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Study finds cities are safer than the country

Posted at 11:54 PM, Jul 23, 2013
and last updated 2013-07-23 23:54:02-04

In a debate right out of the classic TV show "Green Acres," is it safer to live in a city, or the country?

A study out of the University of Pennsylvania found just the opposite. Researchers there say there's less of a chance you'll die, no matter what your age, if you live in a big city than the countryside.

While crime, specifically homicides, may be more common in America's cities than in rural areas, the UPenn study found cities to be safer because there were fewer accidental deaths.

"I find the country to be a lot more tranquil," said Daniel Whitaker of Chesapeake. "A lot less issues, a lot slower pace."

There's one thing that's not a slower pace in the country: The cars.
Higher speeds on winding, rural roads translate to more fatal car crashes.
So will this study's findings change where people decide to live?

"If I'm going to be starting a family in the near future, I want to be somewhere where my kids are safe and if we go on a walk during the day and they get away from you, yeah you want them to be safe," said Chris Hoffman of Norfolk.