10 Safest Small Communities To Settle In New England
New England has always been one of the best places to settle in the US, due to the high quality of life it delivers. From its excellent healthcare to its abundant job opportunities, impressive natural scenery, and an endless list of attractions, this region brings it all. But while it checks so many boxes, safety is a huge thing to consider before moving anywhere. Thankfully, states in New England have consistently appeared at the top of the list of places with the lowest crime rates in the country. In other words, New England is one of the safest regions in the US, and while there are always exceptions, the towns below have been carefully selected as they are the perfect examples of the region’s outstanding safety reputation. Whether you’re looking for where to retire, vacation, raise a family, or just enjoy a peaceful lifestyle, these communities in New England are sure to exceed all expectations. Crime data is according to the FBI Data Explorer.
Camden, Maine
Camden, one of Maine’s tourist hot spots, is also an incredibly safe place to live, with a crime rate far lower than the state and national averages. This friendly little town sits on Penobscot Bay, where it further appeals with its natural scenery and long list of attractions, particularly the Camden Hills State Park. This park is a haven for adventures with over 30 miles of hiking trails, including the 1.1-mile Mount Battie Trail, which leads to a summit with breathtaking views of downtown Camden and Penobscot Bay. This park also offers a well-equipped campground with over a hundred campsites, a scenic road, and opportunities for skiing and snowmobiling in winter.
Away from the park, the Camden Opera House is in town to offer a variety of entertainment in a nearly 500-seat auditorium. Additionally, the Camden Harbor Park and Amphitheatre on the waterfront is a great place to relax and catch community events and concerts with impressive scenery. As for winter lovers, Camden is the proud home of the Camden Snow Bowl, one of the oldest operating ski resorts in New England, featuring chairlifts with beautiful ocean and mountain views, 15 ski trails, two terrain parks, and nearly 1,000 feet of vertical elevation.
Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham has one of the lowest crime rates for all towns and cities of its size in the US, making it a safe haven to live, retire, and play. Positioned near the elbow of Cape Cod, this town is also a coastal paradise and home to several beaches, including Ridgevale Beach, a beautiful shoreline with soft sand and gentle waves that make it ideal for families with children. Additionally, Chatham hosts the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, where coastal habitats and beaches teeming with wildlife offer a true getaway in nature. This refuge is a hot spot for birdwatching, plus it offers opportunities for fishing, hiking, and boating.
For seafood lovers, the Chatham Pier Fish Market is an amazing place to shop for fresh seafood or dine with the views. The town also hosts the Chatham Lighthouse, one of the state’s oldest lighthouses, established in 1808, and a great place to learn about the history of coastal navigation on Cape Cod. Elsewhere, the Chatham Orpheum Theater is always open to offer live events and movies in a 1915 setting.
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Cape Elizabeth is one of Maine’s small communities that promise a peaceful and exciting life. This town is safer than most US cities, and its location right on the Atlantic Ocean makes it home to some of the country’s top coastal attractions. Cape Elizabeth is where to find the beloved Fort Williams Park, which sits on the coast and features a rocky beach, an arboretum, a garden, walking paths, picnic facilities, and sports facilities. The park even hosts several historic attractions, including gun batteries dating to the early 1900s, the 1850s Goddard Mansion, and the Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest lighthouse, completed in 1791. South of this park is the Two Lights State Park, which was also once a coastal defence, but is now a great spot to witness impressive coastal scenery while hiking or picnicking.
For a special Maine treat, Crescent Beach State Park features one of Maine’s best sandy beaches with great opportunities for fishing and surfing. But besides all of the coastal draws, the town’s Robinson Woods Preserve offers trails winding through woodlands, fields, and ponds. To add to all of that, Cape Elizabeth is less than 25 minutes from Portland International Jetport, placing dozens of cities across the US and Canada within easy reach.
Merrimack, New Hampshire
Merrimack's stunning natural scenery is just one of the features that make it appealing for settlement. This town on the Merrimack River also flaunts a significantly low crime rate and a rich history, being one of the state’s oldest towns, first settled in 1655 and incorporated in 1746. So living here entails worrying less about crime and more about how to best explore its attractions, starting from the Wasserman Park, which has everything from sports facilities and hiking trails to a playground for children and a lake ideal for fishing and swimming. Similarly, the town’s Twin Bridge Park has plenty of things to keep residents busy and entertained, including sports facilities, playgrounds, and trails winding through the surrounding forest. Speaking of trails, the Wildcat Falls Conservation Area has a two-mile loop trail that leads to a lush forest and a waterfall on the Souhegan River.
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is one of the best places to live in the US, especially if safety is a top priority. This friendly town ranks among the safest places in the country, plus it is drenched in college vibes, being home to Dartmouth College, one of the best academic institutions in the country, founded in 1769. A member of the Ivy League, this college makes living in Hanover exciting, especially as it hosts the Hood Museum of Art and the Hopkins Center for the Arts, where the artistic prowess of students can be witnessed via a variety of live performances. Notably, the Hood Museum of Art is one of the best in New Hampshire, featuring over 65,000 artworks, covering every part of the world from Africa and Asia to Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. The artworks in this museum also span thousands of years, with some collections focusing on art from Ancient Egypt, pre-Columbian cultures, and the Near East. Outside Dartmouth, Hanover has other things to offer, including the Mink Brook Nature Preserve, an excellent place to unwind with short trails leading through a pine and hemlock forest featuring cute birds and streams. For book lovers, the Still North Books & Bar is a cute spot in town to explore a wide selection of books or dine in a cozy atmosphere.
