Massachusetts is home to 8 of the safest college towns in America, study says

MILTON, Mass. — Massachusetts is home to eight of the top 50 safest college towns in America, according to a new study.

Research.com tapped into FBI crime statistics on violent and property crimes previously used in reporting by Safewise and analyzed community outreach programs, security practices, and safety measures used in college towns to compile the ranking.

“Today, safety is a top concern in our school system at all levels. This is not just limited to the physical safety and security of everyone. It extends mental and emotional safety as well,” Imed Bouchrika, the website’s co-founder and chief data scientist, wrote in the ranking. “As schools are embedded in the context of the cities or towns they are in, students and parents also need to consider the level of safety in these surrounding communities.”

In addition to pinpointing the safest college towns, the study also showed that crime rates inside college and university campuses have been on a downward trend over the past 15 years across America.

Milton, the home of Curry College, was named the safest college town in all of the country. Wellesley, the home of Wellesley College, also checked in inside the top five.

The eight Massachusetts communities that landed on the list ranked as follows:

• 1. Milton -- Home to Curry College
• 4. Wellesley -- Home to Wellesley College
• 14. Beverly -- Home to Endicott College
• 16. North Andover -- Home to Merrimack College
• 25. Bridgewater -- Home to Bridgewater State University
• 32. Medford -- Home to Tufts University
• 34. Easton -- Home to Stonehill College
• 49. Waltham -- Home to Bentley University

To view the full list, click here.

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