Kick lines and skyscrapers aren’t the only reasons New Yorkers have for loving their home: according to the latest FBI report, the state boasts a property crime rate 40% less than the national average. Add to this the nearly fifty towns with a violent crime rate 94% lower than the national average, and it’s hard to know what not to love.
Not included in this list of fifty is the Big Apple itself, which reported fewer than 300 murders in the city. And yet even city-dwellers have found themselves with something to celebrate given that this represents the lowest number since officials began keeping reliable records. The murder rate has improved dramatically since it peaked at 2,200 nearly 30 years ago.
To find the safest of havens, however, a person must head north to the tree-laden hillsides of Upstate. Tucked beneath the leafy balcony is a patchwork of small hamlets with names like “Pleasantville” and “Stillwater” with crime rates that live up to their titles. Pleasantville, for instance, is home to a little more than 7,000 people, and the town reported violent crime rates a full 97% lower than the national average.
Of course, not every town in the state can make this claim. What’s more, not all threats to a community come in the form of crime. For this reason, SafeWise encourages residents from Suffolk to St. Lawrence counties to visit our New York Home Security and Crime Prevention Center for a comprehensive list of available safety systems and programs.
The 50 Safest Cities in New York
1–25
1. Lewisboro Town
Population: 12,862
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 0.16
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
2. Briarcliff Manor Village
Population: 8,066
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 2.85
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
3. Whitestown Town
Population: 9,275
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 2.91
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
4. Stillwater Town
Population: 6,753
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.55
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
5. Croton-on-Hudson Village
Population: 8,308
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.73
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
6. Eden Town
Population: 7,670
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 5.61
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
7. Horseheads Village
Population: 6,653
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.00
Property crimes per 1,000: 15.33
Total crimes: 0% violent, 100% property
8. Harrison Town
Population: 28,518
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.04
Property crimes per 1,000: 4.42
Total crimes: 0.79% violent, 99.21% property
9. Rye
Population: 16,108
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.06
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.85
Total crimes: 1.61% violent, 98.39% property
10. North Castle Town
Population: 12,390
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.08
Property crimes per 1,000: 6.21
Total crimes: 1.30% violent, 98.70% property
11. New Castle Town
Population: 18,167
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.11
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.08
Total crimes: 3.57% violent, 96.43% property
12. Highlands Town
Population: 8,237
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.12
Property crimes per 1,000: 1.21
Total crimes: 10% violent, 90% property
13. Baldwinsville Village
Population: 7,805
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.13
Property crimes per 1,000: 11.66
Total crimes: 1.10% violent, 98.90% property
14. Pleasantville Village
Population: 7,205
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.14
Property crimes per 1,000: 9.72
Total crimes: 1.43% violent, 98.57% property
15. East Aurora-Aurora Town
Population: 13,823
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.14
Property crimes per 1,000: 8.54
Total crimes: 1.69% violent, 98.31% property
16. Mount Hope Town
Population: 6,899
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.14
Property crimes per 1,000: 2.32
Total crimes: 6.25% violent, 93.75% property
17. Carmel Town
Population: 34,355
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.15
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.11
Total crimes: 4.67% violent, 95.33% property
18. Walden Village
Population: 6,810
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.15
Property crimes per 1,000: 11.60
Total crimes: 1.27% violent, 98.73% property
19. Tuckahoe Village
Population: 6,673
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.15
Property crimes per 1,000: 7.34
Total crimes: 2.04% violent, 97.96% property
20. Kent Town
Population: 13,274
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.15
Property crimes per 1,000: 4.14
Total crimes: 3.64% violent, 96.36% property
21. Suffern Village
Population: 11,053
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.18
Property crimes per 1,000: 6.42
Total crimes: 2.82% violent, 97.18% property
22. Scarsdale Village
Population: 18,026
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.22
Property crimes per 1,000: 8.49
Total crimes: 2.61% violent, 97.39% property
23. Kirkland Town
Population: 8,279
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.24
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.02
Total crimes: 8% violent, 92% property
24. Eastchester Town
Population: 20,150
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.25
Property crimes per 1,000: 8.59
Total crimes: 2.89% violent, 97.11% property
25. Hastings-on-Hudson Village
Population: 8,044
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.25
