forbes.com
Ramapo Town, NY, Ranked Safest US City in 2025 MoneyGeek Report
MoneyGeek's 2025 report ranks Ramapo Town, New York, as the safest U.S. city with a $271 per capita crime cost, considering violent and property crime, road safety, and financial stability across 292 cities; Irvine, California is the safest large city.
- What city is ranked as the safest in the U.S. in MoneyGeek's 2025 report, and what factors contributed to this ranking?
- MoneyGeek's 2025 report ranks Ramapo Town, New York, as the safest city in the U.S., with a crime cost per capita of $271. This is followed by Frisco, Texas ($287), and Irvine, California ($324), the safest large city. The report analyzes 292 cities, incorporating violent and property crime rates, road safety, and financial stability.
- How does MoneyGeek's methodology differ from traditional crime rate rankings, and why is this approach more informative?
- The ranking methodology considers the economic impact of crime, calculating a per capita cost that reflects both frequency and severity. This approach provides a more comprehensive safety assessment than traditional crime rate comparisons, incorporating factors like reduced property values and decreased tourism in high-crime areas. The average cost of crime per capita across analyzed cities decreased by $9 in 2023, to $2,178.
- What are the broader implications of the report's findings regarding the economic cost of crime, and what future trends might this data suggest?
- The report's focus on the economic cost of crime offers valuable insights for travelers and potential residents. By quantifying the financial consequences of crime, the report helps inform decisions about travel safety and community planning. The downward trend in the average cost of crime suggests potential positive shifts in public safety policies and community initiatives, but further data is needed to confirm long-term impacts.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article's framing is heavily positive, focusing predominantly on the safest cities and highlighting their positive attributes. While it mentions Memphis as the least safe, the overall tone emphasizes the positive aspects of safety and downplays the challenges faced by less safe cities. The headline itself, "What are the safest places in the U.S.? A new report has the answers," sets a positive and limited frame. The inclusion of positive quotes from the data journalism manager further reinforces this positive bias.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral, but some phrases could be interpreted as subtly biased. For example, describing Memphis as having "moved from fifth-worst to worst" uses loaded language that implies a negative judgment. The repeated use of "safest" and "least safe" creates a binary that might oversimplify the complexities of urban safety. More neutral alternatives could include descriptions that focus on crime rates and their associated costs, rather than subjective labels like "safest" or "worst.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the safest cities, providing a list of the top 15 safest cities and the top 15 safest large cities. However, it only mentions the "most unsafe cities" exist in the full report, without providing any details. This omission creates an unbalanced perspective and prevents readers from getting a complete picture of urban safety in the U.S. While acknowledging space constraints, the lack of information on the least safe cities significantly impacts the article's objectivity.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a dichotomy between safe and unsafe cities, without acknowledging the spectrum of safety levels that exist between these extremes. Many cities may fall into a moderate safety category, but this is not discussed. The focus on extremes simplifies a complex issue, potentially misrepresenting the safety conditions in many urban areas.
Sustainable Development Goals
By identifying and ranking the safest cities in the US, considering factors beyond crime rates such as economic costs and road safety, the report contributes to a more equitable understanding of safety and its impact on different communities. Safer areas correlate with better economic opportunities and improved quality of life, reducing inequalities in access to safety and security. The report also highlights areas needing improvements, which can inform policy decisions to address inequalities.