Safety isn’t just about avoiding crime—it’s about having reliable infrastructure, financial stability, and the preparedness to handle unexpected disasters. WalletHub recently ranked all 50 states based on over 50 factors to determine which states are the safest to live in, and Illinois' ranking might surprise you.

Is Illinois Safer Than You Think? Guess Our Spot in WalletHub's Rankings

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MORE: Illinois is Home To the 2nd Loneliest City in US

Safety is about more than just locking your doors at night or avoiding sketchy neighborhoods. It’s a complex puzzle. Are you safe if your roads aren’t designed to prevent crashes? If your state lacks the infrastructure to handle natural disasters? What about financial safety—how secure are your savings if life throws a curveball?

WalletHub recently released a study ranking U.S. states from safest to least safe, analyzing over 50 factors grouped into five categories:

  • personal and residential safety
  • financial security
  • road safety
  • workplace safety
  • emergency preparedness

These metrics covered everything from elder abuse rates to fatal occupational injuries and even whether people have rainy-day funds stashed away.

Safest States in the U.S.

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Let’s start with the gold-star winners. Vermont takes the top spot as the safest state, followed by New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Utah.

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On the flip side, Louisiana was crowned the least safe state, with Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, and Florida rounding out the bottom five.

But where does Illinois fall? If you think we’re sitting pretty in the top 10 safest states, think again. Maybe you’re pessimistic and see us as a bottom-dweller alongside Louisiana. Perhaps you’re hoping we’re safely coasting somewhere in the middle.

Go ahead, take a guess. I’ll give you a moment.

Ready? Drumroll, please.

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Illinois ranks 31st!

Yes, folks, smack dab in the middle-ish. Not exactly winning gold, but at least we’re not scraping the bottom of the barrel. Who’s ready to build that emergency fund now?

MORE: 5 Most Expensive Places to Live In Illinois

LOOK: Best scenic drives in Illinois

It's time to hit the road—Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in Illinois using data from Tripadvisor as of March 2024.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

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