• WalletHub released a report of the safest states in the US.
• It ranked states based on 52 safety indicators, including work safety and emergency preparedness.
• Vermont was ranked the safest state in the US, followed by New Hampshire and Maine.

With a rise in climate-related disasters — from hurricanes and storms to the recent wildfires in Los Angeles — one thing is clear: Safety is no longer limited to living in a crime-free neighborhood.

These days, safety has taken on a new meaning, encompassing a range of factors from emergency preparedness to financial stability.

Taking into account these evolving priorities, WalletHub released a report in October listing the safest states in the US based on 52 factors in five key areas: personal and residential safety, financial safety, road safety, workplace safety, and emergency preparedness.

Each state was given an overall score out of 100 based on its average rating across the five categories, and all the states were then ranked based on these scores.

The data used in the report was sourced from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, TransUnion, and US Fire Administration, among other sources.

From Vermont and Maine to Utah and Wyoming, here are the 10 safest states in the US, according to WalletHub.

10. Wyoming

Wyoming, which also came 10th in 2023, ranked relatively high (15th) on both personal and residential and financial safety for 2024.

In all other categories — road and workplace safety and emergency preparedness — it ranked 21st. Casper, the second largest city in the state was also named the second safest city in the US in a separate study by WalletHub.

However, the state has the seventh-highest bullying incidence rate and the second-worst fatal occupational injuries per total workers, WalletHub reported.

9. Rhode Island

Rhode Island has also retained its ninth spot on the list.

The state ranked eighth on emergency preparedness scale and 11th on road safety. Its ranking for personal residential safety, though, dropped to 19, compared to eight in 2023.

Still, the state has the fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the fourth-fewest assaults per capita, the third-lowest bullying incidence rate, and the fourth-lowest share of uninsured residents, per WalletHub.

The state did not fare as well on the workplace safety ranking, standing 38th, despite having the fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.

8. Minnesota

Minnesota, too, has maintained its ranking from 2023, retaining the eighth position.

The Midwestern state scored highly under three categories: financial safety, where it ranked ninth among all states; road safety, where it ranked second; and workplace safety, where it stood sixth.

It also has the third lowest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel and the fifth-lowest share of uninsured residents and fatal occupational injuries per total workers.

7. Connecticut

Connecticut, which ranked sixth in 2023, has swapped spots with Hawaii, previously ranked seventh.

The Constitution State, has the second best personal and residential safety among all 50 states. It is also the 16th safest in terms of emergency preparedness and 20th in road safety.

In addition to its high rankings, when compared to other states, it has the third-fewest assaults per capita, third-highest percentage of adults with rainy day funds, and, like Rhode Island, the second fewest fatal occupational injuries per total workers.

6. Hawaii

Hawaii moved from seventh in 2023 to the sixth-safest state in the US in 2024.

This improvement is partly due to its strong performance in financial safety, where it ranked sixth, as well as in personal and residential safety and emergency preparedness, both ranking 11th.

The state also stands out for having the fifth-lowest rate of assaults per capita and the highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds.

5. Utah

Utah, the fourth-safest state in 2023, moved down one spot, ranking fifth in 2024.

The Beehive State ranked No.1 among all states in workplace safety and fourth in emergency preparedness. It also fared well in road safety, ranking seventh overall.

Additionally, the state has the second-lowest per capita losses from climate disasters, which means it suffers relatively low monetary losses from events like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires when calculated per person.

4. Massachusetts

Massachusetts ranked among the top 10 in at least four categories, including third-highest in personal and residential and road safety.

It was also the fourth-best state in the US for financial safety and ranked 10th in emergency preparedness.

It's also the state with the second-fewest fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, the fifth-lowest bullying incidence rate, the lowest share of uninsured residents, and the fourth-highest percentage of adults with rainy-day funds, per WalletHub's report.

3. Maine

WalletHub ranked Maine as the third-safest state to live in the US because of its high financial, personal and residential safety rankings. The state has one of the lowest unemployment rates and one of the strongest job growth rates in the country.

According to the report, the state also has one of the lowest crime rates in the country, with the second-fewest aggravated assaults and third-fewest thefts per capita. Between June 2022 and June 2024, it also had the second-fewest mass shootings.

In addition to its strong safety ranking, the Pine Tree State also has a very low risk of natural disasters.

2. New Hampshire

The Granite State, known for its natural beauty, ranked second on WalletHub's safety index.

It topped the rankings in personal and residential safety thanks to its low rates of violence, a high number of neighborhood watch groups per capita, and strong financial safety.

