New research by personal injury and criminal defense firm Omega Law Group has identified the most dangerous states in America for neighborhood safety, with New Mexico claiming the top spot by a significant margin. The study ranked all 50 states using a danger index built from two core metrics: home crimes per 100,000 residents and park crimes per 100,000 residents.
New Mexico leads the rankings with a danger index score of 82.9, the highest score of any state in the country. Its home crime rate of 3,465.75 per 100,000 residents is nearly 65% higher than the next closest state, suggesting that residential crime is a particularly serious problem there. The state's park crime rate of 69.57 per 100,000 adds further weight to an already alarming picture.
Colorado and Delaware both score 68.7 on the danger index, placing them joint second in the rankings. Colorado records 2,098.94 home crimes per 100,000 residents and a high park crime rate of 85.24. Delaware, by contrast, posts a much higher home crime rate of 2,683.43 per 100,000 but a lower park crime figure of 68.9 per 100,000.
Utah comes in third with a danger index score of 68.5, driven largely by a park crime rate of 94.98 per 100,000. Its home crime rate stands at 1,737.34 per 100,000.
Oregon ranks fourth with a danger index of 67.2. The state records 1,601.81 home crimes per 100,000 residents and a park crime rate of 96.7, the highest park crime rate of any state in the top ten.
Washington takes fifth place, scoring 63.1 on the danger index, with 2,126.05 home crimes per 100,000 residents and a park crime rate of 75.61.
Nevada follows in sixth with a danger index score of 61.6 and a home crime rate of 2,425.49 per 100,000, reflecting a pattern of high residential crime that keeps it firmly in the upper tier of the rankings.
Arizona ranks seventh with a danger index score of 57, with 1,681.19 home crimes and 78.44 park crimes per 100,000 residents.
South Dakota sits in eighth place with a score of 55.1, posting 1,924.45 home crimes per 100,000 and a park crime rate of 68.59.
Rounding out the top ten, Tennessee records a danger index score of 51.8, with one of the higher home crime rates in the dataset at 2,733.73 per 100,000 residents, paired with a park crime rate of just 40.87. And finally, North Dakota is tenth with a score of 50.8.
The ten most dangerous states for neighborhood safety
| Rank | State | Home Crimes per 100k | Park Crimes per 100k | Danger Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico (NM) | 3,465.75 | 69.57 | 82.9 |
| =2 | Colorado (CO) | 2,098.94 | 85.24 | 68.7 |
| =2 | Delaware (DE) | 2,683.43 | 68.90 | 68.7 |
| 3 | Utah (UT) | 1,737.34 | 94.98 | 68.5 |
| 4 | Oregon (OR) | 1,601.81 | 96.70 | 67.2 |
| 5 | Washington (WA) | 2,126.05 | 75.61 | 63.1 |
| 6 | Nevada (NV) | 2,425.49 | 65.00 | 61.6 |
| 7 | Arizona (AZ) | 1,681.19 | 78.44 | 57.0 |
| 8 | South Dakota (SD) | 1,924.45 | 68.59 | 55.1 |
| 9 | Tennessee (TN) | 2,733.73 | 40.87 | 51.8 |
| 10 | North Dakota (ND) | 2,471.92 | 46.56 | 50.8 |
At the other end of the rankings, a cluster of northeastern states record the lowest Danger Index scores in the country. New Jersey ranks as the safest state of all, with a score of just 12.3, a home crime rate of 1,037.23 per 100,000 and a park crime rate of 25.56.
Maine ranks second safest with a danger index score of 12.4, a home crime rate of 1,245.23 per 100,000, and a park crime rate of 19.92.
West Virginia ranks third from the bottom with a danger index score of 14.0 and a park crime rate of 17.55 per 100,000, the lowest park crime figure recorded across all 50 states. Its home crime rate of 1,424.18 per 100,000 places it in the mid-range of the dataset.
Massachusetts ranks as the fourth safest state with a score of 15.6, recording 1,377.11 home crimes per 100,000 and a park crime rate of 21.42.
New Hampshire ranks fifth from the bottom with a score of 17.3, with 1,229.13 home crimes per 100,000 and a park crime rate of 28.20.
The five safest states for neighborhood safety
| Rank | State | Home Crimes per 100k | Park Crimes per 100k | Danger Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey (NJ) | 1,037.23 | 25.56 | 12.3 |
| 2 | Maine (ME) | 1,245.23 | 19.92 | 12.4 |
| 3 | West Virginia (WV) | 1,424.18 | 17.55 | 14.0 |
| 4 | Massachusetts (MA) | 1,377.11 | 21.42 | 15.6 |
| 5 | New Hampshire (NH) | 1,229.13 | 28.20 | 17.3 |
A spokesperson from Omega Law Group commented on the findings:
"These numbers tell a story that goes beyond state borders. The gap between New Mexico's Danger Index of 82.9 and New Jersey's 12.3 is the kind of difference that shapes everyday decisions and how communities invest in public safety.
"For residents in high-ranking states, it's worth looking at what types of crime are driving the figures in your area. A state like Oregon has the highest park crime rate in this dataset at 96.7 per 100,000, which is a very different problem to solve than a state like Kansas, where home crimes account for the bulk of the danger picture at 2,865.15 per 100,000.
"Knowing the nature of the risk helps people make more targeted decisions about personal safety; whether that's securing property, being more alert in public spaces, or understanding what local law enforcement is prioritizing.
"States in the Northeast consistently have lower index scores, with New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire all sitting at the bottom of the rankings. That regional pattern suggests there are systemic factors at play such as urban planning, policing strategies, and community investment, which all feed into these numbers over time. No single policy fixes this overnight, but the data gives a clear starting point for the conversations that need to happen."
Post courtesy omegalaw.com
Methodology
The Danger Index was calculated using two metrics for each state: home crimes per 100,000 residents and park crimes per 100,000 residents. Each metric was scored and combined to produce a composite Danger Index for all 50 U.S. states. States were then ranked from highest (most dangerous) to lowest (least dangerous) based on their Danger Index score.
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