Recent CDC statistics show elder abuse affects approximately 1 in 10 Americans aged 60+ annually, underscoring the critical importance of elderly safety. A new study by Your Insurance Attorney analyzed senior-related statistics across the U.S. to identify the states where older Americans face the least risk of crime. For comparison between the states, the research took into account key metrics, including scam reports, homicide rate, intentional violent death rate, and quality of life. The data from the FBI, Administration for Community Living, and Senior Living was taken to calculate the final score, reflecting senior safety in each state.
Here is the summary of the findings:
|
State |
Scam Reports (60+) per 100k people |
Homicide Rate (65+) per 100k people |
Intentional Violent Death Rate (65+) per 100k people |
Quality of Life |
Senior Safety Score |
|
Massachusetts |
124.7 |
0.9 |
8.7 |
55 |
89.96 |
|
Minnesota |
122.0 |
1 |
13.1 |
58 |
89.03 |
|
Nebraska |
112.4 |
0.9 |
13.6 |
57 |
88.78 |
|
Iowa |
113.6 |
0.9 |
13.8 |
57 |
88.46 |
|
New York |
120.4 |
1.3 |
11.3 |
57 |
87.85 |
|
Rhode Island |
130.3 |
1.1 |
10.3 |
54 |
85.23 |
|
New Jersey |
123.9 |
1.4 |
10.8 |
55 |
84.78 |
|
North Dakota |
95.5 |
1 |
13 |
51 |
82.59 |
|
Connecticut |
141.1 |
1 |
11.6 |
53 |
82.15 |
|
Wisconsin |
100.4 |
1.8 |
15.7 |
55 |
79.6 |
*You can find the full research, along with all the metrics and methodology here.
The state where senior Americans are the safest is Massachusetts, with a senior safety score of 89.9, reflecting a high quality of life and a low rate of crime against seniors. There are 124.7 scams per 100K reported among people 60+, and the state has the lowest homicide rates for seniors at 0.9. The quality of life in Massachusetts is also high, with an index of 55.
Minnesota ranks second on the list of U.S. states where seniors face the lowest crime risk, with a score of 89. The state has the highest quality of life index, showing better levels of healthcare access, security, safety, and environmental quality. The rate of scams against seniors is also lower here than in Massachusetts, with a rate of 122.
In third position is Nebraska, scoring 88.7. The state has one of the lowest scam rates against the elderly, with 112.4 per 100K, lower than in Massachusetts and Minnesota. The quality of life in Nebraska follows closely after Minnesota, with an index of 57.
Iowa follows closely with fourth place and a senior safety score of 88.4. Similar to Nebraska and Massachusetts, Iowa has the lowest elderly homicide rate of 0.9, but the violent death rate of people 65+ here is a little higher.
New York is fifth in the ranking of the U.S. safest states for older Americans, with a score of 87.5. The violent death rate among the elderly here is smaller than in Iowa, with 11.3 per 100K residents, but the quality of life is just as high, with an index of 57.
In sixth place is Rhode Island, scoring 85.2. The homicide rate of people 65+ is a little higher here than in Massachusetts or Minnesota, but remains very low for the U.S. at 1.1. The violent death rate among seniors is the second-lowest in Rhode Island, closely following Massachusetts.
New Jersey takes seventh position, getting a senior safe score of 84.7. Quality of life in New Jersey gets an index of 55, higher than in Rhode Island, highlighting stronger safety and security for older people. Crimes against the elderly are also rare here, with 123.9 reported scams per 100K.
North Dakota is eighth, with a score of 82.5. The state has the fewest scams with senior victims in the top 10, with a rate of 95.5. North Dakota also stands out with a low senior homicide rate at 1 per 100K residents.
Connecticut is ninth, with a senior safety score of 82.1. The scams with elderly victims are more common here than in other states in the ranking, but the homicide rates and violent deaths are rare, with the rates of 1 and 11.6, respectively.
Wisconsin rounds up the top 10 states where older Americans face the lowest crime risks, with a score of 79.6. The state has the second-lowest scam rate, with 100.4 reports with senior victims. Wisconsin also offers a high quality of life, with an index of 55, higher than in Connecticut or North Dakota.
Attorney Anthony Lopez from Your Insurance Attorney commented on the study: “The significant variation in senior safety metrics across states reveals how local policies, community support systems, and cultural attitudes toward aging collectively shape environments where older Americans can thrive with dignity or face heightened vulnerability. As the national demographic continues its historic shift toward an older population, these state-level safety differences highlight the urgent need for comprehensive elder protection strategies that address not just physical safety but also financial security and overall quality of life for seniors across all communities.”