Washington is normally a safe state, which shows low levels of property and violent criminality compared to other states in the United States. Nevertheless, the overall results may differ substantially depending on the specifics of the city or town in which the residents live. If you are planning to live in Washington for your family, then it’s important to take your time and check on the crime statistics in the area. This detailed review explores the approaches to selecting the safest cities and towns in Washington as well as useful guidelines for assessing the areas of interest.
List of Top 10 Safest Cities in Washington
1. Sammamish
2. Poulsbo
3. Mercer Island
4. Mountlake Terrace
5. Bainbridge Island
6. Pullman
7. Lake Forest Park
8. Kirkland
9. Union Gap
10. DuPont
The majority of the safest communities are in the Seattle metro area and, indeed, the central/eastern part of the state. These cities are among the safest with low rates of property crimes or even average to below average compared to the state and the nation respectively, while the violent crimes are very low. For instance, in Sammamish which is the least dangerous city in the list, there were only 11 violent crimes in the year 2019. It is an impressive statistic for a city that is home to over 65,000 inhabitants and it leaves one wondering what other cities fare.
This paper presents a discussion of factors that relate to safety.
What some people found to be useful for assessing the safety of a city or a specific neighborhood is not limited to the crime index. Location is also another factor that has been considered here, this includes the physical structure of an area and the economic status. Here are some additional factors that help make a community safer: Here are some additional factors that help make a community safer:
1. The low unemployment rates coupled with higher median income levels suggest that there are better prospects in the economy and less incentive to engage in criminal activities.
2. Community congregation is created in what are seen as open spaces such as parks and visibility is also fostered, thus reducing the rate of criminal activities. It is also effective in the visibility of the streets at night due to the enhanced lighting conditions.
3. Difficulty in getting access points reduces the possibility of criminals gaining access to such neighborhoods.
4. The police force was well endowed and the community watch programs are another indication that people wanted to ensure that the incidences of crime were kept to a minimum in their areas.
5. Such facilities may provide the youngsters with constructive activities in which they can engage and therefore make them less likely to engage in destructive behaviors such as being involved in crimes.
How to Evaluate Safety
To comprehensively evaluate how safe an area is, follow these tips:
1. Access maps of online crimes to check differences in crimes between cities, including particular districts. The type of crime and property crime information are well provided.
2. Self and others: go out for a drive or walk around potential neighborhoods, especially at night. This should also involve observing lighting, possible suspect dens, places where a lot of people congregate, and any suspicious behaviors. Ask for a conversation with any residents you meet while moving around.
3. Find out the police staffing profiles and average response time to 911 calls. In other words, well-staffed departments with a quick response time tend to be more effective in preventing and reducing crime.
4. Use local newspapers and thread subreddits to get up-to-date information on the latest crimes in the area. This can reveal problems that may not be seen in the crime statistics report which might be compiled once every year.
5. TALK with the real estate and leasing companies that are within your locality. They interact directly with area residents and probably would not be knowledgeable about the actual safety of the area.
List of Safest Cities in Washington
As you may know, there isn’t a city that can be considered safe from crime, but luckily for us, Washington has numerous safest cities one can select from. It is for this reason that if you follow the crime data together with considering the supplemental factors discussed above, you will be directed to the safest areas. As for the communities to target, it is advisable to focus on the top 10 communities list, though it may be beneficial to consider more communities in Seattle suburbs and rural small towns in central and eastern Washington. Making time for a careful safety assessment will help the family find the opportunity to make the transition to a safe community.
