Safest suburbs for your kids to grow up in
Safest suburbs for your kids to grow up in
Though suburbs are geographically defined as being located outside a central city, they were originally designed as a place for social separation. In the 19th century, suburbs around New York, Boston, and Philadelphia were built to separate economic classes. In the 1920s, suburban growth surpassed urban growth for the first time, but the Great Depression caused an influx of people into cities searching for jobs. However, suburbia rose in popularity among the middle-class again during World War II.
After analyzing data from Niche, Stacker compiled a list of the safest suburbs to raise children in 2018. Niche used 11 different factors including crime rates, drug-related deaths, excessive drinking, and the premature death rate to rank the overall safety of the area. The data used in the rankings was obtained from the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report.
The overall Niche grade only takes these crime and safety statistics into account lightly, so the ranking of the safest suburbs is based on the crime data and not the overall grade. The website further broke down the rankings by geographic classification, including county, place, city, neighborhood, and suburb. Niche defines a suburb as a place located within a Census-defined urbanized area but outside the principal city with a population of at least 1,000 people.
Read on to discover the top 50 safest U.S. suburbs for raising a family in 2018. Find out which suburbs made the list—and which metropolitan areas are home to the safest suburbs in the country.
#50. Harrington Park
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B-
Diversity: A-
Overall Niche grade: A
Harrington Park in New Jersey is a suburb of New York City with a population of 4,790. It has been ranked the eighth safest suburb in New Jersey and the ninth safest place to live in New Jersey. What’s more, the unemployment rate is only 2.4%.
#49. South Russell
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
South Russell is a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and has been ranked the top place to live in Geauga County. It has a population of 3,839, with 91% of residents owning a home in the town. The factor residents gave the lowest grade to was the town’s weather, which received a D+.
#48. Washington Township
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: C+
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A
Washington Township, New Jersey, is a suburb of New York City and has a population of 9,313. It is ranked as the 11th best place to retire in New Jersey, and it is also the third safest place to live in Bergen County. The town reports zero violent crimes.
#47. North Caldwell
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B+
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
North Caldwell in New Jersey is a suburb of New York City with a population of 6,519. The median home value in the town is an astounding $713,500, and the median annual household income is also high at $188,897. Niche reports that 38% of residents have a bachelor's degree and 32% have a master's degree or higher level of education.
#46. Hurstbourne Acres
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: B-
Housing: B+
Diversity: A-
Overall Niche grade: A+
Hurstbourne Acres, a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky, has a population of 1,827. It has been ranked the best suburb for millennials in Kentucky, and it is the second safest suburb in the state. The town is home to duPont Manual High School, a magnet school that's been ranked as the best public high school in Kentucky.
#45. Peapack and Gladstone
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: C
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A
Peapack and Gladstone, New Jersey, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 2,588. The data reveals 18% of residents are 65 or older, and 17% of residents report having children. The town ranks in number 47 out of 410 New Jersey suburbs for best public schools.
#44. Berkeley Heights Township
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A+
Berkeley Heights Township, New Jersey, is a suburb of New York City and has a population of 13,387. It is ranked as the #4 best place to live in Union County. The town reports zero violent crimes.
#43. Lloyd Harbor
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: C+
Diversity: C
Overall Niche grade: A+
Lloyd Harbor, New York, is a suburb of New York City located on Long Island with a population of 3,696. The median home value in the town is $1,373,400, and the median household income is $223,036. The town reports zero violent crimes.
#42. North Oaks
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
North Oaks, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has a population of 4,832. It is ranked as the second-safest suburb in Minnesota and has reported zero violent crimes and zero property burglaries. The data reveals 41% of the population has at least a master's degree or a higher degree of education.
#41. Ball Ground
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: A-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A-
Ball Ground, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, has a population of 1,831. It is ranked as the #1 safest suburb and the #5 best suburb to buy a house in the state. The median home value is below the national average at $175,000.
#40. Briarcliff Manor
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A
Housing: B-
Diversity: B+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Briarcliff Manor, New York, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 7,732. It is ranked as the #8 best place to live in Westchester County. The data reveals 16% of residents are renters, with the median monthly rent costing $1,313.
#39. Mendham Township
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Mendham Township, New Jersey, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 5,892. It is ranked as the third best place to live in Morris County and the third safest place to live in New Jersey. The statistics show that 22% of residents are between the ages of 45 and 54.
#38. Lithopolis
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A-
Housing: A-
Diversity: B+
Overall Niche grade: A-
Lithopolis, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, has a population of 1,439. It is ranked as the second safest suburb in Ohio and the second best place to live in Fairfield County. The data reveals 23% of residents report having children.
#37. Kenilworth
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B
Diversity: C
Overall Niche grade: A+
Kenilworth, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 2,613. It has been ranked as the best place in America to raise a family and the third best place with the best public schools in Illinois. The median home value in the town is $1,095,000 and the median monthly rent is $3,501.
