This article was updated on June 16 at 1:35 p.m.
Rye has finished third in a list ranking the safest cities in New York state this year, a newly released report concluded.
It’s the city’s first time cracking the list of 10, which SafeWise, an organization that researches home and community safety, has been publishing for 11 years, according to its website.
Rye had a violent crime rate of just 0.1 per 1,000 people and a property crime rate of 4.5 per 1,000 people, SafeWise reported. The report weighted property and violent crimes equally, although the company admitted that crime statistics are “only one measure” of a community’s safety.
“Rye is standing out as a place where people feel protected, neighbors look out for each other, and community investments in safety are paying off,” said a SafeWise spokesperson.
The city was also anointed one of the best spots to “live your coastal grandmother fantasy in peace,” TimeOut said in reporting on the rankings.
“Beach-town vibes and next-to-no crime,” the outlet added.
For the second year in a row, Bedford in Westchester County topped the list, followed by Putnam County’s Carmel. Meanwhile, Scarsdale was the next highest-ranked Westchester community finishing at No. 7.
Each community, including Rye, lies in the Hudson Valley, which dominated the rankings — claiming eight of the top 10 spots.
The timing of Rye’s entry onto the list is ironic considering it comes less than three months after the city faced one of the biggest drug busts in its history, when the NYPD arrested Jose Garcia in his Central Avenue apartment for his role in a large New York City-based fentanyl and heroin trafficking ring.
Diving into SafeWise’s methodology offers some clarity. The ranking is based on the most recent FBI crime statistics, which only account for crimes reported in 2023.
The high-profile drug bust would have been included in the FBI arrest statistics, which the SafeWise report overlooks.
Nevertheless, “this is the most consistent report available for most cities across the nation,” SafeWise wrote on their website.
There were no murders in any of the cities on the list, according to the report.