Property crimes per 1,000: 6.84
Total crimes: 3.64% violent, 96.36% property
25–50
26. Blooming Grove Town
Population: 11,907
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.25
Property crimes per 1,000: 9.83
Total crimes: 2.56% violent, 97.44% property
27. North Syracuse Village
Population: 6,861
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.29
Property crimes per 1,000: 10.49
Total crimes: 2.78% violent, 97.22% property
28. Irvington Village
Population: 6,643
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.30
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.16
Total crimes: 9.52% violent, 90.48% property
29. Canton Village
Population: 6,619
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.30
Property crimes per 1,000: 4.38
Total crimes: 6.90% violent, 93.10% property
30. Cicero Town
Population: 29,482
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.31
Property crimes per 1,000: 9.84
Total crimes: 3.10% violent, 96.90% property
31. Cairo Town
Population: 6,437
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.31
Property crimes per 1,000: 2.17
Total crimes: 14.29% violent, 85.71% property
32. Stony Point Town
Population: 15,599
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.32
Property crimes per 1,000: 5.13
Total crimes: 6.25% violent, 93.75% property
33. Larchmont Village
Population: 6,186
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.32
Property crimes per 1,000: 16.81
Total crimes: 1.92% violent, 98.08% property
34. Mamaroneck Town
Population: 12,292
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.33
Property crimes per 1,000: 6.83
Total crimes: 4.76% violent, 95.24% property
35. Garden City Village
Population: 22,656
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.35
Property crimes per 1,000: 8.52
Total crimes: 4.15% violent, 95.85% property
36. Shawangunk Town
Population: 14,098
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.35
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.83
Total crimes: 9.26% violent, 90.74% property
37. Port Washington
Population: 19,272
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.36
Property crimes per 1,000: 4.93
Total crimes: 7.37% violent, 92.63% property
38. Woodbury Town
Population: 10,917
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.37
Property crimes per 1,000: 45.80
Total crimes: 0.80% violent, 99.20% property
39. Lewiston Town and Village
Population: 16,009
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.37
Property crimes per 1,000: 9.68
Total crimes: 3.87% violent, 96.13% property
40. Yorktown Town
Population: 37,287
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.38
Property crimes per 1,000: 9.17
Total crimes: 4.09% violent, 95.91% property
41. Cornwall Town
Population: 9,589
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.42
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.02
Total crimes: 13.79% violent, 86.21% property
42. Hyde Park Town
Population: 21,140
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.43
Property crimes per 1,000: 5.35
Total crimes: 7.96% violent, 92.04% property
43. Tarrytown Village
Population: 11,620
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.43
Property crimes per 1,000: 5.08
Total crimes: 8.47% violent, 91.53% property
44. Guilderland Town
Population: 34,405
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.44
Property crimes per 1,000: 19.59
Total crimes: 2.23% violent, 97.77% property
45. Bedford Town
Population: 18,063
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.44
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.65
Total crimes: 12.12% violent, 87.88% property
46. East Fishkill Town
Population: 29,316
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.44
Property crimes per 1,000: 5.80
Total crimes: 7.65% violent, 92.35% property
47. Fishkill Town
Population: 21,620
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.46
Property crimes per 1,000: 8.97
Total crimes: 5.15% violent, 94.85% property
48. Malverne Village
Population: 8,579
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.47
Property crimes per 1,000: 3.26
Total crimes: 14.29% violent, 85.71% property
49. Goshen Town
Population: 8,515
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.47
Property crimes per 1,000: 8.10
Total crimes: 5.80% violent, 94.20% property
50. Hornell
Population: 8,289
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.48
Property crimes per 1,000: 16.53
Total crimes: 2.92% violent, 97.08% property
How We Chose the Safest Cities in New York
To identify the fifty safest cities in New York, we reviewed the 2016 FBI crime report statistics and population data. Cities that fell below identified population thresholds or that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI were excluded from the ranking system.
Our evaluation is based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) in each city. If there was a tie, we also factored in the number of property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft). To level the playing field, we calculated the rate of crimes per 1,000 people in each city. This makes it easier to directly compare the likelihood of these crimes occurring in cities with vastly different populations.
How to Make a Safe Home Anywhere
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.
If you would like to contact a SafeWise Safest Cities Analyst, please email info@safewise.com.
Written by Tamarra Kemsley
Tamarra graduated with a BA in communications in 2012 and with an MA in Islam and the Middle East from Jerusalem's Hebrew University in 2015. You can follow her on Twitter @tamarranicole. Learn more
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