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MILWAUKEE - Southeast Wisconsin is home to one of the safest midsize cities in the country, according to a new national analysis.
What is a midsize city?
By the numbers:
Smart Asset, a financial technology company, defined midsize cities as having between 65,000 and 250,000 residents in a study released on May 19.
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Dig deeper:
The study looked at four factors to create a composite ranking of America's safest midsize cities: violent crime, property crime, traffic fatality rates and natural disaster risk.
Property and violent crime rates are from a 2024 FBI report, the most recent year available, while traffic fatality rates were found from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. For natural disaster risk, the study looked to FEMA's National Risk Index for the county in which a particular city was located.
These are the safest midsize cities in the US, according to a new study: See the list
A new national study reveals that the safest midsize cities in America aren’t just the ones with low crime rates.
Wisconsin's safest midsize cities
Local perspective:
Waukesha ranked No. 8 overall in Smart Asset's study, which found the city had a violent crime rate of 1.14 per 1,000 residents, 8.75 property crimes per 1,000 residents, 5.69 auto fatalities per 100,000 residents and "relatively moderate" disaster risk.
Kenosha came in at No. 30, with 2.86 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 8.66 property crimes per 1,000 residents, 9.22 auto fatalities per 100,000 residents and "relatively moderate" disaster risk.
READ MORE: How much money do I need to retire in Wisconsin? Here's what a new study found
Wisconsin as a whole was well represented in the study. Appleton came in at No. 10, followed by Eau Claire at No. 11. No other state had three cities among the Top 20.
With Oshkosh (No. 37) and Green Bay (No. 72), Wisconsin's six cities among the Top 75 tied it with neighboring Minnesota and Texas for the most in the country.
Downtown Waukesha
Outside the Top 75, Racine came in at No. 81 with 3.83 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 11.12 property crimes per 1,000 residents, 11.36 auto fatalities per 100,000 residents and "relatively moderate" disaster risk.
Janesville ranked No. 96, while La Crosse was No. 103.
Across the country
Big picture view:
Smart Asset found the safest midsize city was Broomfield, Colorado – citing below-average violent and property crime rates, a modest motor vehicle fatality rate and its status as the only city in the study with a FEMA natural disaster risk of "very low."
The least safe midsize city? Little Rock, Arkansas. The study found high property and violent crime, elevated natural disaster risk and an above-average traffic fatality rate.
For full methodology and results, visit Smart Assest's website.
The Source: Information in this story is from Smart Asset's study. LiveNOW from FOX contributed.