From school safety to teen drivers, New Jersey parents have plenty to worry about. But a new report that considers these and other factors offers some welcome news. WalletHub’s latest Safest States in America study ranks New Jersey among the top 20 safest states nationwide. The analysis looked at 52 indicators—from crime rates and traffic safety to financial stability and climate risks—offering a reassuring snapshot for families raising kids in the Garden State.
To identify the safest states in America, WalletHub analyzed all 50 states using 52 key indicators of safety, grouped into five categories. These measures range from assaults per capita to the financial losses from climate disasters per resident, as well as economic factors like unemployment.
New Jersey ranked:
- 16th Overall
- 56.90 total points
- 1st – most law enforcement employees per capita
- 3rd fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel
- 7th for personal and residential safety
- 36th for financial safety
- 9th for road safety
- 23rd for workplace safety
Earlier this year, WalletHub ranked New Jersey as the 4th happiest state in the country, based on factors like emotional and physical well-being, a low suicide rate, overall safety (No. 17 out of 50) and feeling productive at work.
And this summer, WalletHub ranked NJ as the 3rd safest state for teen drivers, ranking No. 1 in the country for overall safety, as well as the state’s distracted driving and texting-while-driving laws, plus the graduated licensing program laws, and the new requirement that teens need 50 hours of road practice before getting their license.
To compare New Jersey in the list, No. 1 Vermont has a total score of 67.22 points, with a rank of 12 for personal and residential safety, 1 for financial safety, 1 for road safety, and 12 for workplace safety.
In terms of the study, personal and residential safety was evaluated based on the number of terrorist attacks or mass shootings in an area, assaults and thefts, drug abuse and overdose, the number of law enforcement and firefighter personnel, bullying or elder abuse rates, and the presence of neighborhood watch groups.
Financial safety looked at the uninsured and unemployed populations, debt and credit score ranges, fraud or identity theft complaints, the ability to pay bills or save for college, and job security.
Road safety included fatalities on the road (including pedestrians and bicyclists), DUIs, driving laws, and road quality.
Workplace safety analyzed fatalities on the job, injuries and illnesses, and how many days of work are lost because of those factors.
Emergency preparedness considered the number of climate disasters and how much monetary damage they cause.
The Top 10 Safest States in America in 2025, According to WalletHub:
- Vermont
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Utah
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Minnesota
- Rhode Island
- Wyoming
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