#36. Weston
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B+
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Weston is a suburb of Connecticut with a population of 10,347. It is ranked as the safest place to live and the safest suburb in the state, and the third best place to raise a family in Connecticut. The data reveals 41% of residents have at least a master's degree, while 42% of residents have a bachelor's degree.
#35. Martindale
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: B+
Public schools: B
Housing: B
Diversity: A
Overall Niche grade: B+
Martindale is a suburb of Austin, Texas, with a population of 1,379. It is ranked as the second safest suburb in Texas. The data reveals 66% of residents own a house in the town, while 34% rent.
#34. Belle Meade
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A-
Public schools: B-
Housing: C+
Diversity: C
Overall Niche grade: A-
Belle Meade is a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, and has a population of 2,704. It is listed as the safest place to live in Tennessee and the safest suburb. The median home value is $1,387,300.
#33. Hopkinton
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B+
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A+
Hopkinton is a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, and has a population of 16,257. The town’s Hopkinton High School has a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1, and 95% of students are proficient in math while 98% are proficient in reading. The average graduation rate is 99%.
#32. Wayne
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: B
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A
Wayne, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 2,513. Only 8% of residents report having children, and the town is ranked as the #8 safest suburb in Illinois. The town has reported zero violent crimes.
#31. West Pikeland Township
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
West Pikeland Township, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Philadelphia with a population of 4,070. The town is home to the second best magnet high school in Pennsylvania, Downingtown STEM Academy, for students who want to focus on math and science.
#30. Oakwood Hills
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: B+
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A-
Oakwood Hills, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 2,115. It is ranked as the number seven safest suburb in Illinois, reporting zero violent crimes. The median household income is $84,432, compared to a national average of $55,322.
#29. Osseo
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A-
Public schools: B+
Housing: B
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A-
Osseo, Minnesota, is a suburb of Minneapolis with a population of 2,612. It is ranked as the best place to retire in Minnesota and the safest suburb in Minnesota. Half of the town’s residents own property while half rent.
#28. Inverness
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A-
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A+
Inverness, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 7,844. It is ranked as the sixth safest suburb in Illinois, and 40% of the town’s residents are between 45 and 64 years old.
#27. Mars
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A-
Housing: A-
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A-
Mars, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, has a population of 1,415. The data reveals that 54% of residents own homes while 46% rent. The median home value is $169,600, and the median monthly rent is $602.
#26. Chalfont
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B+
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A
Chalfont, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Philadelphia and has a population of 4,054. It is ranked as the third best place to raise a family in Bucks County. The town is home to Butler Elementary School, one of the top three elementary schools in the county.
#25. River Vale Township
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A
Housing: B-
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A+
River Vale Township, New Jersey, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 9,970. It is ranked as the second safest place to live in New Jersey. The town has an unemployment rate of 2.9% and a poverty rate of 3%.
#24. Sands Point
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Sands Point, New York, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 2,859. It has an extremely high median home value at $2,000,001 and an equally high median monthly rent at $2,031. Most residents appear to be able to afford the steep cost of living, as the median annual household income is $231,667.
#23. Gates Mills
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Gates Mills, Ohio, is a suburb of Cleveland that has a population of 2,229. It is ranked as the safest suburb in Ohio and the third safest place to live in the state. The town is home to Mayfield High School, which is the eighth best public high school in the Cleveland area.
#22. Barrington Hills
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: C+
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A+
Barrington Hills, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 3,574. The town is home to Barrington High School, which is ranked in the top 20 public high schools in Illinois and has a graduation rate of 97%.
#21. Pewee Valley
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A-
Housing: A-
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A
Pewee Valley is a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky, and has a population of 1,617. It is ranked as the safest suburb in Kentucky and the #8 suburb with the best public schools in the state. The town has reported zero violent crimes.
#20. Edgeworth
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Edgeworth, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Pittsburgh with a population of 1,639. It is ranked as the #7 best place to raise a family in the Pittsburgh area and the sixth safest suburb in Pennsylvania. Of the town’s residents, 44% have a master’s degree or a higher form of education and 41% have a bachelor’s degree.
#19. Essex
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: C+
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A
Essex, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, has a population of 3,632. It is ranked as the second safest suburb in Massachusetts. The data reveals that 18% of residents are 65 years or older, and 17% of residents are children.
#18. Bartonville
Crime and safety: A
Good for families: A
Public schools: A+
Housing: B+
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A
Bartonville, Texas, is a suburb of Dallas and has a population of 1,916. It is ranked as the safest suburb in Texas and the second safest place to live in the state. The median annual household income is $133,472.
