Texas is the 3rd least safe state in the US, a new report says. Here’s what contributed
In the most populated state in the country, you can imagine there is more opportunity for unsafe activities.
A new WalletHub study revealed the safety ranking of all 50 states in the U.S.
Unfortunately, Texas was placed in the No. 48 spot, meaning that the Lone Star State ranks as unsafe. This ranking is based on personal and residential safety, financial safety, road safety, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness.
“The safest states in America protect their residents from harm in a multitude of different ways, from keeping crime rates low and maintaining safe roadways to having strong economies and job markets that prevent people from falling into dangerous financial situations,” says WalletHub analyst, Chip Lupo, “They have high levels of occupational safety and disaster preparedness, too.”
Vermont is ranked as the safest state in the country due to its neighborhood safety, low unemployment rate of 2.1%, and few traffic fatalities.
WalletHub’s ranking of safest states
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine
Massachusetts
Utah
Hawaii
Connecticut
Minnesota
Rhode Island
Wyoming
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Arizona
Virginia
Maryland
New Jersey
Washington
Wisconsin
Delaware
Kentucky
Oregon
North Carolina
New York
Alaska
Michigan
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
West Virginia
Illinois
Ohio
New Mexico
Nebraska
Kansas
Nevada
California
Montana
Missouri
Tennessee
South Carolina
Georgia
Colorado
Alabama
Oklahoma
Florida
Arkansas
Mississippi
Louisiana
Why Texas ranked near the bottom in safety
WalletHub ranked Texas third to last due to its uninsured population, loss from climate disasters, and traffic fatalities.
WalletHub compiled a list of the state’s ranking in eight different metrics, which helped determined the score:
No. 33 (Out of the 50 states, 1 being high, 50 being low): Murders and non-negligent manslaughters per capita.
No. 32: Assaults per capita.
No. 41: Loss amounts from climate disasters per capita.
No. 30: Fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 full-time workers.
No. 36: Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel.
No. 18: Law-enforcement employees per capita.
No. 31: Sex offenders per capita.
No. 50: Share of uninsured population.
How WalletHub came up with its methodology
Of course no state is immune to danger, however there are certain ways local government officials can help decrease the risk.
Dr. James O’Keefe, associate professor of criminal justice and homeland security at St. John’s University, suggests that “crime and public safety are primarily local and state issues. Local and state policymakers can invest in local economic development and education.
It is much better to spend the resources developing and educating young people than it is to arrest and incarcerate them after the fact. Build healthy and thriving communities and excellent schools, not jails.”
WalletHub created this list based on the following key metrics:
Personal and residential safety: 40 points.
Financial safety: 15 points
Road safety: 15 points
Workplace safety: 15 points
Emergency preparedness: 15 points
Data on these metrics are sourced from various viable U.S. Departments with reports as recent as Aug. 15.