Among the safest small towns, an average of 5.5% of the population lives below the poverty line, about half the national average of 10.5%.. "Highlands has really become a year-round town," says Jason Reeves, owner of the new Highlander Mountain House hotel and The Ruffed Grouse Tavern. This Long Island hamlet is home to the luxury shopping center Americana Manhasset. An extensive new trail system is also in the works along the river. SmartAsset does not review the ongoing performance of any Adviser, participate in the management of any users account by an Adviser or provide advice regarding specific investments. Out of 2,111 cities, these are the ones that round out the top 100. - Population: 1,832 (14% age 55-64 and 18% age 65+) - Median rent: $932 (20% rent). This year, five places tied for first place to be named the safest small towns in America. North River Shores sits on the banks of the North Fork St. Lucie River in Martin County. Olmos Park is surrounded by San Antonio, offering the community quick access to all the attractions found in the larger city. - Median rent: $1,450 (11% rent). - Population: 854 (23% age 55-64 and 62% age 65+) Socioeconomic factors certainly play a role. States with a gap of 20 points or greater are considered "highly conservative." 1. 3. Eau Claire, Wisconsin has the third-highest concentration of bars in our study, at 1.89% of all establishments at the county level, and the third-fastest commuting time with an average length of 15.1 minutes. - Median household income: $49,147 And, broadly speaking, crime tends to be more rampant when theres more opportunity for it to occur. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Look for ways to trim costs and keep items in solid condition to stretch retirement dollars. It's one of the largest of the islands, and one of the most beautiful and quintessentially Southern. - Median rent: $1,645 (11% rent). The town is also the perfect jumping off point for day trips to other Poconos towns like Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg, and Milford. - Median household income: $87,248 Nearby is the Friendship Heights shopping district and the National Institutes of Health and National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Which small towns reported the most crime? Your risk of being a victim of motor vehicle theft is 1 in 109. - Median home value: $402,100 (79% own) - Median household income: $75,313 Set on the shore of San Francisco Bay between Berkeley and Oakland, Emeryville, California ranked as the most dangerous town in America. It might surprise you to learn that most Americans live in small towns. - Median rent: $1,259 (21% rent), This safe, master-planned community in Maricopa County holds numerous community events throughout the year and is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Ocean View, Delaware, is a small coastal town with just over 2,000 residents known for its suburban, rural feel and its great weather, low crime, and all-around warm family atmosphere. New Jersey led the pack with 27 safe small towns, followed by New York with 17, Massachusetts with 13 and Pennsylvania with eight. - Median home value: $221,500 (88% own) If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Emeryville, California (also had the highest property crime rate in the U.S.), 2. Taking classes keeps your mind sharp, helps you network and may even be free. Weiser, Idaho 6. That prompted us to ask, What makes those five small towns similar? The answer: almost nothing. - Median household income: $71,333 Despite this, only 3.3% of residents are uninsured (29th-lowest rate for this metric out of 291). Salida is also home to Colorado's first Creative District, with many artist-owned galleries to visit. 20 small towns that leave a big impression, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. According to the 2020 Census, 63% of Americans live in an incorporated place , and 76% of those places are home to fewer than 5,000 people. Lewisboro Town, New York 1. The Isle of Palms is one of the South Carolina Lowcountry barrier islands, with six miles of sugary beaches, wildlife, resorts, spas, golf, and restaurants. Plus, it's just 12 miles from bustling Charleston and all the activities and services of a major Southern city. "Honesdale is progressive, but it maintains a slower pace and has a tight-knit community that wraps you up like a warm hug," says Allaina Propst, owner of Here & Now Brewing Co., which she opened in 2017. South Texas is a prime spot for birders, as well, and Palm Valley is near nesting grounds of many species of birds that migrate through Hugh Ramsey and Thicket Nature Parks. Thetford Township, Michigan 1. Residents can swim in two geothermally heated pools, golf on four courses, play tennis on eight courts, and join more than 100 clubs, classes, and organizations. - Population: 10,669 (20% age 55-64 and 40% age 65+) Debt and waiting until a financial situation improves are top justifications financial advisors