Massachusetts Named Second Safest State in America

There are many positives that come with living in Massachusetts. The Bay State is known for its education, career opportunities, culture, and family life. In addition,  Massachusetts has been named the top state for families for numerous years, and safety may have something to do with that.

Massachusetts Has Been Named the Second Safest State in the U.S. For 2026

WalletHub named Massachusetts the second safest state in the country for 2026. In a new study, WalletHub stated the following about the Bay State.

Massachusetts is a state that has low levels of crime. It has the eighth-fewest thefts, and fourth-fewest murders and manslaughters per capita. It also has had the 10th-fewest mass shootings between 2024 and September 2026. The state has relatively few sexual crimes and drug arrests, too.

WalletHub also noted that Massachusetts has the 23rd-most EMTs per capita and a very low vulnerability to natural disasters.

All of New England is Very Safe

Massachusetts isn't the only safe New England state. It turns out that all six New England States landed in the top 10 of Safest States in the U.S. and five of them are in the top five.

(1) Vermont

(2) Massachusetts

(3) Maine

(4) New Hampshire

(5) Connecticut

(9) Rhode Island

Only Vermont beat out Massachusetts for the #1 spot. When it comes to neighborhood safety watch groups, Vermont is second to none, per WalletHub.

 Vermont has the seventh-most neighborhood watch groups per capita, which can help alert law enforcement of crimes or suspicious activity. Vermont has the 15th-fewest aggravated assaults, sixth-fewest murders and nonnegligent manslaughters, and 21st-fewest thefts per capita, too.

If you want to live in a safe state, you can't go wrong with settling down in Vermont and Massachusetts or any of the New England states, for that matter. Check out the entire list and all of the details by going here.