Long Island county ranked safest in US: report
NEW YORK - The New York City metropolitan area has 10 of the nation's top 25 safest counties, according to a new report, and the highest rank is Long Island's very own Nassau County.
According to the newly released report by U.S. News, counties rank high for public safety based on three key factors: "low crime rates, few deaths tied to accidents and motor vehicle crashes and a robust health and public safety infrastructure."
Residential homes in Great Neck, New York, U.S., on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Johnny Milano/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Other counties earning spots on the list include Kings, Queens and Richmond in NYC. Click here to explore the full list.
MORE: Price of single-family Nassau County home hits 800K
According to U.S. News, Nassau's violent crime rate is 143.6 out of 100K, while the national average is 255.2 out of 100K. The report also considers other factors like vehicle crash rate, which is 5.8 out of 100K, and per capita spending on health and emergency services, which is $1,148. Click here for Nassau County's full Healthiest Community profile.
"From gun violence to busy roads to access to emergency care, many factors can shape the safety of a community, which in turn helps determine the health of a community," the website writes.
Warbird Thunder performs during rehearsals at the 2024 Jones Beach Air Show on May. 24, 2024 in Wantagh, New York. (Photo by Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Nassau County crime
According to the New York's Division of Criminal Justice Services, Nassau County, with a population of 1.4 million, reported 19,278 violent and property crimes in 2023. That includes 13 murders, 71 rapes, 1,668 aggravated assaults, 1,295 burglaries, 14,676 larcenies, 636 robberies and 919 motor vehicle thefts.
People walk thorough Freeport Village Station on Friday, December 1, 2023. (Staff photo by Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
By comparison, its Long Island neighbor, Suffolk County (population 1.5 million), saw 20,744 violent and property crimes in 2023.
Moreover, nearby Westchester County (population 991K) saw 11,992 similar crimes, and Upstate's Erie County, with a population of only 946K, saw 26,128 similar crimes.
U.S. News 25 Safest American Counties
- Nassau County, New York
- Alexandria, Virginia
- Rockland County, New York
- Rio Blanco County, Colorado
- Arlington County, Virginia
- Westchester County, New York
- Manassas Park, Virginia
- Putnam County, New York
- Bergen County, New Jersey
- Brown County, Minnesota
- San Mateo County, California
- Fairfax, Virginia
- Poquoson, Virginia
- Shelby County, Iowa
- Eagle County, Colorado
- Jim Hogg County, Texas
- Richmond County, New York
- Los Alamos County, New Mexico
- Prince William County, Virginia
- Queens County, New York
- Colfax County, Nebraska
- Suffolk County, New York
- Morris County, New Jersey
- Loudoun County, Virginia
- Kings County, New York