10 Safest Cities in Connecticut

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The New England state of Connecticut with the capital of Hartford is home to many popular locales.

This includes the scandalous Berkshires, as well as Yale and Stamford, which attract plenty of young college kids each fall.

Living in Connecticut is generally safe.

However, not all CT cities are safe enough to travel in the post-pandemic, and it would be advised to stick to the safest cities at this time, especially.

The violent crime rate for the residents of Connecticut has “dropped more than any other state since 2012, falling 20 percent,” according to the OPM Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division of the FBI.

In fact, Connecticut is the fourth-lowest state in terms of crime in the entire nation.

Not too shabby at all, and in fact, this is why CT is considered one of the safest places to live in the US.

Take a look at the cities that are the safest before you consider a move to this state.

10 Safest Cities in Connecticut

1. Newtown, CT

Newtown, Connecticut is considered safer than most cities in the US.

The city has a lower crime rate compared to 96 percent of the rest of Connecticut.

As the number one safest city in CT, the safest neighborhoods in Newtown are Dodgingtown, Botsford, Sandy Hook, and Cedarhurst.

2. Ridgefield, CT

In 2021, Ridgefield, Connecticut was named the sixth safest city in the US.

That puts this city at the top of the charts for the safest cities in the state.

In Ridgefield, there is a one in 8,344 chance you will be victimized by violent crime.

Property crime is more common with a rate of one in 258 for victims of robberies. 

3. Simsbury, CT

Simsbury, Connecticut has one of the lowest crime rates on the charts at 33 and is considered safe among CT cities and other cities across the US.

Citizens who move to Simsbury can rest assured that their housing and personal safety are taken care of in a healthy way.

4. Cheshire, CT

The city of Cheshire has a population of 28,733 people according to the US Census Bureau.

Also, even though the name says otherwise, Cheshire is not known to be associated with Alice in Wonderland and that Cheshire cat.

Instead, Cheshire is world-famous for being the Bedding Plant Capital of Connecticut.

The city offers scenic charm through landscaping and plant bedding that is grown and harvested in Cheshire. 

5. Wallingford, CT

Wallingford is located in the southern central part of Connecticut.

Along with being famous for wineries and expansive countryside, the city has a low crime rate at a rate of one in 132 victims. 

6. Greenwich, CT

Another fun city name, this is not the same Greenwich Village that is famous in New York City.

There is no Chelsea Hotel in Greenwich, Connecticut, which does happen to be one of the more expensive cities to live in in the state.

Here is where hedge funds and other financial firms take up real estate in what is called the Gold Coast.

As a result, you would expect to see more crime.

Yet in this city with 63,518 residents, there is not that much in terms of crime.

As one of the oldest cities in the state and even New England, the community has managed to thwart criminal activity in their neighborhoods over the years. 

7. Westport, CT

Westport is a safe city in Connecticut with the northern neighborhoods being safer than those in the south.

This CT city has a crime rate of 18.14 crimes per 1,000 residents annually.

This crime rate is 62 percent lower than the rest of the nation.

Additionally, Westport, Connecticut made the list of the Top 100 Safest Places to Live, ranking at #69 out of the US.

That is quite the accomplishment out of the entire 50 states! 

8. New Milford, CT

In the city of New Milford, Connecticut, there is a crime rate of 74.2 victims of a violent crime for every 100,000 people.

In addition, this is at a rapid decline with nearly 23 percent fewer crimes from 2017 to 2018.

It has to be noted, though, that New Milford had 106.97 crimes per 100,000 people in 2016, and this was a huge jump of 46 percent from 2015.

9. Shelton, CT

Residents of Shelton, CT are in safe hands, too, thanks to a crime rate that is 4.5 times lower compared to the US average.

This is a rate of 60, which is far lower than 75 percent of US cities. 

10. Guilford, CT

Guilford is the 10th safest city in Connecticut.

There is a chance of one in 89 you will be a victim of a violent crime in Guilford, CT.

This is coupled with an overall crime rate of 11 crimes for every 1,000 people.

The crime rate and statistics for Guilford are more at the same speed as the rest of the US.

5 Safety Tips for Traveling to Connecticut 

1. Prepare for Winter Weather 

If traveling between August and April, prepare to travel in sudden blizzard conditions at any time.

Sudden whiteout conditions can block roadways and leave travelers in a daze, unprepared to sleep in their vehicles.

Also, have a way to communicate in an emergency while traveling just in case something does go awry with the weather.

2. Have a Travel Itinerary

Enter the Nutmeg State with a travel itinerary and route information so you are prepared.

This should be followed up by leaving this information with someone who knows about your travel plans while you are in CT.

Then, in case you lose your passport or travel documents, you can rest assured that you have photocopies with a trusted person who can send these to you in an emergency.

It is also great to give you peace of mind when traveling.

3. Avoid Flashing Your Goods

Do not wear flashy jewelry or draw unwanted attention to yourself or your belongings.

If you are dressing up for a special event or dinner, make sure to be discreet when out and about.

Consider how you are going to be transported to the location, and opt for secure ride-sharing services over public transit.

If you plan to do some shopping, such as for real estate or a new horse stable, and you have to bring a lot of money, hire a private security guard for the occasion.

Connecticut as a whole comes from money, which means this sort of scenario is commonplace.

Yet this also brings in a lot more opportunities for thieves who are also familiar with the way big shoppers move and travel. 

4. Understand the Area

Whether you are staying in the safest city or the most deadly, have a strong understanding of the geography of the central neighborhood where you are staying.

Know where key landmarks are located in case you are robbed or someone attempts to abduct you.

Study a map even if it is Google Maps, and get to know the street names and layout of the city.

See what the nature reserves and local parks’ names are if someone asks you about this information offhandedly to confuse you as not being a local.

5. Carry Pepper Spray

And know how to use it, as well as what to do if you accidentally misfire the spray into your own face and eyes.

This is not allowed on airplanes in check-in bags and should be handled with extreme caution.

However, if someone is attacking you, the easiest and safest way to avoid being harassed or taken is by spraying pepper spray into their face.

They are not able to breathe due to the pepper spray and will be subdued in a safe and effective manner allowing you to reach safety.

Connecticut Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Connecticut Safety Review

Safety Index:

86

• OVERALL RISK: LOW
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
• MUGGING RISK: LOW
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: LOW
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW