Population 100K+ · Ranked by Homicide Rate (Lowest) · Data updated 2025 (CDC/NCHS)

Safest Counties in America (Large Counties)

Q: What is the safest county in America?

Among large U.S. counties (population 100,000+), Saratoga County, New York tops our 2026 ranking, which sorts counties by lowest homicide rate per 100,000 residents using CDC/NCHS vital statistics. Morris County, New Jersey and Rockingham County, New Hampshire round out the top three.

Among large counties (population 100,000+), these have the lowest homicide rates per 100,000 residents — lower rates indicate safer communities. Homicide rates are drawn from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data (a multi-year average, which stabilizes counts in smaller counties), compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. The U.S. average is roughly 6.5 per 100,000.

Safest Counties in America (Large Counties)

Northeast Dominance in Safety

The Northeast corridor — New York, New Jersey, and New England — overwhelmingly leads the charge in public safety. Saratoga County, New York takes the top spot, with Morris County, New Jersey close behind at #2 and Rockingham County, New Hampshire at #3. This regional concentration suggests a blend of established community structures, robust local governance, and lower population mobility contributing to consistently low homicide rates across these large counties.

Utah's Unexpected Safety Oasis

While the Northeast's strong showing might be anticipated, Davis County, Utah stands out as a surprising entry at #5. Far from the East Coast clusters, Davis County demonstrates that strong community ties, a family-centric culture, and high civic engagement can translate directly into exceptional public safety in a rapidly growing area — and Utah County joins it inside the top 20.

Affordability and Safety: Not Always a Trade-off

While many top-ranked safe counties come with higher price tags, Oswego County, New York offers a compelling counter-narrative. One of the more affordable counties on the list, it still maintains an impressive safety record. This suggests low crime rates aren't exclusively tied to affluent areas, but can also thrive in communities where economic accessibility fosters stability and reduces the stressors often linked to crime.

#	County	BTI Score	Safety Grade	Homicide Rate	Firearm Rate	Injury Deaths	Population
01	Saratoga County NY	76	A	0.7	3.4	47.3	238,284
02	Morris County NJ	46	A	0.7	2.5	46.3	514,528
03	Rockingham County NH	32	A	0.8	7.8	72.8	319,082
04	Kent County RI	63	A	0.9	3.7	95.2	171,456
05	Davis County UT	63	A	0.9	10.4	56.4	370,924
06	Livingston County MI	69	A	1.0	8.3	70.7	195,833
07	McHenry County IL	61	A	1.0	5.0	56.1	312,591
08	Butler County PA	39	A	1.0	9.6	82.4	197,254
09	Hampshire County MA	33	A	1.0	3.8	65.7	162,028
10	York County ME	30	A	1.0	11.0	105.9	216,731
11	Middlesex County MA	24	A	1.0	1.9	58.3	1,638,365
12	Delaware County OH	23	A	1.0	6.3	51.6	226,834
13	Sussex County NJ	64	A	1.1	5.9	67.6	145,807
14	Loudoun County VA	10	A	1.1	4.3	28.9	432,998
15	Utah County UT	70	A	1.2	9.1	48.5	705,400
16	Bergen County NJ	65	A	1.2	2.1	48.1	962,316
17	Penobscot County ME	61	A	1.2	13.1	121.6	154,710
18	Ocean County NJ	52	A	1.2	3.5	72.4	654,362
19	Norfolk County MA	29	A	1.2	2.2	63.1	730,082
20	Centre County PA	28	A	1.2	6.0	47.0	158,576
21	Cumberland County ME	20	A	1.2	7.5	92.9	308,827
22	Forsyth County GA	12	A	1.2	7.3	42.7	267,287
23	Arlington County VA	4	A	1.2	3.1	29.1	236,254
24	Ada County ID	91	A	1.3	13.1	67.1	518,935
25	Wright County MN	65	A	1.3	8.2	53.5	148,269
26	Medina County OH	51	A	1.3	8.8	68.6	183,660
27	Ottawa County MI	22	A	1.3	5.4	57.8	301,203
28	Scott County MN	20	A	1.3	5.4	55.5	154,557
29	Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region CT	—	A	1.3	5.7	—	175,822
30	Barnstable County MA	55	A	1.4	4.0	103.9	231,668
31	Johnson County IA	49	A	1.4	5.9	49.3	156,639
32	Strafford County NH	25	A	1.4	8.4	94.7	132,575
33	Wayne County OH	87	A	1.5	8.8	93.5	116,588
34	Marathon County WI	82	A	1.5	8.1	70.2	138,403
35	Monmouth County NJ	79	A	1.5	2.9	60.3	645,353
36	Hamilton County IN	58	A	1.5	8.2	44.7	365,056
37	Carroll County MD	39	A	1.5	7.1	88.1	175,321
38	Washington County MN	32	A	1.5	6.4	58.3	276,238
39	Dallas County IA	17	A	1.5	7.3	40.2	107,968
40	Kennebec County ME	11	A	1.5	11.5	105.6	126,808
41	Douglas County CO	5	A	1.5	8.7	57.4	377,150
42	Western Connecticut Planning Region CT	—	A	1.5	2.6	—	627,071
43	Oswego County NY	100	A	1.6	5.5	74.3	117,953
44	Walworth County WI	72	A	1.6	9.5	85.9	105,657
45	St. Clair County MI	68	A	1.6	11.3	96.1	160,221
46	Hillsborough County NH	35	A	1.6	9.8	88.2	426,378
47	Chittenden County VT	5	A	1.6	7.9	80.2	169,758
48	Sheboygan County WI	83	A	1.7	10.5	91.6	117,991
49	Waukesha County WI	81	A	1.7	7.4	91.0	411,762
50	Nassau County NY	70	A	1.7	2.3	46.3	1,389,591

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the safest county in America?

Among large U.S. counties (population 100,000+), Saratoga County, New York tops our 2026 ranking, which sorts counties by lowest homicide rate per 100,000 residents using CDC/NCHS vital statistics. Morris County, New Jersey and Rockingham County, New Hampshire round out the top three.

Which counties have the lowest crime rate?

This ranking measures safety by homicide rate — the most consistently reported violent-crime statistic across counties. The counties with the lowest rates cluster heavily in the Northeast (New York, New Jersey, New England) and the upper Midwest, with Davis County and Utah County, Utah as notable Western entries.

Is Nassau County, NY the safest county in America?

Nassau County, New York is one of the 50 safest large counties in America on our 2026 list — a strong result out of more than a thousand qualifying counties — but it is not #1. That distinction goes to Saratoga County, New York.

How is the safest-counties ranking calculated?

We rank all U.S. counties with a population of 100,000 or more by their homicide rate per 100,000 residents (lowest = safest), sourced from CDC/NCHS vital statistics via the annual County Health Rankings release. The full firearm-death and injury-death rates are shown alongside each county for context.