Which states are the safest to call home? Well, if you read the news regularly, you know there’s almost always something bad going on someplace in the country.

As of late there have been mass shootings, terrorists attacks, hate crimes, and even natural disasters. As a result of these incidents, many of us fear for our safety, as well as for our loved ones.

In 2017 alone, four hurricanes struck the mainland U.S., killing more than 100 people and devastating Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico. And Louisiana led the U.S. in the homicide rate, averaging 11.8 per 100,000 people. Each state is safe from some dangers but may also fall prey to others.

For most of us, safety is a basic human need: we require some form of it, such as personal and financial protection, in every part of our daily lives. But we’re likely to feel more secure in some states than in others.

Have you ever wondered if Texas is a good place to live and feel safe in its many neighborhoods? Maybe Florida with its warm weather? Or anyplace in the Midwest where people are open and friendly? How about California where earthquakes are as common as grocery stores on any given day?

Before you set down roots in a state, decide on moving, relocating from where you currently reside, check out these safest states in the nation as recorded by WalletHub.com.

How they did the study

WalletHub recently compared the 50 states across 48 key safety indicators grouped into five different categories. Its data set ranges from assaults per capita to unemployment rate to total loss amounts from climate disasters per capita. Read on for its interesting findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of its methodology.

Incidentally, June is National Safety Month. Below is WalletHub’s report on 2018’s Safest States in America.

In order to help families find the most secure places to settle down, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 48 key metrics. The data set ranges from assaults per capita to unemployment rate to total loss amounts from climate disasters per capita.
Safest states in the U.S.

Overall Rank
(1 = Safest)		 State Total Score ‘Personal & Residential Safety’ Rank ‘Financial Safety’ Rank ‘Road Safety’ Rank ‘Workplace Safety’ Rank ‘Emergency Preparedness’ Rank
1 Vermont 66.02 2 3 9 17 9
2 Maine 65.41 4 8 14 11 3
3 Minnesota 61.86 11 7 1 2 22
4 Utah 61.39 21 10 6 4 2
5 New Hampshire 61.37 7 4 20 38 6
6 Connecticut 61.30 1 22 27 22 17
7 Rhode Island 61.12 5 21 3 24 11
8 Hawaii 59.42 12 6 39 19 5
9 Massachusetts 59.21 8 9 7 31 10
10 Washington 58.52 32 12 4 3 7
11 Iowa 56.97 3 11 18 13 43
12 Wisconsin 55.08 15 13 22 29 16
13 Oregon 54.39 39 16 10 14 14
14 Indiana 53.46 18 24 11 16 29
15 Delaware 53.18 16 39 21 33 15
16 Maryland 53.15 22 33 24 10 23
17 North Carolina 52.86 9 27 40 5 40
18 New Jersey 52.67 10 37 30 20 27
19 Virginia 52.54 27 15 26 6 30
20 North Dakota 52.41 6 2 8 49 41

Are you ready to pack up?

So, if you plan to pack up and move away from your current digs, leave a job for a new offer where the pay is better, this list of the safest states to live in could be helpful. After all, you surely will want to be in a place where you can walk outside and feel safe whether it’s for a stroll at the local park or to let your kids play in the front yard while you’re inside fixing dinner. But in the end, the decision is your and yours alone.