The 10 Safest Cities In New York For 2025
The safest cities in New York are Highlands and Shawangunk for 2025 using Saturday Night Science.
New York State often overshadowed by the bustling metropolis of New York City, features tranquil Adirondack mountains, the agricultural richness of Finger Lakes, and some super safe towns.
Today, we will focus on the ten safest places in New York that match the resilience of the iconic Statue of Liberty.
You might wonder how New York ranks in crime on the national scene. We ranked New York as the 32nd safest state in America, but that's not the whole story. Certain towns in the Empire State are clearly safer than others.
Diving into the latest FBI Crime data, we've assessed both property crimes and violent crimes per capita to determine the safest locales. In total, we analyzed 188 cities in New York with more than 5,000 people.
Join us as we navigate the safest places in New York, each with unique appeal and charm.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table
Here are the 10 safest cities to live in New York for 2025:
- Highlands
- Shawangunk
- Cornwall
- Woodstock
- Briarcliff Manor
- Lewisboro
- Kings Point
- Chester
- Marlborough
- Elmsford
What's the safest place to call home in new york? The safest place in New York is Highlands. If you want a friendly and safe small town to raise your children in, Highlands would be a top choice in New York.
Are you curious to see how your city ranked on our list? Read on to learn more about how we crunched the numbers and how your city stacked up in New York.
For more reading on safe places to live in and around New York, check out:
- Safest States In America
- Safest Cities In America
- Best Places To Live In New York
- Cheapest Places To Live In New York
The 10 Safest Cities In New York For 2025
Population: 9,153
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 0 (safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Highlands: Real Estate
The first, what I would call statistically typical, city on the list is Highlands -- what with it actually having some violent crime unlike the angelic cities above it.
Another city in Orange County, Highlands actually improved a couple of spots from its spot last year.
But don't be worried -- you can still get a view of the safety of the land from this vantage point, even if you aren't so high up.
Population: 13,376
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 37 (fourth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Shawangunk: Real Estate
Population: 9,583
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 146 (eighth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Cornwall: Real Estate
Population: 6,208
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 193 (ninth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Woodstock: Data | Real Estate
/10
Population: 7,249
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 206 (tenth safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Briarcliff Manor: Data | Real Estate
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Historically known for being the home of American business magnates such as the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Astors, Briarcliff Manor is a serene little village with virtually no crime. There were no violent crimes and only 16 property crimes committed in 2024, a property crime rate about 12 times lower than the national average. So don't worry if you get turned around at Rockefeller State Park Preserve; a stranger is more apt to help you than hurt you.
Briarcliff Manor's poverty rate is also around five times lower than the nationwide average. On the flipside, it's also quite an expensive place to call home, with the median home price being over $680,000. Not really unexpected when it's the historical home of big-name captains of industry.
Population: 11,836
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 8 (14th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 25 (second safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Lewisboro: Real Estate
Lewisboro is all kinds of safe -- the safest place in New York to be exact.
Even more so, it's incredibly safe even on a national basis for a city of its size. There were a grand total of zero violent crimes here in the last reporting year, good for a tie for the best in the state and the overall best property crime rate.
Based on our research, the reason for this could be due to a lack of a downtown -- it's hard to rob a liquor store when there's no main street in town. Or, more to the point, there's not an abundance of easy targets walking around.
Population: 5,626
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 0 (fifth safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 213 (11th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Kings Point: Data | Real Estate
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Located on the North Shore of Long Island, Kings Point provides its citizenry with safety and security normally reserved for royalty. Don't worry about your treasure getting snatched in Kings Point; according to the data, a property crime only occurs once every 33 days there. Which means there's a greater chance of a raccoon stealing your things at Kings Point Park than a person.
The catch: Kings Point is part of the Great Neck region, which ranked as the eighth most expensive place to live in New York. Hey, living like a king doesn't come cheap.
Population: 8,608
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 11 (17th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 34 (third safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Chester: Data | Real Estate
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Chester, in Orange County, New York, stands out as the eighth safest city statewide for 2025, with a population of 8,608 fostering strong community ties. There were a remarkably low number of violent crimes, with only 1 incidents reported. The town ranks as the 17th safest against violent offenses. Property crime is equally scarce with only 3 instances, leading to a 46/100k people crime rate per person.
Chester's unique features include the historic Sugar Loaf, home to the known harness-racing horse Hambletonian 10, and diverse areas such as Camp Monroe, Glenmere Lake, and Goose Pond Mountain State Park.
Population: 8,826
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 11 (16th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 260 (15th safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Marlborough: Real Estate
Population: 5,054
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 19 (26th safest)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 118 (seventh safest)
Murders: 0
Murders Per 100k: 0
More on Elmsford: Data | Real Estate
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Methodology: How we calculated the safest cities in New York for 2025
While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in New York are the safest, we wanted to rely on something other than speculation and opinion. Instead, we looked at the hard numbers from the FBI's most recent crime report in New York.
