Columbia has been ranked among the safest cities in the United States, finishing No. 19 nationally in WalletHub’s 2026 Safest Cities in America rankings. It was the highest rated city in Maryland.
Columbia received an overall score of 66.60 and ranked No. 1 in the country for Home & Community Safety. The Howard County community also ranked 11th for Natural-Disaster Risk and 68th for Financial Safety.
WalletHub compared 182 cities using 41 indicators of safety across three primary categories: Home & Community Safety, Natural-Disaster Risk and Financial Safety. The study looks beyond crime, incorporating factors such as traffic fatalities, unemployment, natural-disaster risk and the percentage of residents without health insurance.
Columbia’s strong showing comes in sharp contrast to Baltimore, which ranked near the bottom of the same study. As we previously reported, Baltimore ranked 180th out of the 182 cities evaluated, with an overall score of 36.70. Baltimore also ranked 180th for Home & Community Safety, 106th for Natural-Disaster Risk and 174th for Financial Safety.
Washington, D.C. also finished near the bottom of the rankings, coming in 165th overall with a score of 44.91. The District ranked 174th for Home & Community Safety and 124th for Financial Safety, while performing significantly better for Natural-Disaster Risk at No. 13.
Each of WalletHub’s 41 metrics was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of safety. The metrics were then weighted to determine each city’s overall score and ranking.
Columbia’s No. 1 Home & Community Safety ranking was the best of any city evaluated in that category. That portion of the study accounts for factors including violent crime, property crime, traffic and pedestrian fatalities and emergency response resources.
To read the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/safest-cities-in-america/41926