hear. Nebraska is the lone exception with a unicameral legislature. Folks who get the blues from high taxes and cold weather can find plenty of tax-friendly, warmer settings to establish new roots. - Median household income: $59,429 We calculated crime rates for every small town in the country that met our criteria. And during the pandemic, more and more Americans have been fleeing big cities for simple, small town life. This data was used to provide additional insight into any trends or patterns that may correlate to why some cities or states may be more likely to report lower crime numbers than others. Senior insurance needs are different. Hollywood Park is a San Antonio suburb self-described as "a great, peaceful, and friendly place to live." This is not the first time that SafeWise has done this report, and there were some notable differences from last years report. This is another small town that caters to lovers of the outdoors. We added it back into the equation for this year and considered the most recently available figures from the BLS, measured at the county level. - Median household income: $53,503 You may also like: Best places to retire in America, - Population: 2,540 (17% age 55-64 and 24% age 65+) Larceny-theft was the most common property crime reported, accounting for 92% of all reported incidents. - Median home value: $754,200 (89% own) - Median home value: $579,800 (67% own) The good news: There was a 17% decline in property crimes compared to the cities that made the list last year. Residents can join more than 130 recognized clubs (including political organizations, performing arts groups, and fitness groups), spend their days on the putting green, or attend classes at nearby colleges and senior education centers. Due to the drastic changes in unemployment at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, we decided to exclude that metric from last years analysis. There's lots to explore, including the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art, the oldest art museum in the state. The percentage of residents living below the poverty line ranges from 4% to 22%. Seniors love the warm weather and quaint downtown, plus it's one of the most affordable places in the nation, with home values far below the national median. Bethany Beach is among the southern Delaware coastal towns known as the Quiet Resorts. Don't miss the annual Red Poppy Festival, a free celebration with live music, a parade, a kid zone, arts and crafts, and a car show.Hailed as "The Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas," downtown Georgetown allows free parking after 5 p.m. year-round to dine, try a wine-tasting or two . Read the2020 study here. - Median home value: $747,000 (83% own) . - Median household income: $124,716 "We were drawn to Hudson's diversity and creative energy," says Lev. - Median rent: $1,000 (11% rent). This city also has the 14th-lowest unemployment rate in our study, at 3.4% in December 2020. 1. Heres a rundown of what we learned: Overwhelmingly, when compared to big cities, the 100 towns that made our list have higher numbers when it comes to median household income and the number of high school graduates. And if you're planning a holiday escape, here are the best small towns to visit for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. - Median rent: $1,071 (45% rent). (And a note: SafeWise used the terms safest and dangerous to refer to crime rates calculated from FBI data. When a small town has a high quality of life and a good economy, it often begins to draw new residents. 5 cities tied for first place with zero crimes reported: For the second year in a row, the Northeast boasts the most safe small towns. Elmira Town, New York 9. To see the entire list of the 100 safest and the 100 most dangerous small towns in America, you can find the full report here. September 28, 2022. - Median rent: $1,877 (35% rent). - Median home value: $460,100 (97% own) - Population: 4,360 (21% age 55-64 and 30% age 65+) - Median home value: $267,900 (86% own) - Median household income: $108,947 There's also a massive retirement community for those age 55 and older called Sun City Texas, which has over 15,000 residents. Cities outside those population parameters and those that failed to report complete crime data to the FBI were excluded. - Median home value: $734,800 (85% own) And, as weve stated before, small towns still see their share of crime. - Median household income: $53,500 year over year. - Median rent: $1,568 (8% rent). In this article we discuss the 5 most conservative major cities in the United States. - Median home value: $272,400 (89% own) High Point is a community that sits on Florida's Gulf coast, not far from Tampa Bay's pulsing metropolis. - Population: 1,343 (22% age 55-64 and 47% age 65+) Dozens of pop culture references (from. ) - Population: 1,400 (24% age 55-64 and 48% age 65+) Heres what we learned about violent crime in Sauk Village: Emeryville, California reported the highest