According to a new report by the personal finance website, WalletHub which collated data on various data like mass shootings, hate crimes, COVID-19 death rates, and natural disasters, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire has been elected the three safest states in the US.
50 states were compared across five key areas:
1 — Personal and residential safety 2 — Homicides and assaults 3 — Income and debt data 4 — Road and workplace safety 5 — Preparedness for climate disasters
On a 100-point scale, Vermont scored the highest at 69.49, Maine followed with 66.24 points and New Hampshire scored 65.35
The three states which came at the bottom, are Louisiana with a score of 33.18, Mississippi and Texas trailed close behind.
It was noticed that all of the three best scoring states are located to the extreme northeast and border each other.
With the pandemic causing about 375,000 deaths in the country last year it is still one of the biggest safety concerns to Americans.
A panel of experts gave advice on ways to improve financial safety, they gave strategies to manage personal finances during difficult times and what could states do to reduce crime.
Consumers were advised by Professor Roman Weil, of the University of Chicago, to pay off all credit card debts which will get people most financially safe.
He suggests credit card debt if can be paid in full every month, then one should stop using debit cards.
Because using credit cards increases one’s credit score whereas a debit card does not affect the credit score.
Assistant professor Kareem Tannous, at Cabrini University, suggested investors, should diversify risk in different financial assets, like real estate, equities, bonds, and commodities.
Associate professor of criminal justice at Mercer University, Lynn Tankersley, said that policymakers should address the root causes of crime that are unique to their constituents.
If one lives in a tornado-prone area, consulting and associate director of safety and security at Dartmouth College, Douglas Babcock, suggested avoiding living in a flood zone or having a storm cellar.
For reducing and preventing crime in the future Babcock, said a safe society having better socioeconomic and educational opportunities will be of immense help.
Reference Source: MPA
https://www.compareclosing.com/mortgagenews/the-safest-states-evaluated-across-diverse-data/