#17. Bally
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: B+
Public schools: B+
Housing: B
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: B
Bally, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, has a population of 1,107. It is ranked as the fifth safest suburb in Pennsylvania. The town’s median home value is $170,800, and the median monthly rent is $870.
#16. Leet Township
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A+
Leet Township, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Philadelphia with a population of 1,622. It is ranked as the sixth best suburb to buy a house in Pennsylvania and the #4 safest suburb in the state. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero burglaries.
#15. Prairie Grove
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: B
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: A
Prairie Grove, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago and has a population of 1,704. Reviews of the town on Niche call the locale a “nice area,” and report that it has “a great atmosphere.” Of the town’s residents, 85% own a home and 15% rent.
#14. Boxford
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B+
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A
Boxford, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, has a population of 8,198. It is ranked as the second best place to raise a family in Essex County and the safest suburb in Massachusetts. The median annual household income in the town is $153,578.
#13. Old Tappan
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: C+
Diversity: A-
Overall Niche grade: A
Old Tappan, New Jersey, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 5,942. It is ranked as both the safest place to live in New Jersey and the safest suburb in New Jersey. The town is home to Northern Valley Regional High School, which is ranked in the top 20 out of 591 schools for the best high school sports in New Jersey.
#12. Tower Lakes
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: A
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Tower Lakes, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 1,149. It is ranked as the second best suburb to buy a house in Illinois and the third safest place to live in the state. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero burglaries.
#11. Bow Mar
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A-
Housing: B-
Diversity: C
Overall Niche grade: A
Bow Mar, Colorado, is a suburb of Denver and has a population of 1,047. It is ranked as the #4 best place to raise a family in Colorado and the safest suburb in Colorado. The median home value in the town is $967,800, and the median monthly rent is $2,654.
#10. Huntington Bay
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A
Public schools: A
Housing: C
Diversity: C
Overall Niche grade: A
Huntington Bay, New York, is a suburb of New York City with a population of 1,516. It is ranked as the #9 best place to retire in New York and the fourth safest suburb in New York. More than a quarter of the town’s residents are 65 years old or older.
#9. Avondale
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A-
Public schools: A-
Housing: B
Diversity: A
Overall Niche grade: B+
Avondale, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Philadelphia with a population of 1,430. It is ranked as the third safest suburb in Pennsylvania, and it is also ranked as one of the top 20 most diverse suburbs in the state. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero burglaries.
#8. Kensington
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: B-
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A+
Kensington, New York, is a suburb of New York City and has a population of 1,176. It is ranked as the best place to raise a family in New York and the second best place to live in the state. The median annual household income is $175,625.
#7. Bannockburn
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A+
Housing: C+
Diversity: B
Overall Niche grade: A+
Bannockburn, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, has a population of 1,308. It is the second safest place to live in Illinois and the fifth best suburb in Illinois for millennials. At 46%, the majority of the town falls between the ages of 18 and 24.
#6. Lake Winnebago
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A+
Public schools: A
Housing: B+
Diversity: C
Overall Niche grade: A
Lake Winnebago, Missouri, is a suburb of Kansas City and has a population of 1,211. It is ranked as the best place to live in Cass County, the safest place to live in Missouri, and the safest suburb in Missouri. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero burglaries.
#5. McCullom Lake
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: B+
Public schools: B
Housing: B-
Diversity: A-
Overall Niche grade: B
McCullom Lake, Illinois, is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 1,011. It is ranked as both the safest suburb and the safest place to live in Illinois. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero property crimes annually.
#4. Manchester
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: B+
Public schools: B-
Housing: B
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: B+
Manchester, New York, is a suburb of Rochester with a population of 1,869. It is ranked as the second best place to raise a family in Ontario County and the second safest place to live in New York. Just 15% of residents have a college degree, but 39% have either some college education or an associate’s degree.
#3. Oakdale
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A
Public schools: B+
Housing: A
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: A-
Oakdale, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Pittsburgh and has a population of 1,508. It is ranked as the second safest suburb in Pennsylvania and is ranked within the top 20 best suburbs to buy a house in the state. Of the town’s residents, 81% own a house and 19% rent a home.
#2. West Pike Run Township
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: A-
Public schools: B-
Housing: A
Diversity: B-
Overall Niche grade: B+
West Pike Run Township, Pennsylvania, is a suburb of Pittsburgh with a population of 1,718. It is ranked as the safest suburb in Pennsylvania and is within the top 15 suburbs with the lowest cost of living in the state. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero property crimes annually.
#1. Shortsville
Crime and safety: A+
Good for families: B+
Public schools: B-
Housing: B
Diversity: C+
Overall Niche grade: B
Shortsville, New York, is a suburb of Rochester and has a population of 1,361. It is the #1 suburb with the lowest cost of living in New York, and it is also the safest place to live in New York. The town has reported zero violent crimes and zero property crimes annually.
