Two of the Safest Cities in America Can Be Found Right Here in Maine

You should feel good, Mainers. The state's two biggest cities scored very well in a recent study about safety.

WalletHub.com, a personal finance website, recently published a report of the safest cities in America. Portland and Lewiston were both included in the report.

Portland finished with a top 10 ranking, coming in at #6. That put Maine's largest city just behind Warwick, Rhode Island, and right in front of Casper, Wyoming. Lewiston came in with a solid top 15 ranking at 13. The state's second largest city was just ahead of Chandler, Arizona, and just behind Virginia Beach, Virginia. These are quite the rankings for Maine's major metro areas. It's very reassuring to see them scoring so well.

The study included every state's two largest cities, plus the top 150 cities in the nation. Portland's actual score was an 83.99, while Lewiston scored an 82.43. The scoring was based on a 100-point system. Three major categories were looked at: home & community safety, natural disaster risk, and financial safety. These categories were broken down into 41 subcategories, making it as detailed as possible. You can read about the methodology here.

Portland excelled in every major category, especially financial safety. The city was ranked as the 2nd most secure in America. This includes having the best unemployment rate in America. Portland also finished high in natural disaster risk, which should surprise nobody who lives here. Honestly, I'm surprised Portland isn't #1 or #2 in that category. Another highlight for Portland is the low risk for violent crimes. That is always a good thing to hear.

Lewiston was slightly lower in financial safety. However, it was still a very good ranking of 20. The city was similar to Portland for natural disaster risk, which is surprising considering the two are roughly 30 minutes apart. Lewiston was slightly lower in home & community safety, but still within striking distance.

If anything, this survey shows that Maine's largest cities are great options to live and work in. They are safe, free from natural disasters, and have plenty of options for professionals looking to further their career.

WalletHub's number one city also hails from Northern New England. A big congrats to Nashua, New Hampshire, for being the safest city in the country.

As for the least safe on this list? That would be St. Louis. That's a tough look for the Midwest. I thought you all were supposed to be nice and stuff.