St. Louis rated 'least safe' U.S. city

WalletHub, the personal finance website, reported last week St. Louis is the least safe American city, ranking dead last among 182 communities surveyed.

A total of 42 measures were included, notably home and community safety, financial safety and natural disaster risk.

St. Louis finished next to worst in terms of the number of traffic fatalities per capita and assaults per capita.

On a more laudatory note, St. Louis was ranked third in terms of fewest hate crimes per capita.

Additionally, on a per capita basis, St. Louis is tied for first for most law enforcement employees, sharing the distinction with Chicago, Washington, D.C., New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey.

Two other Missouri cities made WalletHub's safety list: Springfield is rated No. 147 while Kansas City is ranked No. 162.

WalletHub said the safest U.S. city is Columbia, Maryland.

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