20 Safest States for 2009

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No Need to Lock Your Doors?

The results of CQ Press's annual Crime State Rankings are in. Join us as we reveal which 20 states were ranked as the safest for 2009.

States are compared against the national average for six crimes, each carrying equal weight.

Click through our gallery and see if your state made the list.

First Up: The No. 1 Safest State

No. 1: New Hampshire

New Hampshire is ranked No. 1 for the second time thanks to impressively low crime across the board. It boasts the nation's lowest murder rate and second-lowest aggravated assault and burglary rates.
Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 49
Burglary: 46
Murder: 50
Motor Vehicle Theft: 48
Rape: 38
Robbery: 43

Next: No. 2 Safest State

No. 2: Vermont

Vermont was the safest state in 2003 along with 1994 & 1996. It is back up two spots this year, rising from its fourth place position in 2008.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 48
Burglary: 37
Murder: 42
Motor Vehicle Theft: 47
Rape: 47
Robbery: 49

Next: No. 3 Safest State

No. 3: Maine

The Pine Tree state has been ranked in the top three each of the past 16 years. It has the lowest assault rate in the U.S.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 50
Burglary: 36
Murder: 47
Motor Vehicle Theft: 49
Rape: 30
Robbery: 44

Next: No. 4 Safest State

No. 4: North Dakota

After dominating the Safest State list for the past decade, the Peace Garden state suffered its lowest ranking since 1996 last year -- coming in at No. 3. This year it drops another notch to No. 4.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 47
Burglary: 47
Murder: 42
Motor Vehicle Theft: 46
Rape: 24
Robbery: 50

Next: No. 5 Safest State

No. 5: South Dakota

As one of the safest states to live in, South Dakota suffers from a shockingly high incidence of rape, but ranks in the top five in four other categories.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 46
Burglary: 50
Murder: 41
Motor Vehicle Theft: 50
Rape: 13
Robbery: 48

Next: No. 6 Safest State

No. 6: Montana

Some credit Montana's low crime rate to the high level of gun ownership. Since most criminals are looking for easy targets, this may keep some in line.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 23
Burglary: 49
Murder: 48
Motor Vehicle Theft: 40
Rape: 28
Robbery: 45

Next: No. 7 Safest State

No. 7: Wyoming

Wyoming is a great example of a state with low income and low economic growth that does not fall prey to major crime.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 31
Burglary: 42
Murder: 34
Motor Vehicle Theft: 43
Rape: 27
Robbery: 46

Next: No. 8 Safest State

No. 8: Iowa

The Hawkeye State pulls in the No. 8 ranking for the fifth year in a row thanks to above average scores in all six crime categories.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 27
Burglary: 32
Murder: 49
Motor Vehicle Theft: 42
Rape: 28
Robbery: 42

Next: No. 9 Safest State

No. 9: Rhode Island

The Ocean State improved four spots in 2008. This year, it climbs another three spots thanks to improved rates for murder, motor vehicle theft and rape.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 45
Burglary: 39
Murder: 45
Motor Vehicle Theft: 25
Rape: 41
Robbery: 37

Next: No. 10 Safest State

No. 10: Connecticut

Connecticut is the state where many New Yorkers relocate when it's time to raise a family and give in to the hour-plus commute to the Big Apple. A plus: low levels of assault, burglary and rape.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 44
Burglary: 43
Murder: 36
Motor Vehicle Theft: 30
Rape: 48
Robbery: 25

Next: No. 11 Safest State

No. 11: Idaho

Idaho is a regular on most of the best places to live lists published from various media venues, thanks to its much touted city, Boise. But they need to work on that rape statistic.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 32
Burglary: 40
Murder: 32
Motor Vehicle Theft: 44
Rape: 14
Robbery: 47

Next: No. 12 Safest State

No. 12: West Virginia

West Virginia is seeing an influx of commuters from the Washington D.C. metro region (including Northern Virginia and parts of Maryland) for its low crime rate and more affordable land and housing.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 29
Burglary: 27
Murder: 31
Motor Vehicle Theft: 39
Rape: 46
Robbery: 41

Next: No. 13 Safest State

No. 13: Wisconsin

Wisconsin consistently ranks well below the national crime average, but it dropped three places this year, from No. 10 in 2008.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 36
Burglary: 38
Murder: 32
Motor Vehicle Theft: 35
Rape: 44
Robbery: 28

Next: No. 14 Safest State

No. 14: Virginia

The Old Dominion State improves one position for the fourth year in a row and holds its best ranking since 2001.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 42
Burglary: 45
Murder: 23
Motor Vehicle Theft: 41
Rape: 43
Robbery: 26

Next: No. 15 Safest State

No. 15: New York

Improving four spots from 2008, New York has one of the lowest rates of rape in the country.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 24
Burglary: 48
Murder: 28
Motor Vehicle Theft: 45
Rape: 49
Robbery: 10

Next: No. 16 Safest State

No. 16: New Jersey

Taking a cue from New York, New Jersey also improved four spots this year -- moving up from No. 20 in 2008. It has the lowest rate of rape in America, beating New York by one spot.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 35
Burglary: 44
Murder: 26
Motor Vehicle Theft: 32
Rape: 50
Robbery: 16

Next: No. 17 Safest State

No. 17: Utah

Home to one of the safest cities in America, Orem, the Beehive State loses its No. 13 ranking and drops four spots to No. 17.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 41
Burglary: 30
Murder: 39
Motor Vehicle Theft: 20
Rape: 19
Robbery: 40

Next: No. 18 Safest State

No. 18: Minnesota

Minnesota scored in the top 20 for all crime categories, except rape.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 39
Burglary: 31
Murder: 39
Motor Vehicle Theft: 34
Rape: 15
Robbery: 32

Next: No. 19 Safest State

No. 19: Nebraska

Nebraska's strongest category was robbery. Its weakest was motor vehicle theft and assault.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 28
Burglary: 35
Murder: 30
Motor Vehicle Theft: 27
Rape: 30
Robbery: 39

Next: No. 20 Safest State

No. 20: Oregon

Oregon made it into the top 20 this year, after ranking No. 21 last year. Its high rate of motor vehicle theft drags the state down in the rankings.

Rankings in Crime (out of 50 states)
(1 = Worst, 50 = Best)
Assault: 34
Burglary: 26
Murder: 42
Motor Vehicle Theft: 13
Rape: 21
Robbery: 35

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