Nashua 'Safest City In America'

NASHUA, NH — Nashua is the safest city in America. That is according to WalletHub, a personal finance service which on Monday released its "2017 Safest Cities in America" survey. Nashua was one of five New England cities to make the top 10. The survey was based on crime, road quality and unemployment, among other factors. Manchester was ranked No. 28.

"No one can avoid all danger, however, and we take on a certain level of risk based on where we choose to live," WalletHub wrote. "Some cities are simply better at protecting their residents from harm... People encounter hazards every day, some serious, others rare and innocuous. But we fear certain kinds more than others. According to Gallup, four in 10 Americans 'fear being a victim of a mass shooting,' while 30 percent of U.S. adults are concerned about terrorism. Many also worry about falling victim to hate crimes or sexual assault."

WalletHub continued, "People can feel unsafe in other ways, too. Besides the types of hazards that can cause bodily injury or other physical harm, taking out an unaffordable second mortgage, forgoing health insurance or even visiting unsecured websites are also ways people run into danger."

The survey evaluated 180 cities across the country based on 35 factors. Nashua and Manchester were the only New Hampshire communities included. Worcester, Massachusetts, was ranked No. 51 and Boston, Massachusetts, was ranked No. 133.

Nashua's top ranking was the latest honor for the Gate City. Last month, Nashua was ranked among the top 20 safest communities in another national survey. Last year, Money Magazine had Nashua No. 16 in its "Best Places to Live 2016" rankings.

2017’s Safest Cities in America - WalletHub

1. Nashua, New Hampshire
2. South Burlington, Vermont
3. Warwick, Rhode Island
4. Columbia, Maryland
5. Gilbert, Arizona
6. Fargo, North Dakota
7. Lewiston, Maine
8. Plano, Texas
9. Portland, Maine
10. Brownsville, Texas

This is how Nashua was ranked in key survey categories:

• Home and Community Safety: No. 4
• Financial Safety: No. 18
• Natural-Disaster Risk: No. 23

These were the 10 least-safe cities evaluated in the survey:

1. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2. St. Louis, Missouri
3. San Bernardino, California
4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
5. Detroit, Missouri
6. Little Rock, Arkansas
7. Orlando, Florida
8. Chattanooga, Tennessee
9. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
10. Jackson, Missouri

Related:

Nashua Makes 'America's 50 Best Cities to Live 2017'

Nashua Makes 'Best Places to Live 2016'

Nashua Ranked Healthiest in NH

Nashua School Ranked No. 2 In NH

2017’s Safest Cities in America

Photo: Downtown Nashua, New Hampshire. (Credit: nashuanh.gov)