home is where you die of boredom not crime
My hometown made this list for low crime�.oh but it probably also made the list for �most deathly boring place to live in the world.� I'm also glad I never moved to Wilmington..."he" can have it.� Thankfully St. Petersburg is not even on this list.� I wonder where it would rank�
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http://houseandhome.msn.com/Move/BestandWorstCitiesforCrime.aspx
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Best and Worst Cities for Crime
Feeling safe and secure is especially important to Americans these
days. Recent events remind us that the safety of our loved ones and the
security of our property can't be taken for granted.
So what are America's best and worst cities for crime? Are there
certain cities with an especially high rate of violent crime? Where do car
thieves thrive? The research gurus at Sperling's BestPlaces have mined the
recently released FBI Uniform Crime Reports to identify those U.S. cities with
the highest and lowest rates of crime during 2002.
The FBI's Crime Index rate reflects the total number of offenses
per 100,000 residents. According to the FBI, the national Crime Index rate for
2002 was 4,118. The Northeast region of the United States had the lowest Crime
Index rate of the four regions, with 2,889 offenses per 100,000 residents. The
next lowest region was the Midwest, with a rate of 3,883 offenses. The Western
region followed with a rate of 4,418 offenses, while the Southern region showed
the highest crime rate of 4,722 offenses.
Best Large Cities for Crime (More than 500,000 pop.)
New Jersey boasts three of the nation's safest and most secure
cities.
1. Nassau-Suffolk, NY*
Nassau-Suffolk has the second-lowest overall crime rate in the
nation, thanks to extremely low violent and property crime rates.
2. Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon, NJ
The Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon area has one of the lowest murder
rates in the nation, in addition to a very low rate of larceny.
3. Ventura, CA
Ventura has a very low property crime rate and one of the lowest
larceny rates in the country.
4. Monmouth-Ocean, NJ
Monmouth-Ocean has one of the lowest auto theft rates in the
country and an overall low rate of property crime.
5. Bergen-Passaic, NJ
Bergen-Passaic has especially low rates of forcible rape and
larceny.
Worst Large Cities for Crime
Although Arizona has two of the most crime-ridden cities in the
nation, their violent crime rates are relatively low.
1. Tucson, AZ
Tucson has one of the highest property crime rates in the country,
especially larceny. On the bright side, Tucson has a low murder rate.
2. Memphis, TN-AR-MS*
Residents of Memphis contend with the nation's second-highest
violent crime rate. In addition, the rate of robbery and burglary are among the
nation's highest.
3. Miami, FL
Miami's violent crime rate is the highest in the nation, with
especially high incidences of robbery and assault. Thankfully, the murder rate
is relatively low.
4. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ
Phoenix-Mesa has one of the highest rates of auto theft in the
nation.
5. Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR
The Little Rock area has a high rate of property crime, especially
larceny.
Best Medium Cities for Crime (200,000-500,000 pop.)
New England seems to be an especially safe and secure region.
1. Danbury, CT
Danbury has lowest overall crime rate in the nation, as well as
the lowest property crime rate.
2. Stamford-Norwalk, CT
Second only to its neighbor Danbury, the Stamford-Norwalk area has
one of the lowest property crime rates in the U.S.
3. Johnstown, PA
Johnstown has an especially low rate of property crime. The murder
rate is a bit higher than one might expect but is still well below the U.S.
average.
4. Dutchess County, NY
Dutchess County has a very low burglary rate, which helps contribute
to low overall rate of property crime.
5. Portsmouth-Rochester, NH-ME
The Portsmouth-Rochester area has low rates of property and
violent crime, but there is a significant rate of forcible rape.
Worst Medium Cities for Crime
The South seems to be particularly challenged with crime.
1. Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach has the highest total rate of crime in the nation,
due to a high rate of violent crime and the nation's highest rate of property
crime. In particular, the rates of assault, burglary and larceny are
particularly high.
2. Montgomery, AL
The murder rate is significantly high in Montgomery, as are the
rates of robbery, burglary and larceny.
3. Laredo, TX
While the larceny rate is high in Laredo, residents can take comfort
in the relatively low rates of murder and forcible rape.
4. Waco, TX
Like Laredo, violent crime is less of a concern in Waco than
property crime. In particular, burglary and larceny are a problem.
5. Wilmington, NC
Wilmington has the second-highest rate of burglary in the country.
On the other hand, the rates of forcible rape and assault are low.
Best Small Cities for Crime (Less than 200,000 pop.)
1. State College, PA
State College has low crime rates across the board. In particular,
the burglary and auto theft rates are among the nation's lowest.
2. Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV
Property crime is especially low in the Steubenville-Weirton area,
especially the rate of larceny.
3. Wheeling, WV-OH*
While property crime is extremely low in Wheeling, the rates of
murder and assault are a bit higher than might be expected.
4. Pittsfield, MA*
Pittsfield has not only one of the lowest murder rates in the
nation, but also an exceptionally low rate of larceny. However, the rate of
forcible rape is significant.
5. Wausau, WI
Like Pittsfield, Wausau's rates of murder and larceny are among
the nation's lowest. The violent crime rates are also low.
Worst Small Cities for Crime
1. Topeka, KS
Topeka has the highest rate of property crime among cities with
fewer than 200,000 residents. The rates of larceny and robbery are especially
high.
2. Pine Bluff, AR
Pine Bluff has a high rate of murder and the ninth-highest rate of
robbery in the nation.
3. Monroe, LA*
Monroe suffers from significant property and violent crime,
especially assault and larceny.
4. Alexandria, LA
Alexandria has the fourth-highest violent crime rate in the
nation. Murder and assault are a problem, in particular, but the rate of forcible
rape is low.
5. Florence, SC
Assault and larceny rates are high in Florence, but the murder
rate is low.
Methodology
The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program Crime Index was used for
this study. This index consists of the combined rate of murder and nonnegligent
manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft
per 100,000 population. This study considered 331 United States Metropolitan
Statistical Areas. The data was taken from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting
Program report for 2002.
*The following cities did not report crime statistics to the FBI
in 2002, so 2002 rates were estimated based on previous years' local statistics
and current year's city, state and county data: Nassau-Suffolk, NY; Memphis,
TN; Monroe, LA; Wheeling, WV-OH; Pittsfield, MA. To view the complete findings
and crime rates for all 331 metro areas, visit Sperling's BestPlaces.net
website at www.bestplaces.net/2002crime.html.
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