Franklin, Massachusetts
Franklin combines safe and tree-lined streets with a friendly atmosphere and a wide range of attractions to forge a worthy abode in Massachusetts. Located on the Charles River watershed, near Boston, this town has something for everyone, including fitness enthusiasts, with several gyms, such as the NRG Lab Fitness Center, which features affordable membership and a wide variety of equipment and workout environments. Those who love performing arts have the Black Box to catch live music and theatrical productions year-round, while Altitude Trampoline Park is a wonderful place where people of all ages can have incredible fun, with lots of equipment, including a foam pit and stunt bag. Sports enthusiasts are always welcome to the King Street Memorial Park, which has baseball, basketball, pickleball, and soccer facilities, as well as a community garden. The town even has attractions to delight history buffs, including the Franklin Public Library, which is the oldest existing public library in the US, founded in 1790.
Bristol, Rhode Island
This charming coastal community on Narragansett Bay is a haven for peaceful living, with a significantly low crime rate, impressive scenery, and plenty of things to see and do. One of the oldest towns in Rhode Island, founded around 1680, this town is notable for its historic attractions, one of which is the 33-acre Blithewold Mansion, Garden, and Arboretum. Established between the 1890s and early 1900s, the mansion and its gardens are incredibly beautiful, and represent one of the finest examples of the Country Palace era, a period when affluent Americans built majestic residences reminiscent of European architecture and traditions. Besides its historic allure, Bristol has exciting attractions like the Colt State Park to delight those seeking adventure. This park, with its four miles of paved pathways, stone walls, sports facilities, and lush trees, is a great place to hike, bike, enjoy sports, and just soak in the town’s coastal splendor as it sits right on the waterfront. Plus, the park has a fishing pier, kayak launch, and picnic facilities. As for art enthusiasts, the Bristol Art Museum offers year-round exhibitions from local artists, as well as programs.
Cumberland, Rhode Island
Envision a town on Rhode Island’s northeastern border with Massachusetts, with a significantly low crime rate, rich history, and a long list of attractions, and you’ll be thinking of Cumberland. One of the larger towns in Rhode Island, with around 36,000 people, this town is a great place to live and enjoy some of the state’s unique attractions, starting from the Blackstone River Bikeway, a paved path that stretches for over 10 miles through scenic forests and along the Blackstone River to the town of Woonsocket. Cumberland is also the proud home of the Phantom Farms, one of the state’s coolest places to shop for fruits and baked goods, with impressive scenery. Elsewhere in town, the Diamond Hill Vineyards has a variety of wines and lovely vineyards to delight everyone, while the Blackstone River Theater hosts a variety of shows in an intimate setting.
Madison, Connecticut
Madison is one of Connecticut’s best answers to the request for an excellent place to settle in New England. This town is peaceful, with one of the region’s lowest crime rates, plus it is located right on Long Island Sound, where it flaunts amazing beaches and attractions. Notably, Madison hosts the famous Hammonassett Beach State Park, one of Connecticut’s top attractions, featuring two miles of beachfront, a large campground, and a nature preserve. For those who love biking or hiking, Madison boasts the Shoreline Greenway Trail, a 25-mile trail that winds through lush forest and along Long Island Sound, en route to the town of New Haven. Besides the outdoor attractions, Madison is further loaded with shops, restaurants, and unique establishments like the RJ Julia Booksellers, one of the best independent booksellers in the country, featuring a diverse selection of books, alongside gifts and food.
Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne is a small town on Lake Champlain, and one of Vermont’s safest places to call home. This town is also just a paradise for nature lovers as it is surrounded by lush trees and mountains, while sitting on Vermont’s largest lake. Even more exciting, the town boasts several nature-centric attractions, including the 1,400-acre Shelburne Farms, where guests can learn about sustainability, stay at a farm lodge, enjoy fresh foods, hike, or launch a kayak onto the cool waters of Lake Champlain. Elsewhere in town, the Shelburne Vineyard is always open to delight visitors with a variety of wines and ciders, and live music every weekend. Golf enthusiasts have the 18-hole Kwiniaska Golf Course to enjoy from May through October, with impressive views of the Green Mountains, and that’s not all. The Shelburne Museum is notably one of the largest of its kind in New England, with so much to delight history and art lovers alike. Over 150,000 artworks reside in over 30 buildings across this museum, from 19th-century American folk art and quilts to 17th-century artifacts, textiles, horse-drawn vehicles, and more. Plus, the museum has a cafe and is just naturally beautiful with several gardens.
New England’s Exceptional Safety Reputation Shines In These Towns
In a region reputed as the safest in the country, these towns are incredibly special for being the safest. From Newington, Connecticut, to Cape Elizabeth, these towns in New England are excellent places to live peaceful lives, almost devoid of crime. And of course, there’s the appealing natural scenery and attractions to enjoy in these towns, alongside rich histories, vibrant art and cultural scenes, and mouthwatering cuisine. Head to these New England towns today to enjoy the best America has to offer.
