8 Safest Small Communities To Settle In Upstate New York

There is no better feeling than leaving the "street smarts" of the city to spend your days in an honest, forthright, and beautiful town, and there's almost nowhere better for that than upstate New York.

Some might think it's rather boring, but for nature and history lovers, the thrill of finding another lookout point from the top of a mountain, as well as learning about the sport of baseball and the art of local artisans, is a reward in and of itself. Not only that, but the sense of community in some of these small towns offers the perfect picture of rural life and community well-being, with their yearly events and festivals that punctuate the feeling of leaving city life behind.

Call it fresh air or just a sense of peace, but there's nothing quite like upstate New York.

Saranac Lake

Saranac River in Saranac Lake, New York.

This village of 5,099 residents is in the northeastern neck of New York State, where the rate of violent crimes, such as aggravated assault and homicide, is usually below the state and national rates of violent crime. When it comes to aggravated assault, Saranac Lake has only reached the average once in 2022 and once in 2023, and only once surpassed it in 2024. Homicide rates have been at zero for the last five years.

Things to do in Saranac Lake include visiting the 75,000-acre Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, a part of the Adirondack Forest Preserve. It is known for its waterways, featuring 144 water bodies, from small ponds to large lakes. Other visitors might like to go to the Adirondack Artist Guild Gallery located in Saranac Lake. The guild is a cooperative retail art gallery representing local artists.

And for a quick trip to childhood, the Adirondack Carousel is also located in Saranac Lake. Visitors can ride the merry-go-round while enjoying popcorn, hot chocolate, and coffee, all of which are sold at the gift shop.

Lake Placid

Lake Placid, New York. Image credit: Ritu Manoj Jethani via Shutterstock

With only 2,159 residents, Lake Placid is a safe town where the rate for aggravated assault and homicide is well below that of the state or the nation. In fact, the rate for aggravated assault has only exceeded the national and state rate three times in the last five years, during which zero homicides have been reported.

Lake Placid is the home of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, and has been the host of the Winter Olympics twice. The museum has the second-largest Winter Olympic artifact collection in North America. Mount Whiteface is also a prime destination for skiers, ranked as a number-one resort by SKI Magazine readers.

Autumn colors in Lake Placid, New York.

For history buffs, a quick visit to the John Brown Farm State Historic Site might be just the thing to do. The home and grave of abolitionist John Brown are on display. Brown and his followers besieged the U.S. Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry to use the firearms there to free slaves in the Southern states. The attack failed, and Brown was hanged, but not before prophesying the U.S. Civil War, which would end slavery in the nation.

Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs has a population of 28,542, but is a safe community that stays well below the rate of New York and the United States for aggravated assault and homicide. Travelers might enjoy the Saratoga Race Course for a visit. Horse racing has been in the history of Saratoga Springs since 1847, when trotting races were held at “Horse Haven,” a dirt path along Union Avenue. For more information, one might check out the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs.

Downtown Saratoga Springs, New York. Image credit aimintang via iStock.com

For more leisurely play, the Saratoga Spa State Park is open for visitors. Activities include biking, camping, disc golf, equestrian trails, fishing, golf, ice skating, and a nature center.

Woodstock

Woodstock, population 2,562, has not had a homicide in all of the past five years and only two instances of aggravated assault in 2023.

Visitors might like to see the 63 acres of meadows, forested quarry trails, and historic buildings surrounding six acres of a monumental environmental sculpture known as Opus 40 in what is now an abandoned quarry. It is made up of tons of stone walling and was created by sculptor Harvey Fite. Other walkers might enjoy the trails in and around Woodstock, such as those on Overlook Mountain, one of the most visited locations in the Catskill Forest Preserve.

The Mud Club in Woodstock, New York.

And of course, who could forget Bethel Woods, the site for the original Woodstock Festival in 1969. Today, a museum on site attempts to interpret the festival and the 1960s for any visitor who passes through.

Skaneateles

Skaneateles, New York, on an autumn morning. Image credit debra millet via Shutterstock

With a population of 2,533, Skaneateles is a quiet, rural community that has had no aggravated assaults or homicides in the last five years.

On nearby Skaneateles Lake, there are three parks: Thayer Park, Shotwell Memorial Park, and Clift Park, to idle the day away on the edge of the lake. Visitors can also see the downtown Historic District, with buildings dating back to 1796, and visit the Barrow Gallery on Genesee Street between January and April. The 125-year-old shop is filled with the work of a local nineteenth-century artist John D. Barrow. The collection features over 400 original oil paintings and is said to capture the natural world, inspiring environmental awareness.

The waterfront in Skaneateles, New York.

Tourism is a piece of the community’s economy, with the Skaneateles Music Festival bringing in visitors near and far. This four-week-long festival features everything from classical and jazz to bluegrass and rock, all right on the lake.

Cooperstown

Cooperstown has a population of 2,113 residents and has not had a reported homicide or aggravated assault in the past five years.

The biggest activity in Cooperstown is baseball. The Baseball Hall of Fame is located in this small town, where visitors can geek out on baseball artifacts like those from the 2025 World Series. If baseball isn’t your thing, then perhaps a visit to the Fenimore Art Museum, which holds one of the largest collections of American Folk Art.

Cooperstown, New York.

Also, travelers might like to take a look at Fenimore Farm & Country Village, a working farm and village that comprises shopping, dining, and group tours. Others might like to go even further back in time with a canoe or kayak at Glimmerglass State Park, open year-round and a short drive from Cooperstown. The park offers activities such as ice fishing, ice skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, swimming, fishing, hiking, and boating.

Cold Spring

Main Street in Cold Spring, New York.

The village of Cold Spring is usually pretty quiet, with the rate of aggravated assault only rising over the state and national rates twice in 2024. The homicide rate remained zero between 2021 and 2025.

Along the Hudson River, boating and kayaking are encouraged for visitors and residents alike. With tourism becoming more of a factor, the community has turned a once-industrial site into a tour for visitors along Foundry Brook, where steam engines, cannons, and other ironworks were fashioned in the 19^th century.

Ruins of Bannerman Castle at Cold Spring, New York.

Other visitors might also enjoy bow and shotgun hunting during its permitted season in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve. There are also many trails for hikers and waterways for fishing in the preserve.

And for those feeling medieval, a genuine castle is located on Bannerman Island. Tours include boat rides to the island and a walking tour of Bannerman Castle ruins and gardens.

Carmel

Aerial view of Lake Mahopac in Carmel, New York.

There are 33,761 residents in Carmel, New York, but the homicide rate has remained at zero for the past five years. Its aggravated assault rate met that of New York State’s in 2021 at less than 10 offenses per 100,000 people, and continues to dip and rise to that level until 2025. However, it stays below the national and state rates.

Known for its beautiful lakes, Carmel is close to Wonder Lake State Park, open dawn to dusk, where hikers can climb 8.6 miles of marked trails. Carmel also holds the Gilead Burying Ground, where over two dozen U.S. Revolutionary War veterans are buried, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The town also hosts events throughout the year, including a Farmers Market, Sunset Concerts, and a Spring Easter Egg Hunt.

So, if city life has gotten too hectic, consider visiting one of these towns in the great backyard that is the rest of New York State. Whether it be Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, or Staten Island that is home, a chance to unwind is universal and will do a lot of good.

From National Parks to National Historic Registry Sites, to an ordinary park in an ordinary town out beyond the range of urban anxiety, the upstate is more like the down-to-earth state with a sense of safety that can't be found in a big city. If the chance comes, jump for it because even a week or only a few days in any of these towns will certainly lower the blood pressure, and hopefully, charge up those batteries for another long year in the city streets.