New Jersey is famous for its beaches, boardwalks, agriculture, and proximity to two of the biggest cities in America. The state is infamous for its high cost of living, high taxes, and never-ending road work.

But what is not listed in the famous and infamous categories is crime or safety. Two very important reasons for why people will choose to live or vacation in a specific area. People want to know where they live or where they visit is safe and they do not have to worry.

The Simmrin Law Group gathered crime data from the FBI and the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to find out what the safest and most dangerous states are in America. They assigned weight to ten crime categories and created a Safety Score to rank each state's safety.

Where New Jersey Ranks In Safety Compared To Other States

Their research found that New Jersey is the safest state in America due to their low crime rates. The Garden State has the lowest rates of Assault and Sex Offenses per 100,000 residents. New Jersey also has lower than the United States average rates for Burglaries, Kidnapping, and Theft.

The only category that New Jersey was worse compared to some other states is Homicide. The New Jersey Homicide Rate is higher than ten other states.

Here are the Top Ten Safest States in America:

1. New Jersey
2. Vermont
3. Maine
4. Idaho
5. West Virginia
6. New York
7. Rhode Island
8. Massachusetts
9. Maryland
10. Connecticut

The crime data shows that Pennsylvania is rated the third most dangerous state in America.  They are opposite of New Jersey in numerous metrics, with a much higher rate of Assault, Burglaries, and Vandalism.  Bizarre to see Pennsylvania have such higher rates of crime compared to New Jersey.

Do you live in one of the fastest-growing towns in New Jersey?  Check the list and find out:

Top 21 fastest growing towns in New Jersey

These 21 municipalities in New Jersey have seen their populations grow the most over the past decade. The figures are based on U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2012 and 2022.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

21 fastest shrinking towns in New Jersey

These 21 towns saw the biggest population decreases last decades. These figures are based on U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2012 and 2021

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

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