BEDFORD, N.Y. - After two consecutive years at the top of the list, Bedford has slipped just one spot—but remains one of the safest communities in the state, according to a newly released statewide analysis of FBI crime data.
In the annual Safest Cities report issued by SafeWise, Bedford ranked second among New York municipalities for 2026. A total of 63 cities and towns met the criteria for inclusion in this year’s rankings.
SafeWise, an Utah-based advisory group made up of experts in personal safety, theft trends, IT security and criminal justice. The firm bases its designations strictly on FBI crime statistics, and emphasizes that the terms “safest” and “dangerous” refer solely to calculated crime rates and are not intended as broader characterizations of any community.
With a population of 16,196, Bedford posted a violent crime rate of 0.2 per 1,000 residents in 2026, up slightly from 0.1 in 2025 and 0.0 in 2024. The town’s property crime rate measured 2.5 per 1,000 residents this year, compared to 1.3 in 2025 and 0.9 in 2024.
Despite those modest increases, Bedford remains among the elite tier of low-crime communities statewide. No murders were reported in any of New York’s safest cities, and Bedford was also among a select group—including Scarsdale and Hyde Park —that reported zero rapes during the reporting period. Additionally, 60 percent of the safest cities reported zero robberies.
This year’s top honor went to Rye. Rounding out the top 10 were Scarsdale, East Fishkill, Hyde Park, Saugerties, Ogden, Yorktown, Orangetown, and New Paltz.
While Bedford’s slight uptick in reported rates moved it from first to second place, the data continue to underscore its longstanding reputation as one of the safest municipalities in New York.
SafeWise compiled the rankings using FBI crime statistics submitted by municipalities across the state.
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