The 20 least-safe states in the US, ranked
- WalletHub released a 2023 study ranking the safest states in the US.
- Fifty-two safety indicators were considered in five categories, including road and financial safety.
No matter where you live, it's important to consider how different factors in your location will impact your safety — whether at your workplace, through the weather in your region, or due to local crime rates.
Personal-finance website WalletHub released a report on October 23 that ranked the safest states in the US in 2023. In the categories of personal and residential safety, financial safety, road safety, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness, the 50 states were compared across 52 safety factors.
These included factors such as law-enforcement employees per capita, the bullying incidence rate, assaults per capita, the unemployment rate, and more.
While Vermont was ranked as the safest state, followed by Maine and New Hampshire, other states such as Louisiana and Mississippi fell to the bottom of the list.
These 20 states are the least-safe in the US, according to WalletHub.
20. Nevada
Nevada came in No. 4 for the least-safe state in financial safety. It was also ranked the fifth worst state for personal and residential safety and the eighth worst in WalletHub's metric for road safety. It also has the third-highest unemployment rate.
19. Nebraska
Nebraska ranks as the 19th least-safe state overall.
In WalletHub's safest states ranking, it ranked No. 35 for workplace safety, and 42nd in the category of emergency preparedness, leading to its overall low ranking.
18. Illinois
Illinois came in No. 5 for the least-safe state in financial safety. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's the 16th worst state in the US, according to the WalletHub study.
Illinois also tied with Kentucky, New Jersey, and New Mexico for the highest unemployment rate.
17. South Dakota
South Dakota is the second least-safe state in the US for workplace safety.
In the category of emergency preparedness, it's considered the 12th worst and, according to WalletHub, it tied with Mississippi, North Dakota, and Louisiana for the second-highest total loss amount from climate disasters per capita.
16. Ohio
Ohio came in No. 7 for the least-safe state in financial safety and 18th least-safe in workplace safety.
15. California
California is the second least-safe state in personal and residential safety, and it has the second-highest unemployment rate out of all the states, only behind Nevada.
In WalletHub's safest states ranking, it ranked 34th for financial safety and 47th in road safety.
14. Kansas
Kansas is the 15th least-safe state in the US for workplace safety. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's considered the sixth least-safe state in the US.
13. Georgia
Georgia was ranked the third worst state for financial safety.
Out of the 50 states, in the category of emergency preparedness, it ranked 38th, and for road safety, it ranked 37th. It also has the third-highest share of uninsured people.
12. South Carolina
South Carolina is the seventh least-safe state in both personal and residential safety and road safety. It has the fifth-most fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, according to the study.
11. Tennessee
Tennessee is the third least-safe state in personal and residential safety, tying with Alaska, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico for most assaults per capita.
It's also the ninth worst state for financial safety, with the fourth-lowest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds.
10. Missouri
Missouri is the 20th least-safe state in personal and residential safety. It came in No. 19 for the least-safe state in financial safety. In the category of emergency preparedness, it's considered the 11th least-safe state in the US.
9. Montana
Montana is the 10th least-safe state for workplace safety, tying with North Dakota and Wyoming for the fourth-most fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
8. Colorado
Colorado is the least-safe state in personal and residential safety, and the sixth worst in the US for workplace safety.
7. Oklahoma
In WalletHubs's safest states study, Oklahoma ranked 34th for personal and residential safety and No. 33 in financial safety.
It has the fourth-highest share of uninsured people and the fifth-lowest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds.
6. Alabama
In the category of emergency preparedness, Alabama is considered the eighth least-safe state in the US and was ranked the sixth worst for financial safety.
5. Florida
Florida is the 16th least-safe state in personal and residential safety. The Sunshine State is the fifth least-safe state in WalletHub's metric for road safety, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness. It also has the second-highest share of uninsured people.
4. Texas
Texas is the 11th least-safe state in personal and residential safety.
In the category of emergency preparedness, it's considered the third least-safe state in the US and has the fifth-highest share of uninsured people.
3. Arkansas
Arkansas is the third least-safe state in WalletHub's metric for both road safety and workplace safety.
It has the third-most fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, and it tied with Alaska, Louisiana, Tennessee, and New Mexico for most assaults per capita.
2. Mississippi
Mississippi is the least-safe state in WalletHub's financial safety, road safety, and emergency preparedness metrics. It is the fourth least-safe state in the US for workplace safety.
WalletHub's rankings also show that Mississippi has the fourth-most fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel. Mississippi tied with South Dakota, North Dakota, and Louisiana for the second-highest total loss amount from climate disasters per capita.
1. Louisiana
Deemed the least-safe state in the US, Louisiana is also the second least-safe state in financial safety and emergency preparedness, eighth worst in personal and residential safety, and ninth worst in the US for workplace safety.
Louisiana has the most fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, and it is tied with Alaska, Arkansas, Tennessee, and New Mexico for most assaults per capita.
Per WalletHub, the state tied with Mississippi, North Dakota, and South Dakota for the second-highest total loss amount from climate disasters per capita and came in third place for the most fatal occupational injuries per total workers.
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