New Hampshire also secured second place in financial safety and ranked third overall in emergency preparedness. It has the fewest assaults per capita and the lowest unemployment rate, alongside South Dakota, North Dakota, Vermont, and Hawaii.

However, the state also has the sixth-highest bullying incidence rate in the country.

1. Vermont

Vermont has been the safest state in the US on WalletHub's index for two years in a row.

The Green Mountain State has maintained its top position, in part because it is the No. 1 state in the country for financial safety — WalletHub reported it has one of the country's lowest employment rates and one of the strongest job growth rates.

Vermont also came second in workplace safety and fourth in road safety, with the report chalking this up, in part, to "good driving behavior": The state has the lowest percentage of drivers who've used a phone behind the wheel, per WalletHub.

It was also in the top 10 among the two other categories, ranking sixth in personal and residential safety and ninth in emergency preparedness.

The Minnesota Republican Party vowed to pursue constitutional recalls against any Democratic legislator who refuses to show up at the state legislature's first day of session on Monday.

Democrats have threatened to boycott the first two weeks of the session in an effort to block Republicans from taking advantage of a narrow and temporary majority in the state legislature. Minnesota GOP Chairman Alex Plechash argued at a Monday press conference that intentionally skipping work would expose Democratic lawmakers to election recall efforts.

"Minnesotans expect one thing from their elected officials: to show up and do the job they were sent here to do. That's a basic duty, not a special request," Plechash said, speaking at the Minnesota state capitol.

Republicans currently enjoy a 67-66 seat majority in the state House and could use that majority to set legislative rules for the next two years when the session begins on Tuesday. Their advantage is likely temporary, however, with a special election in a lean-Democratic district scheduled for January 28. The previous Democratic lawmaker in the district, Curtis Johnson, won his election in November, but was later disqualified after courts determined he did not truly reside in the district.

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Republicans will therefore enjoy a majority for at least the two weeks between the start of session on Tuesday and the special election at the end of January. Republicans are also contesting the election of another Democrat, Rep. Brad Tabke, who won re-election by 14 votes after county elections officials lost 20 absentee ballots in one precinct.

"We are committed to holding every lawmaker accountable. If you don't show up for the job, you shouldn't keep it," Plechash said.

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GOP Attorney Ryan Wilson says Minnesota law requires that a recall petition receives at least 25 signatures from voters in a given district. Once obtained, the petition is then sent to the Minnesota Supreme Court to determine whether the cause for the recall meets legal standards.

Wilson said the GOP would be basing its recall requests on "nonfeasance," or the failure to perform an act that is required by law.

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If the state Supreme Court approves that reasoning, the petition would then need to be signed by at least 25% of the number of voters in the district who cast ballots in the November election. If it passes that threshold, the district would then hold a recall vote.

"We've never had a situation like this in the history of the legislature, where 66 members of a caucus are unwilling to show up for work," Wilson said.

Republican state Rep. Pam Altendorf argued Democrats are only facing a disadvantage "because of cheating." She added that the lawmakers are "acting like sore losers and not coming to work."

The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

A yearslong case surrounding a transgender female powerlifter reached the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday where opening arguments were heard.

JayCee Cooper, sued USA Powerlifting in 2021 after being rejected from the women's team three years earlier. In the complaint, Cooper alleged the organization violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination against people "having or being perceived as having a self-image or identity not traditionally associated with one's biological maleness or femaleness."

A district court ruled last year that the organization discriminated against Cooper, which spurred a mandate that the federation "cease and desist from all unfair discriminatory practices" because of sexual orientation and gender identity.

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The federation appealed the decision; Cooper then cross-appealed, and on Monday, the Minnesota Court of Appeals decided the athletic league did not discriminate against the individual.

On Tuesday, the court asked Ansis Viksnins, USA Powerlifting's attorney, why banning Cooper from women's competition was not "discriminatory." 

Viksnins responded it was not "based on gender identity."

The court asked if the policy would be equal had it been based on race or religion, comparing Cooper's case to a hypothetical in which Catholics were to be better bowlers — but the comparison was shut down.

"There is no legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason why there could be separation based on religion or national origin or race, whereas there is a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for separating and treating transgender or women differently," Viksnins said.

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"The motive here was to separate biological males into a category where they are competing against other people who were born biologically male, that if I could point out my client separate competitors three ways by age, weight and sex. They do not care about gender identity. They don't care about sexual orientation."

The federation opened an "open" category in 2021 "to serve all gender identities," according to FOX 9 in Minnesota.

