Delaware's Top 10 Safest Cities in 2016

See how SafeWise recently ranked the First State.

SafeWise—a home security and safety brand committed to increasing safety education, awareness and preparedness in American communities—released its “10 Safest Cities in Delaware” list in September. Here is what it said:

Delaware is the second-smallest state in the U.S.—but it’s an undeniable powerhouse when it comes to business. In fact, due in part to its pro-business climate, more than 50 percent of the country’s publicly traded companies and nearly two-thirds of all Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware. The First State also boasts 381 miles of stunning shoreline, dozens of quaint towns and a relaxed vibe. Add in the fact that the number of reported crimes in Delaware has steadily decreased over the last several years, and it’s easy to understand why its population is growing faster than most other states.

The crime rate among the following cities is less than half the national average—and only one city on our list reported a murder. We were impressed to find that all of the state’s safest cities in 2014 and 2015 are appearing on our list for the third year in a row, which is an indication that law enforcement officers and community members are taking a cooperative, hands-on approach to crime prevention.

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No matter where you live in the state, our Delaware Safety Directory can provide you with tips and resources to help enhance your safety and security.

How we chose the safest cities in Delaware:

To identify the 10 safest cities in Delaware, we reviewed the most recent FBI Crime Report statistics from 2014, along with population data. We eliminated all cities with fewer than 1,500 residents as well as any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI.

From there, we evaluated the remaining cities. We narrowed it down based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape and robbery) and property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft) in each city. To further level the playing field, we calculated the likelihood of these crimes occurring out of 1,000 people in each city.

1. Clayton 
Previous rank: 2
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.61
Property crimes per 1,000: 12.40

2. Ocean View ↑
Previous rank: 7
Violent crimes per 1,000: 0.48
Property crimes per 1,000: 16.46

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3. Elsmere ↑
Previous rank: 6
Violent crimes per 1,000: 3.56 
Property crimes per 1,000: 20.25

4. Newark ↑
Previous rank: 5
Violent crimes per 1,000: 3.17 
Property crimes per 1,000: 22.70

5. Middletown ↓
Previous rank: 1
Violent crimes per 1,000: 3.09 
Property crimes per 1,000: 23.78

6. Bridgeville ↓
Previous rank: 3
Violent crimes per 1,000: 8.22 
Property crimes per 1,000: 22.37

7. Lewes ↓
Previous rank: 4
Violent crimes per 1,000: 4.09 
Property crimes per 1,000: 28.64

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8. Smyrna 
Previous rank: Not ranked
Violent crimes per 1,000: 5.55 
Property crimes per 1,000: 29.01

9. Milton 
Previous rank: Not ranked
Violent crimes per 1,000: 6.91
Property crimes per 1,000: 28.00

10. Delaware City ↓
Previous rank: 9
Violent crimes per 1,000: 2.89

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