Eight New York Counties Ranked Among Top 25 Safest in America

Three Hudson Valley counties have risen to the very top of the list of the safest places to live in America, joined by six others across New York State.

While New Yorkers love to complain about high taxes, it's important to remember the phrase "You get what you pay for". Yes, New York is an expensive place to live, but it also turns out to be one of the safest places to live in the country.

While many people associate rural America with safety, that may be more fantasy than reality. Images of the stereotypical small town where you can keep your door unlocked have been replaced with tales of empty storefronts and methamphetamine addicts committing crimes in the heartland. Access to emergency healthcare and local governments that invest in police and security are much more prevalent in the cities and suburbs, making them much safer places to live.

New York Counties Ranked Among Safest in the United States

U.S. News and World Report recently compiled a list of the safest counties in America. The rankings are based on crime, injuries and public safety. The news organization painstakingly researched rates of violent and property crime, the availability of emergency facilities, car crash statistics and government spending on health and emergency services. In the end, eight New York counties came out on top, ranking in the top 25 safest places to live in the country.

The safest county on the news organization's list is Nassau County. The Long Island community ranked number one with an overall score of 83.59, performing best on per-capita spending on health and emergency services. Nassau County also scored a perfect 100 in public safety.

Hudson Valley, New York Counties Make Top 10 Safest in America

After Alexandria, Virginia, Rockland County placed third on the list. The Hudson Valley county's public safety score is an impressive 94, attributed to its low crime rate and access to medical care.

Two more Hudson Valley counties have also made the top 10. Westchester County ranked 6th and Putnam County earned the 8th slot on the list. Westchester's low rate of car crash fatalities and Putnam's plummeting violent crime rate helped propel both counties to the top of the rankings.

Other New York counties that made the top five include Richmond County at 17, Queens County at 20, Suffolk County at 22 and Kings County at 25.