For Immediate Release – July 13, 2017
MIDDLETOWN – For the second consecutive year, Middletown, NJ was named one of the top 10 safest places to raise a child in the United States by Safewise, a national community-focused security organization, in their newly released report The 30 Safest Cities to Raise a Child.
“We are proud that Middletown continues to be lauded as one of the top 10 safest places to raise a child in America,” said Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger. “While many communities strive to provide a safe environment for their residents, our town consistently gets top marks for the quality of our education system, the cultural arts and recreational programs we offer, and our exceptionally low crime rates.”
To compile this report, SafeWise reviewed reported sex offender concentration, state graduation rates, overall school quality ranking, and FBI violent crime data. The rankings were based on cities with more than 10,000 residents, and communities that reported complete crime numbers to the FBI. They also considered parks and recreational opportunities, as well as special programs focused on providing services for kids and families.
Through the outstanding work of the township’s world-class police department, school district, and multitude of community and civic groups, Middletown is on the map as one of the best places to settle down and raise a family. According to the report, New Jersey has the second-highest high school graduation rate, and Middletown was singled out for its family-friendly activities. “Middletown Township’s calendar is packed with family activities like community fossil hunts, movies in the park, and mother-daughter afternoon teas,” the report said.
In addition to our great schools and diverse offering of community programs, Middletown is noted for its low crime rate. “Crime has dropped for the seventh consecutive year, with index crimes down 13 percent over last year and 48 percent compared to 2010,” said Middletown Township Police Chief Craig Weber. “Our officers work hard to maintain a strong, positive relationship with the community and schools.”
The police department was also recognized this year by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) for being one of only 36 law enforcement agencies nationwide to complete the Missing Kids Readiness Project, a comprehensive program designed to ensure agencies are meeting essential training and policy requirements necessary to respond to a missing child incident.
Middletown Township also boasts an award-winning parks system. There are more than 5,000 acres of public parks and open spaces that cover about 15 percent of the township’s 41 square miles. The Recreation Department offers many programs year round to keep families safe and engaged in their community. The township is also home to a state-of-the-art library and award-winning arts center.
The Safewise ranking is the latest in a growing list of awards the community has received. Middletown has been voted one of the “Best Places to Live” by MONEY Magazine four times – most recently in 2014. Middletown was named one the safest places to live in the United States by Safewise in a 2016 report. The township was also named one of safest towns nationwide to retire in 2015 by badcredit.org, a financial awareness website.
Visit www.safewise.com/blog/safest-cities-to-raise-a-child for more information.