Newton Ranks #35 For Safest Small Cities In America In New Report

NEWTON, MA — Newton has been ranked number 35 for the Safest Small Cities in America in a recent study by MoneyGeek, a personal finance technology company.

To ask the safest small cities and towns in the United States, MoneyGeek used standardized crime statistics reported to the FBI. To determine crime rates per 100,000, the company added population data accessed from the FBI.

A total of 952 communities were reviewed in the study, each with a population of between 30,000 and 100,000 residents.

Here are the findings in Newton:

• The cost of crime in Newton is $8.4 million ($95 on a per capita basis)
• Violent Crime Rate: 54 per 100,000
• Property Crime Rate: 551 per 100,000

Overall, the cost of crime for small cities increased by 12 percent from 2019 to 2020, which is the latest data available, according to MoneyGeek. The average U.S. city saw a 15 percent increase in the cost of crime during the same period.

Most of the top safest small cities are in the Northeast, according to the report, However, the safest town is Buffalo Grove, Illinois.

In addition, small cities and towns are twice as safe as big cities. The analysis found that the median cost of crime in cities and towns with populations between 30,000 and 100,000 was $640, compared to cities with populations over 100,000, where the median cost of crime was $1,320.

However, the report shows a small city or town can be just as dangerous as a large city. The cost of crime per capita in Petersburg, Virginia, is $9,022, nearly as high as St. Louis, Missouri, where the per capita cost of crime is $11,574.

To read the full report, click here.