New England Dominates List of America’s Safest States

It seems that Massachusetts has a lot to be proud of heading into 2026. Not only did the Bay State recently rank among the smartest states in the country, according to WalletHub, it also landed near the very top when it comes to safety.

With mass shootings, hate crimes and natural disasters dominating the headlines recently, it's nice to know that Massachusetts' approach to safety is getting results — with the rankings to prove it.

In fact, New England dominated this new study, with all six states landing in the top ten and the first four spots going entirely to the region.

How WalletHub Ranked the Safest States

WalletHub crunched the numbers factoring in crime rates, job markets and traffic violations, then ranked each state by personal safety, roadway safety, workplace safety, financial safety and emergency preparedness.

READ MORE: Only One SouthCoast Town Made Massachusetts' Safest Cities List

When the dust settled, Vermont claimed the title as the safest state in America. The Green Mountain State ranked first for both financial and road safety and earned an overall WalletHub safety score of 67.22.

That put Vermont just a few points ahead of Massachusetts, which finished in the #2 spot nationwide.

Where Massachusetts Excelled in Safety Categories

While the Bay State didn't take the top spot in any single category, it ranked third for both personal and financial safety and fourth for road safety, giving it a strong overall score of 66.56.

Massachusetts' weakest category was workplace safety, where it placed 22nd.

New England’s Dominance in the Top 10

New Hampshire and Maine rounded out the top four, finishing third and fourth with scores of 65.75 and 64.69 respectively.

Connecticut was the next highest New England state sitting at #6 and scoring 62.25 — and it actually ranked #1 in the country for personal safety.

READ MORE: Warwick, RI Named Safest City in America For 2025

Rounding out New England was Rhode Island, which placed ninth overall with a score of 60.17. While last in the region, the Ocean State still ranked far above many other states nationwide.

Which State Ranked Least Safe

At the other end of the list, Louisiana was named the least safe state in America, earning an overall safety score of just 36.20.