According to new statistics, North Carolina has one of the nation’s safest places to live. Cary, just west of Raleigh, ranks sixth on a list of places with lower crime rates and crime-related costs, according to data from the financial website Money Geek.
“The direct economic costs of crime to individuals and society include victim medical and mental health care needs, property damage and loss, as well as police and corrections costs,” according to the website’s analysis, which was last updated on December 18.
“Aside from the imminent danger of crime, people living in higher crime areas see depressed home values and pay higher prices for crucial needs, including home insurance, renters insurance and auto insurance.”
MoneyGeek stated that it compiled the list using FBI data from 2023, the most recent time period accessible. It focused on roughly 300 cities around the country, each with more than 100,000 citizens.
Why was Cary named a safe city?
The town of Cary, with a population of almost 180,000 people, was the only North Carolina destination to make the top 10. The statistics suggest that it has the lowest crime cost per capita in the state, at $381.
Cary also has the state’s lowest rate of property crimes and serious crimes like murder and robbery. Here’s how North Carolina cities ranked nationally:
- Raleigh at No. 148
- Wilmington at No. 169
- High Point at No. 190
- Charlotte at No. 206
- Durham at No. 229
- Winston-Salem at No. 246
- Fayetteville at No. 265
- Greensboro at No. 269
Cary has received numerous accolades for its safety record. It was ranked one of the safest cities in the United States in 2022 due to decreasing crime rates and reduced dangers associated with driving, drugs, and alcohol use. According to McClatchy News, it was designated the nation’s second-best place for drivers in 2023 because there are fewer crash-related dangers.
This time, MoneyGeek ranked Ramapo, New York, just 40 miles northwest of New York City, as the nation’s safest city. Finally, here are the top five:
- Frisco, Texas, at No. 2
- Irvine, California, at No. 3
- Fishers, Indiana, at No. 4
- Lakewood Township, New Jersey, at No. 5
MoneyGeek has published a list of the safest small cities, defined as those with 30,000 to 100,000 population. According to the results, Apex, a Raleigh suburb, placed first among the North Carolina municipalities considered.