Broken Arrow, Jenks safest suburbs in Oklahoma: study

By John Dobberstein, Editor

An analysis by SmartAsset evaluating the safety of more than 300 U.S. suburbs placed Jenks and Broken Arrow among the top 20%

The study used 2023 FBI data on violent crime, property crime, drug overdoses, traffic deaths, and other data measuring excessive drinking to assess overall safety in suburbs within 15 to 45 minutes from the 100 largest U.S. cities.

Jenks ranked No. 32 nationally on the strength of very low property and violent crime per capita. 

Broken Arrow was the second-highest Tulsa suburb at No. 68, followed closely by Owasso (73) and Glenpool (76). Catoosa (152) Sapulpa (166) and Claremore (170) and (Okmulgee (305) rounded out Tulsa suburbs or nearby cities. 

For unknown reasons, Bixby, Coweta and Wagoner were not included in the list. 

In Oklahoma City, El Reno ranked the highest at No. 34, followed by Moore (61), Norman (84), Edmond (130), Chickasha (247), Shawnee (262) and Purcell (287).

Smart Asset an online platform that provides free financial advice and resources to consumers.

Here were some national perspectives: 

• Lehi, Utah ranks as the safest suburb for the second year in a row. Only 9.4% of adults report excessive drinking in Lehi, the only suburb where this figure is less than 10%. Lehi also has the 22nd lowest rate of drug overdose deaths and ranks relatively well across other safety metrics. On the opposite end of Salt Lake City, Layton, Utah ranked 7th safest suburb.
  
• Two Dallas suburbs earn spots among the top 10. McKinney and Frisco ranked as 9th and 10th safest suburbs, respectively. Both located in Collin County, they have some of the lowest drug overdose death rates study wide, and also score particularly well for crime.
  
• These midwestern suburbs have the lowest crime rates. Scottsburg, Ind. was the only suburb with no reported violent crimes, and only 10 property crimes were reported by its 7,338 residents. Canal Winchester, Ohio had the second lowest rate of violent crime with 1 incident among 9,659 residents, and it also boasted the lowest rate for property crime overall with 6 reported incidents. Gretna, Neb. had the third lowest rate of violent crime, with 2 incidents reported across 9,117 people.
  
• Des Moines, Iowa suburbs have the lowest rate of drug overdose deaths. Compared to the studywide median of 26.6 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents, towns like Ames, Iowa report a fraction of that at a rate of 7.7. 
  
• Boston and New York City suburbs have the lowest traffic deaths. Stop-and-go traffic does have some benefits. Despite wait times getting in and out of the nearby city center, Lexington and Somerville in Middlesex County, Mass. report an average of 4 vehicular accident deaths per 100,000 people. Similarly, in Hoboken, Edgewater, and Fort Lee, N.J., that figure is 4.4. For comparison, median traffic deaths across 360 suburbs was 10.8 per 100,000 residents.