2 RI Communities Make Safest College Towns Ranking

BRISTOL, RI — Two Rhode Island communities were named among the safest college towns in the United States.

The 50-city list includes both Smithfield and Bristol, which topped the rankings by SafeWise.

At No. 1, Bristol finished seven places better than the year prior. The home of Roger Williams University had a violent crime rate of just 0.23 per 1,000 people and a property crime rate of 3.17.

"I want to personally thank all our sworn and civilian support staff for your hard work and diligence," Police Chief Kevin Lynch said in a statement. "Additionally, the Town leadership (Administrator Steven Contente and elected officials), Roger Williams University and town departments for all working in concert with each other which has truly made a difference on our public safety success."

Smithfield, home of Bryant University, meanwhile, jumped to spots in the rankings to No. 14 respectively.

To determine the ranking, the organization focused primarily on violent crime rates in cities, examining the number of instances per 1,000 people in a city. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Property crimes were also considered, though they did not impact the final ranking unless there was a tie in violent crimes, the organization said.

Here's a look at the top 10 safest college towns in America, according to SafeWise.

1. Bristol, Rhode Island
2. Durham, New Hampshire
3. Rexburg, Idaho
4. Niceville, Florida
5. Milton, Massachusetts
6. Wellesley, Massachusetts
7. North Andover, Massachusetts
8. Rochester Hills, Michigan
9. Amherst, Massachusetts
10. Princeton, New Jersey

Read the full ranking on SafeWise's website.