Wayland Tops, Again, Another Safest Place To Live List: Report

WAYLAND, MA — And once again, Wayland has topped a list that reiterates that its a pretty awesome place to live.

The National Council for Home Safety and Security recently released the results of its nationwide study that focuses on crime statistics in every city and town in all 50 states. This year, Wayland ranked at the top of the list of more than 350 cities and towns across the Bay State. SafeWise, earlier this year, named Wayland the safest town in the Commonwealth on its 2017 list of the 20 safest towns in Massachusetts.

To identify the safest cities in Massachusetts, the National Council for Home Safety and Security reviewed the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics along with its population data and internal research. Any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI and removed cities with populations under 5,000 were eliminated.

The remaining cities were ranked based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) and property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft) per 100,000 people. These variables were then weighted, with violent crimes accounting for 70 percent of the total (due to their severity) and property crimes accounting for 30 percent.

"Wayland takes pride in being a progressive community and it has been very intentional about its future growth," wrote the Council. "Wayland’s leaders and lawmakers have held on to its heritage while at the same time bolstering its economy. They’ve also put a lot of effort into providing their citizens with educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities, including a 'musical instrument petting zoo,' a fishing derby, and an active Dad’s group that encourages paternal involvement and connection. It’s a city with a lot of character and community, with all of the intentionality built into it; it’s no wonder they’re the safest in the state."

The Top 50 Safest Communities to Live, According to the National Council for Home Safety and Security:

1. Wayland

2. Groveland

3. Norfolk

4. Clinton

5. Franklin

6. Sudbury

7. Georgetown

8. Norton

9. Holliston

10. Harvard

11. Rockport

12. Carlisle

13. Bedford

14. Duxbury

15. Dighton

16. Boxborough

17. Holden

18. Lincoln

19. Reading

20. Lexington

21. Norwell

22. Manchester-by-the-Sea

23. Ipswich

24. Hamilton

25. Southborough

26. Upton

27. Berkley

28. Belmont

29. Sterling

30. Westford

31. North Reading

32. Needham

33. Winchester

34. Grafton

35. Mendon

36. Rochester

37. Douglas

38. Hopedale

39. Concord

40. Wellesley

41. Billerica

42. Merrimac

43. Marshfield

44. Stow

45. Pembroke

46. Hampden

47. Hudson

48. Groton

49. Northborough

50. Lynnfield