Williamsburg named 9th safest city in Kentucky

Williamsburg remains a relatively safe place to live.

SafeWise released its Fifth Annual Safest Cities in Kentucky report on Monday, and Williamsburg ranked number nine on the list.

“I’m thrilled at the news. We always want our folks to feel safe and be safe,” noted Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison. “This is the second statewide list that we’ve been on this year in the top 10. One had us number six and this one nine. I’m proud of our police and fire departments, and actually all of our departments. All of our employees strive to create a safe place.”

To identify the safest cities in Kentucky, SafeWise reviewed the most recent FBI Crime Report statistics from 2017, along with population data. Cities with fewer than 4,000 residents as well as any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI were eliminated.

From there, SafeWise evaluated the remaining cities narrowing it down based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) and property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft) in each city. To further level the playing field, SafeWise calculated the likelihood of these crimes occurring out of 1,000 people in each city.

Williamsburg was calculated to have 0.37 violent crimes and 13.29 property crimes per 1,000 people, according to the report.

Harrison added that credit also has to go to the residents of Williamsburg.

“A friendly city is a safe city. So really I’d say we all should take pride in this acknowledgment. Once again, it’s what makes Williamsburg Feel Like Home,” Harrison said.

According to the SafeWise report, 60 percent of the top 20 cities saw fewer than 100 property crimes in 2017, and 90 percent had five or fewer violent crimes. None had more than eight.

Prospect, Vine Grove and Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills, which are the top three cities on the list, reported zero violent crimes.

Digital security is the top safety concern in Kentucky, according to the State of Safety survey, with 22 percent of respondents experiencing a digital security issue in the past year, which is two points below the national average.

Corbin was ranked number 65, and London was ranked number 66 on the list.

SafeWise is a home security and safety brand committed to increasing safety education, awareness, and preparedness in American communities.

SafeWise has been recognized by several reputable publications including The Huffington Post, AngiesList, Mashable, US News, and Homes.com, for their Home Security Brand Comparisons and Safest Cities Reports.