34
Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.86

19. Wells ↑

Previous Rank: 26

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 0.59
Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.97

20. Sabattus ↓

Previous Rank: 19

Violent Crimes per 1,000: 1.58
Property Crimes per 1,000: 10.08

Didn’t see your city rank in the top 20?

Check the remaining cities below, and take a look at the most recent FBI crime data here.

21. Winslow	22. Fryeburg	23. Waldoboro
24. York	25. Mechanic Falls	26. Buxton
27. Clinton	28. Millinocket	29. Holden
30. Oakland	31. Kittery	32. Topsham
33. Livermore Falls	34. Berwick	35. Wiscasset
36. Farmington	37. Jay	38. Lisbon
39. Madison	40. Fort Fairfield	41. Bucksport
42. Orono	43. Paris	44. Madawaska
45. Bar Harbor	46. Dexter	47. Windham
48. East Millinocket	49. Brunswick	50. Freeport
51. Caribou	52. Winthrop	53. Scarborough
54. Newport	55. Lewiston	56. Old Town
57. Saco	58. Brewer	59. Bath
60. Lincoln	61. Dover-Foxcroft	62. Norway
63. South Portland	64. Westbrook	65. Rockland
66. Presque Isle	67. Old Orchard Beach	68. Auburn
69. Gardiner	70. Portland	71. Belfast
72. Houlton	73. Fairfield	74. Bridgton
75. Sanford	76. Ellsworth	77. Bangor
78. Oxford	79. Waterville	80. Rumford
81. Skowhegan	82. Biddeford	83. Augusta

How safe is your home?

Wherever you live, feeling safe in your home can bring greater peace of mind and happiness. Whether your city made our list or not, we recommend adding extra security to your home with monitored security services provided by the nation’s leading home security providers.

To learn more about the home security options available to you, check out SafeWise’s picks for Best Home Security Systems of 2018 or select the city nearest you in the drop down menu below.

If you would like to contact a SafeWise Safest Cities Analyst, please email safestcities@safewise.com.