New study names Ridgefield third safest city in the nation

Three Fairfield County submarkets were cited as being among the safest cities in the nation, according to a new report issued by NeighborhoodScout, a provider of location-based analytics for real estate professionals and homebuyers.

In an analysis of annual crime rates within cities with 25,000 or more residents, NeighborhoodScout determined that Ridgefield was ranked third in the 2017 list of the Top 100 Safest U.S. Cities. Greenwich ranked in 17th place and Westport came in at 69th. Other Connecticut cities deemed to be among the safest were Chesire in 19th place, Glastonbury in 75th place and Shelton in 90th place. On the list of the 100 Most Dangerous Cities, Hartford was the sole Connecticut metro, with a 50th place ranking.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Shoreview, Minnesota were ranked first and second for the safest cities. East St. Louis, Illinois, was deemed the most dangerous city, according to the study.

Andrew Schiller, founder and CEO of NeighborhoodScout, noted that it is no surprise that affluent suburban submarkets scored so well in the new data analysis. “An easy commute to high paying jobs in the city, combined with decent schools and quality of life in the suburbs, increases home values and lowers crime,” he said.