Public safety levels in states just outside Washington, D.C., are comparable to much of the country, according to a new study released Tuesday.
Maryland and Virginia were ranked far from the bottom of U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 “Best States” list released Tuesday, but there was a clear winner out of the two.
The state borders of Maryland and Virginia are each just miles from the White House, but residents in Virginia, located to the west of Washington, seem to be in a safer state than those to the east, in Maryland.
Virginia was No. 12 of all 50 states compared to Maryland, which finished at No. 30. The report based its rankings on crime rates and incarceration levels and how the public felt about corrections.
Maryland has been under the microscope over the past couple of years for homicides carried out by suspected and convicted illegal immigrants, including the deaths of U.S. citizens Rachel Morin and Kayla Hamilton. The Trump administration and campaign drew attention to both cases.
U.S. News and World Report did not track the public opinion of residents in Washington, which is not a state. However, it found that of all 50 states, New Hampshire had the highest public safety rating.
Public safety was one of many categories taken into consideration to determine this year’s “Best State.” Individual state ratings on each issue — the economy, infrastructure, natural environment, opportunity, fiscal stability of government, and public safety — were highest for Utah, followed by New Hampshire.
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The findings were compiled from three years’ worth of surveys, including 25,000 responses this past winter, 11,000 in early 2021, and 20,000 in early 2019.
Louisiana ranked last in public safety at No. 50 based on the corrections and crime rate metrics.