PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — A new analysis by U.S. News & World Report assesses dozens of factors that shape and show the health of nearly 3,000 counties and county equivalents across the country — and Putnam County ranked No. 8 for safest communities.
New York had eight counties among the top 25 safest communities and the Northeast had 10 overall — the most of any region, according to the magazine.
The public safety category in which Putnam was strongest was violent crime.
| Metric | Putnam | USA | New York | Other urban, high-performing counties |
| Violent crime rate per 100K people | 48.4 | 255.2 | 380.6 | 270.5 |
“We are pleased to be ranked as the 8th safest County in the United States. However, our goal is to be Number 1! This achievement is the result of the hard work of our deputies, investigators, and corrections officers,” said Putnam County Sheriff Kevin McConville. “Every member of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is well trained and aware of their role in keeping our residents and communities safe. I congratulate them for their efforts and this recognition.”
The 2024 Healthiest Communities rankings explores a wide range of factors such as gun violence, busy roads, clean water violations and access to emergency care. Classified as an urban, high-performing county, Putnam’s overall rank was 85, up from No. 176 in 2022.
“Putnam County is a place where anybody, regardless of their background, has an opportunity to be healthy and successful,” said Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne.
50 miles north of New York City, Putnam is at the northern edge of the Tri-State metropolitan area. It is bordered on the west by the Hudson River, on the north by Dutchess County, on east by the State of Connecticut, and on the south by Westchester County.