Rye was named the safest city in New York state among municipalities with populations greater than 14,727, according to SafeWise, an organization that researches national crime and safety trends.
After ranking third in 2025, Rye unseated Bedford for the top spot this year, ending the northern Westchester community’s two-year run at No. 1.
SafeWise’s state rankings only include communities with populations higher than the state median of 14,727. Some smaller municipalities received higher safety marks in the group’s national rankings.
Figures contributing to Rye’s strong showing include low rates of violent crime (0.1 percent each of the past two years) and property crime (2.5 percent, down from 4.5 percent last year).
Following Rye and Bedford in the rankings were Scarsdale, East Fishkill, and Hyde Park. Yorktown ranked ninth, giving Westchester County four of New York’s 10 safest cities, including the top three.
This is the 12th year SafeWise has released its annual rankings, based on FBI crime data. According to the organization’s 2026 State of Safety report, New York residents are increasingly worried about their overall safety and security. The state is the third-most worried about crime, behind only Pennsylvania and Louisiana.
Of the New York residents surveyed, 68 percent said they were concerned about violent crime on a daily basis, up from 62 percent the year before. The state also has a higher level of concern than the national average on property crime, gun violence, package theft, and cybercrime.
New York City may skew the statewide averages, as the city ranks second in categories like package theft.