number of property crime incidents in 2019. This college town is the home of Southwestern University, the oldest higher education institution in Texas. Median housing costs in Ankeny, Iowa equal 15.72% of median household income, the seventh-lowest rate for this metric in the study. Your risk of being a victim of property crime is nearly 1 in 5. The small town enjoys a great perch from which to access the busier cities, as well: Chapel Hill is an hour-and-a-half away and Charlotte is two hours away. SmartAssets services are limited to referring users to third party advisers registered or chartered as fiduciaries ("Adviser(s)") with a regulatory body in the United States that have elected to participate in our matching platform based on information gathered from users through our online questionnaire. Founded by Dutch settlers in 1847, this town along Lake Macatawa celebrates its heritage with attractions typical of the Netherlands. These States Have the Highest Gas Tax in the U.S. The Southern California town also sponsors a number of sporting and cultural events, including the BNP Paribas Open, the tennis tournament. To put the stellar records of our 100 safest small towns in perspective, heres a look at the small towns that reported the most violent crimes and the most property crimes. Country Living participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. - Median rent: $2,000 (33% rent). In a larger, urban setting, there are more opportunities and fewer familiar eyes on homes, cars, packages, etc. Georgetown's population has increased 10.5% over the past year to . SafeWisea safety and home security sitejust released a timely report on The 100 Safest Small Towns in America for 2021. The report also looked at the 100 most dangerous small towns in the United States. The Hollywood Park Community Association works toward that goal by hosting community events and running programs like Neighbors Lifting Neighbors, which pairs people needing assistance with others seeking to help. A typical Social Security payment is likely to cover basic costs in these areas. For those who are leaving the bustle behind for bucolic reverie, the sense of safety associated with small-town life may play a factorbut small towns have crime too. According to FBI data, murders in the United States increased by 30% in 2020 over the previous year and violent crimes jumped by 5.6%for the first time in four years. The fact is that urban areas consistently see more crime than rural areasthree to four times more according to some analyses.. One might not think that it is a conservative town, as college towns tend to lean toward the liberal side. Home SecurityInternet SecurityHome SafetyFamily SafetySenior Safety, Car SafetySmart HomeEmergency PrepPet SafetyPersonal Safety. Every March, it hosts the Southern Arizona Senior Games in which more than 1,000 participants compete in events that include bicycling, mah-jongg, tennis, and powerlifting. - Median home value: $232,600 (71% own) Cheektowaga, New York has a 7.6% unemployment rate for Dec. 2020 (the highest rate for this metric in the top 10). The average median household income among the 100 safest small towns is $110,602, 61% higher than the US average of $68,703. Howard), it's also attracting a growing group of entrepreneurs. - Median home value: $159,900 (89% own) The Sunshine State is home to many charming small towns, and Cedar Key is one of the smallest and most charming. It also lays claim to year-round warm weather. - Median rent: $1,221 (30% rent). SmartAsset compared almost 300 cities with populations between 65,000 and 100,000 to identify and rank the most livable small cities in our 2021 study. Populations range from 5,300 to over 12,500. - Population: 13,479 (18% age 55-64 and 29% age 65+) - Population: 2,835 (15% age 55-64 and 21% age 65+) To rank each city or town, 50% of the score was determined by the number of violent crimes per 1,000, and 50% of the score was determined by the number of property crimes per 1,000. - Median rent: $3,501 (14% rent). Rudy Ximenez / Visit Georgetown. - Population: 11,077 (15% age 55-64 and 30% age 65+) - Median rent: $1,196 (9% rent). was named the most dangerous small town in America. Hello Wyoming! 3/3/2023 0 Comments From when to retire to how much to save, here are expert-backed answers to crucial retirement questions. ", - Population: 25,544 (12% age 55-64 and 84% age 65+) - Median rent: $840 (11% rent). The cost of living in Shenandoah is lower than the U.S. average, and the poverty rate is low. #3 Most Conservative Colleges in America Bob Jones University Greenville, SC 4 Year 1,094 reviews Sophomore: Bob Jones has a great staff! This data was used to provide additional insight into any trends or patterns that may correlate to why some cities or states may be more likely to report lower crime numbers than others. Professional vs DIY Home Security System Installation. "It's very affordable and has lots going on culturally, plus a revitalized downtown.".