Logan and St. George are highly 'secure'

By Nancy Perkins and Mike Wennergren
Deseret Morning News
Published: Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007 12:20 a.m. MST
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ST. GEORGE — Two Utah cities made the Top 10 list of "most secure places to live" in the nation, according to an annual survey released Monday by the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies.

Logan is ranked fifth in the small-town category, rising from seventh in 2006, while St. George tumbled from its first-place ranking to number eight. The number-one town this year on the small town list, which includes cities with populations of less than 150,000, is Corvallis, Ore.

The rankings, compiled by Bert Sperling, a database expert with bestplaces.net, said the survey results included crime rates, environmental hazards, terrorism threats, unemployment rates, job growth and the potential for extreme weather.

Life expectancy rates and the impact of Utah's drought on the area are new elements of the database this year, he said.

"The rest of the country is discovering Utah, the whole state, as an affordable, safe place to live," said Sperling. "St. George is still an extremely livable spot, even though it's having growth pains. It's certainly still near the top. People are looking for a place with great family values and outdoor recreation, and that's what Utah has to offer."

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St. George Mayor Dan McArthur said city officials are getting used to the annual rise and fall of being on a "best list" of one sort or another. According to the monthly crime statistics report from the St. George police department, fewer robberies, larceny theft and drug offenses have been reported this year than in the same months of 2006.

Logan Police Capt. Eric Collins said one of the main reasons Logan is a relatively safe place to live is because potential criminals from other areas don't have easy access to the town.

"First and foremost, we don't have an interstate that runs through Cache Valley," Collins said, adding the area doesn't get a lot of transients.

Logan Mayor Randy Watts said residents' involvement is the main reason for Logan's high ranking.

"First of all, we have just a wonderful citizen base," Watts said. "Logan's strength is that we have just been nurtured and brought up in an environment where people protect each other's rights."

E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com; mikewennergren@yahoo.com

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