"Our goal at USAPL is to create rules and a framework that uphold the principles of fair play, not to exclude anyone," said Larry Maile, President of USAPL in a statement to the outlet. "Since science shows those who were born biologically male have a profound physical advantage over female-born athletes, our responsibility is to define legitimate categories to fairly place athletes within them."

A state court cited "increased risk of depression and suicide, lack of access to coaching and practice facilities, or other performance suppression common to transgender persons" as competitive disadvantages for transgender competitors, helping Cooper initially win the discrimination case.

According to Open Powerlifting, Cooper last competed at the 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals in Texas and finished in third place out of three competitors in the division.

Cooper twice competed against a lone competitor — Rebecca Richnofsky — in the women's raw 198+ open category in 2019, winning both times. 

In the 2019 USPA National Championships, Cooper finished in fourth out of four competitors in that category.

Fox News' Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.

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A Canadian town is facing a fine of $10,000 for refusing to participate in Pride Month and fly the "LGBTQ2 rainbow flag" outside its municipal building.

The town of Emo, Ontario, which has a population of about 1,300 and is situated near the border with Minnesota, was found to have violated the Ontario Human Rights Code by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario for refusing to proclaim June as Pride Month, according to a report from the National Post.

The town was also issued a citation for its failure to fly "an LGBTQ2 rainbow flag," the report notes, despite Emo not having an official flag pole.

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In addition to the $10,000 fine, officials from the town were ordered to complete mandatory "human rights" training.

According to the report, the decision to cite Emo began with a 2020 incident in which the town was approached by a group called Borderland Pride, which issued a written request asking that Emo declare June Pride Month.

The group’s request also included a draft proclamation, containing clauses such as "pride is necessary to show community support and belonging for LGBTQ2 individuals" and "the diversity of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression represents a positive contribution to society."

Borderland Pride also asked the city to fly an "LGBTQ2 rainbow flag for a week of your choosing."

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The request was defeated by a 3-2 vote at a later Emo township council meeting, where Mayor Harold McQuaker argued there was "no flag being flown for the other side of the coin… there’s no flags being flown for the straight people."

The line was seen as particularly offensive to Human Rights Tribunal vice-chair Karen Dawson, who said she found the remark "demeaning and disparaging of the LGBTQ2 community of which Borderland Pride is a member and therefore constituted discrimination under the Code."

Dawson further argued that the remark was made in "close proximity" to  McQuaker’s no vote on the Borderland Pride request, meaning it "constituted discrimination under the Code."

Borderland Pride sought a $15,000 fine for the Township as well as a $10,000 fine for each of the three council members who voted no on the group’s request, according to the report, though the tribunal eventually settled on the $10,000 fine for the township and a $5,000 for McQuaker.

McQuaker and Emo’s chief administrative officer were also ordered to complete an online course offered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission called "Human Rights 101" and "provide proof of completion… to Borderland Pride within 30 days."

A Midwestern state party chair is off to a fast start in his bid to chair the Democratic National Committee (DNC). 

"I am running to serve as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee," Ken Martin, head of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, announced Tuesday in a social media post.

Martin becomes the second candidate to launch a bid to succeed current DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, who is not expected to seek a second four-year term early next year in the wake of this month's major election setbacks for the Democrats up and down the ballot.

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Former two-term Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate who for the past year has served as Social Security administration commissioner in President Biden's administration, announced his candidacy on Monday.

Martin, who has led the Minnesota Democrats for a dozen years, serves as a DNC vice chair and is also the leader of the association of state Democratic Party chairs.

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"When I took over @MinnesotaDFL, we were in debt and disarray. But we brought people together, built a winning coalition, and delivered results. I’m ready to get to work to rebuild our party," Martin said in his social media post.

In an accompanying video, Martin emphasized, "if you're looking for a creature of D.C., that's not me. But I do know how the DNC works and how it isn't working."

He stressed that Democrats "need to reconnect our ideas — which we know are popular in red, blue and purple states across this country — back to our party and to our candidates."

Martin said he started his bid for DNC chair with the backing of over 80 DNC members. The next DNC chair will be chosen by the roughly 450 voting members of the national party committee.

O'Malley, in launching his bid, highlighted that "we must connect our Party with the most important place in America — the kitchen table of every family’s home. Jobs, Opportunity, and Economic Security for all. Getting things done. Hope. A 50 state strategy. Now," O’Malley emphasized in a social media post.

While O'Malley and Martin are the first two candidates to launch bids, others are expected to follow, as the Democrats try to rebound after losing the White House and Senate in the 2024 elections and failing to recapture the House of Representatives.

Another potential contender is Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.