Provo-Orem metro ranked in top 10 safest big cities in the US

Aug 10, 2021, 8:56 AM | Updated: 9:44 am

Provo, Utah, view of downtown from the Wasatch MountainsPhoto courtesy of Getty Images.

Former Anchor/Digital Content Producer

PROVO, Utah — Utah County is a pretty safe place to live. According to data compiled by the security and safety website SafeWise, the Provo-Orem metro area ranked second in its list of safest big cities in the US. The area landed right behind Rockingham County-Strafford County, New Hampshire.

Provo and Orem share title with other safest US cities

SafeWise decided to compare metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) instead of standalone big cities. The article explained that MSAs include both major “anchor” cities and the outlying communities. It paints a more accurate picture of both crime and the socioeconomic factors that impact the quality of life for residents.

The top spot went to Rockingham County-Strafford County, New Hampshire. Provo-Orem landed in second in their safest big US cities. They were followed by Cambridge-Newton-Framingham, Massachusetts, Portland-South Portland, Maine, and Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, Michigan that rounded out the top five.

Provo-Orem is the only area that received the honor in the western part of the U.S.

Ranking was determined by crime in the areas

According to SafeWise, violent crime is on the rise, especially gun violence. The Provo-Orem area is home to just over 700,000 people. Your risk of being a victim of a violent crime is about 1 in 1,000.

Nationwide, property crime decreased by 4% year over year, but that’s far less than the 9% drop among the safest metros. And the most dangerous metros did even better, the property crime rate in those big cities fell 11% year over year.

Criteria for a safe city

SafeWise suggests people living in the safest cities are diligent about keeping their city safe. The website states people in the areas worry more about violent and property crimes. Most also live above the poverty level. Salaries are higher than the national average. They also spend more on public safety and community services. Education is also important to those living in the safest metro areas.