Specifically, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, which summarizes the number of property and violent crimes in each city annually. We used two criteria:
- Violent crimes per capita (murders, assaults, rapes, armed robberies)
- Property crimes per capita (thefts, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts)
For example, there were 0 crimes committed in Highlands, with a reported population of 9,153. That means the number of crimes per capita is 0.0, which translates into a 1 in 12000 chance of being the victim of a crime.
We only looked at New York cities that have populations of more than 5,000. This filter left us with 188 of the biggest cities in New York to rank.
We ranked each city for each criterion from 1 to 188 where 1 in any particular category is the safest.
Next, we averaged each place's two criteria to create a Safety Index. We crowned the place with the lowest overall Safety Score, "The Safest Place In New York," with any ties going to the bigger city.
The safest city in New York, based on our criteria, is Highlands. The most dangerous city in New York? Herkimer, where residents had a 1 in 10 chance of being the victim of a crime.
This article has been update for 2025. This report marks our tenth time ranking the safest places to live in New York. All the data comes from the FBI's Crime In The USA 2024 report.
Summary: The Safest Cities In The Empire State
Looking at the data, you can tell that Highlands is as safe as they come in New York, according to science and data.
But as most New York residents would agree, almost every place here has its safe and not safe parts. So just make sure you're informed ahead of time.
The safest places in New York are .
Here's a look at the most dangerous cities in New York according to the data:
- Herkimer
- Syracuse
- Buffalo
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New York
- Best Places To Retire In New York
- Richest Cities In New York
Where Are The 10 Safest Cities In New York For 2025?
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crimes Per 100k | Property Crimes Per 100k | Murders Per 100k | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highlands, NY | 9,153 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Shawangunk, NY | 13,376 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Cornwall, NY | 9,583 | 0 | 146 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Woodstock, NY | 6,208 | 0 | 193 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Briarcliff Manor, NY | 7,249 | 0 | 206 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Lewisboro, NY | 11,836 | 8 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Kings Point, NY | 5,626 | 0 | 213 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Chester, NY | 8,608 | 11 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Marlborough, NY | 8,826 | 11 | 260 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Elmsford, NY | 5,054 | 19 | 118 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Rye, NY | 16,094 | 12 | 254 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Scarsdale, NY | 17,602 | 5 | 340 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Cairo, NY | 6,671 | 0 | 374 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Tuckahoe, NY | 6,846 | 29 | 102 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Rosendale, NY | 5,665 | 17 | 264 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Whitestown, NY | 8,666 | 0 | 415 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Bedford, NY | 16,196 | 24 | 234 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Hastings-On-Hudson, NY | 8,229 | 12 | 376 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Waterford and, NY | 8,072 | 24 | 297 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Stillwater, NY | 7,936 | 12 | 403 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Bronxville, NY | 6,332 | 0 | 505 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Harrison, NY | 31,718 | 6 | 476 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Northport, NY | 7,254 | 13 | 427 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Mount Hope, NY | 6,445 | 31 | 341 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Mamaroneck, NY | 12,234 | 8 | 539 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Old Westbury, NY | 5,033 | 19 | 417 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Warwick, NY | 19,314 | 41 | 284 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | East Fishkill, NY | 29,607 | 27 | 405 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Canton, NY | 6,962 | 14 | 474 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Plattekill, NY | 10,344 | 38 | 357 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Pelham, NY | 7,084 | 42 | 324 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Goshen, NY | 8,546 | 46 | 292 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Wappingers Falls, NY | 6,027 | 0 | 680 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Rockville Centre, NY | 25,472 | 23 | 471 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Kent, NY | 12,826 | 38 | 397 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Tarrytown, NY | 11,651 | 34 | 411 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Montgomery, NY | 9,464 | 31 | 443 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Eastchester, NY | 19,936 | 20 | 566 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | Brockport, NY | 7,110 | 56 | 309 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Long Beach, NY | 34,527 | 78 | 104 | 2 | 1 |
| 41 | Fishkill, NY | 20,101 | 14 | 656 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Schodack, NY | 11,318 | 70 | 282 | 0 | 0 |
| 43 | Croton-On-Hudson, NY | 8,100 | 12 | 703 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Rye Brook, NY | 9,708 | 20 | 659 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | Irvington, NY | 6,348 | 63 | 346 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Hyde Park, NY | 21,180 | 56 | 382 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | Eden, NY | 7,490 | 80 | 226 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Yorktown, NY | 34,899 | 37 | 596 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | Ogden, NY | 20,082 | 39 | 562 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | Saugerties, NY | 19,468 | 51 | 518 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | Garden City, NY | 22,857 | 26 | 787 | 0 | 0 |
| 52 | Deerpark, NY | 7,349 | 81 | 353 | 0 | 0 |
| 53 | Stony Point, NY | 14,706 | 81 | 373 | 6 | 1 |
| 54 | Potsdam, NY | 8,421 | 23 | 950 | 0 | 0 |
| 55 | Lewiston and, NY | 15,616 | 44 | 659 | 0 | 0 |
| 56 | Crawford, NY | 9,000 | 77 | 422 | 0 | 0 |
| 57 | Orangetown, NY | 41,682 | 57 | 558 | 0 | 0 |
| 58 | Amityville, NY | 9,615 | 10 | 1,144 | 0 | 0 |
| 59 | Lynbrook, NY | 19,976 | 75 | 470 | 0 | 0 |
| 60 | Bethlehem, NY | 34,933 | 31 | 961 | 2 | 1 |
| 61 | Larchmont, NY | 6,454 | 30 | 991 | 0 | 0 |
| 62 | New Paltz and, NY | 15,926 | 56 | 671 | 0 | 0 |
| 63 | Camillus and, NY | 25,096 | 51 | 753 | 0 | 0 |
| 64 | Ramapo, NY | 110,136 | 75 | 630 | 0 | 1 |
| 65 | Lancaster, NY | 39,290 | 43 | 956 | 0 | 0 |
| 66 | Southold, NY | 21,344 | 51 | 894 | 0 | 0 |
| 67 | Southampton, NY | 59,965 | 58 | 758 | 0 | 0 |
| 68 | Fallsburg, NY | 14,365 | 90 | 480 | 0 | 0 |
| 69 | Cicero, NY | 28,678 | 45 | 986 | 0 | 0 |
| 70 | Pleasantville, NY | 7,177 | 83 | 613 | 0 | 0 |
| 71 | Webster and, NY | 45,084 | 57 | 909 | 0 | 0 |
| 72 | Glen Cove, NY | 27,767 | 111 | 468 | 0 | 0 |
| 73 | East Aurora-Aurora, NY | 13,841 | 79 | 664 | 0 | 0 |
| 74 | Fairport, NY | 5,318 | 112 | 451 | 0 | 0 |
| 75 | Washingtonville, NY | 5,633 | 88 | 639 | 0 | 0 |
| 76 | Oneonta City, NY | 16,232 | 80 | 733 | 0 | 0 |
| 77 | Blooming Grove, NY | 12,729 | 102 | 581 | 0 | 0 |
| 78 | Wallkill, NY | 31,330 | 51 | 1,113 | 0 | 0 |
| 79 | Floral Park, NY | 15,799 | 126 | 430 | 0 | 0 |
| 80 | Hudson Falls, NY | 7,363 | 190 | 325 | 0 | 0 |
| 81 | Orchard Park, NY | 29,778 | 67 | 1,004 | 0 | 0 |
| 82 | Manlius, NY | 25,064 | 47 | 1,252 | 0 | 0 |
| 83 | Port Chester, NY | 30,260 | 76 | 964 | 0 | 0 |
| 84 | Beacon, NY | 15,267 | 111 | 655 | 6 | 1 |
| 85 | Baldwinsville, NY | 7,584 | 118 | 566 | 0 | 0 |
| 86 | Rensselaer City, NY | 9,343 | 53 | 1,220 | 0 | 0 |
| 87 | Monroe, NY | 9,473 | 84 | 876 | 0 | 0 |
| 88 | Lloyd, NY | 11,090 | 81 | 919 | 0 | 0 |
| 89 | New Windsor, NY | 27,811 | 97 | 841 | 0 | 0 |
| 90 | Rotterdam, NY | 30,518 | 39 | 1,648 | 0 | 0 |
| 91 | Glenville, NY | 22,040 | 72 | 1,143 | 4 | 1 |
| 92 | Hamburg, NY | 47,687 | 52 | 1,490 | 2 | 1 |
| 93 | Suffern, NY | 11,317 | 123 | 751 | 0 | 0 |
| 94 | North Greenbush, NY | 13,240 | 67 | 1,404 | 0 | 0 |
| 95 | Geneseo, NY | 7,776 | 64 | 1,453 | 0 | 0 |
| 96 | Evans, NY | 15,049 | 93 | 1,069 | 0 | 0 |
| 97 | Port Washington, NY | 19,888 | 125 | 809 | 0 | 0 |
| 98 | Glens Falls, NY | 14,416 | 159 | 658 | 0 | 0 |
| 99 | Haverstraw, NY | 38,750 | 157 | 885 | 0 | 0 |
| 100 | Vestal, NY | 32,289 | 46 | 2,616 | 0 | 0 |
Breaking Down Crime In The Safest And Most Dangerous Cities In New York
Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.
He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.
If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.
You can find out more about him on LinkedIn.
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