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Which State Is The Safest?

2001 Most Dangerous and Safest States in Safest Order

[Methodology] [Press Release] [Dangerous Order]

[State Rankings for the Six Crimes] [Award Rankings 1994 to 2001]

"1" is Safest, "50" is Most Dangerous

2001 SAFEST STATE

ALPHA ORDER

RANK ORDER

2001 RANK

STATE

SUM

2000 RANK

CHANGE

 

2001 RANK

STATE

SUM

2000 RANK

CHANGE

32

Alabama

1.42

30

-2

 

1

North Dakota

-66.79

1

0

46

Alaska

30.32

38

-8

 

2

New Hampshire

-65.25

2

0

44

Arizona

27.08

44

0

 

3

Maine

-59.76

3

0

26

Arkansas

-16.41

29

3

 

4

Vermont

-55.85

5

1

34

California

7.19

39

5

 

5

Wyoming

-52.30

8

3

25

Colorado

-17.38

25

0

 

6

Montana

-49.89

6

0

14

Connecticut

-30.27

17

3

 

7

South Dakota

-48.30

4

-3

41

Delaware

21.08

40

-1

 

8

Iowa

-47.12

9

1

49

Florida

43.43

49

0

 

9

Idaho

-46.48

11

2

38

Georgia

12.22

37

-1

 

10

Wisconsin

-42.60

10

0

18

Hawaii

-25.77

16

-2

 

11

West Virginia

-38.58

7

-4

9

Idaho

-46.48

11

2

 

12

Utah

-31.02

19

7

40

Illinois

20.10

42

2

 

13

Kentucky

-30.69

12

-1

27

Indiana

-14.34

26

-1

 

14

Connecticut

-30.27

17

3

8

Iowa

-47.12

9

1

 

15

Minnesota

-30.11

18

3

28

Kansas

-13.73

24

-4

 

16

Virginia

-29.75

15

-1

13

Kentucky

-30.69

12

-1

 

17

Nebraska

-26.12

14

-3

47

Louisiana

36.27

47

0

 

18

Hawaii

-25.77

16

-2

3

Maine

-59.76

3

0

 

19

Rhode Island

-22.42

13

-6

45

Maryland

30.29

46

1

 

20

New Jersey

-21.13

21

1

21

Massachusetts

-20.67

22

1

 

21

Massachusetts

-20.67

22

1

39

Michigan

19.68

41

2

 

22

Pennsylvania

-19.88

20

-2

15

Minnesota

-30.11

18

3

 

23

Ohio

-18.97

23

0

35

Mississippi

7.61

35

0

 

24

Oregon

-17.67

27

3

30

Missouri

-2.64

31

1

 

25

Colorado

-17.38

25

0

6

Montana

-49.89

6

0

 

26

Arkansas

-16.41

29

3

17

Nebraska

-26.12

14

-3

 

27

Indiana

-14.34

26

-1

48

Nevada

42.42

48

0

 

28

Kansas

-13.73

24

-4

2

New Hampshire

-65.25

2

0

 

29

New York

-8.86

28

-1

20

New Jersey

-21.13

21

1

 

30

Missouri

-2.64

31

1

50

New Mexico

48.85

50

0

 

31

Washington

-0.97

32

1

29

New York

-8.86

28

-1

 

32

Alabama

1.42

30

-2

37

North Carolina

11.36

36

-1

 

33

Oklahoma

5.47

33

0

1

North Dakota

-66.79

1

0

 

34

California

7.19

39

5

23

Ohio

-18.97

23

0

 

35

Mississippi

7.61

35

0

33

Oklahoma

5.47

33

0

 

36

Texas

10.56

34

-2

24

Oregon

-17.67

27

3

 

37

North Carolina

11.36

36

-1

22

Pennsylvania

-19.88

20

-2

 

38

Georgia

12.22

37

-1

19

Rhode Island

-22.42

13

-6

 

39

Michigan

19.68

41

2

43

South Carolina

25.65

45

2

 

40

Illinois

20.10

42

2

7

South Dakota

-48.30

4

-3

 

41

Delaware

21.08

40

-1

42

Tennessee

23.25

43

1

 

42

Tennessee

23.25

43

1

36

Texas

10.56

34

-2

 

43

South Carolina

25.65

45

2

12

Utah

-31.02

19

7

 

44

Arizona

27.08

44

0

4

Vermont

-55.85

5

1

 

45

Maryland

30.29

46

1

16

Virginia

-29.75

15

-1

 

46

Alaska

30.32

38

-8

31

Washington

-0.97

32

1

 

47

Louisiana

36.27

47

0

11

West Virginia

-38.58

7

-4

 

48

Nevada

42.42

48

0

10

Wisconsin

-42.60

10

0

 

49

Florida

43.43

49

0

5

Wyoming

-52.30

8

3

 

50

New Mexico

48.85

50

0

METHODOLOGY: The Most Dangerous State 2001 rankings are determined by a four step process. First, rates for six crime categories — murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft — are plugged into a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given crime category.

Second, the outcome of this equation is then multiplied by a weight assigned to each crime category. For this year’s award, we again gave each crime category equal weight. Thus state comparisons are based purely on crime rates and how these rates stack up to the national average for a given crime category.

Third, the weighted numbers are added together to achieve state’s score ("SUM.") In the fourth and final step, these composite scores are ranked from highest to lowest to determine which states are the most dangerous and safest. Thus the farther below the national average a state’s crime rate is, the lower (and safer) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and more dangerous) a state ranks in the final list.