CANYON, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Safewise, an independent analyst surrounding safety and security, has named Canyon, the home of West Texas A&M University, the safest college town in Texas, according to a news release from the university.

The university announced that Safewise named Canyon the safest college town in Texas and the 21st safest college town in the United States. According to the release, the analyst group looked at various things to make this determination, including FBI data for violent crimes and property crimes, median income and poverty data, high school graduation rates, redlining practices, city budget allocations, unemployment rates and other socioeconomic factors.

According to previous reports by MyHIghPlains.com, Safewise named Canyon the 24th safest college town in the United States and the safest city in Texas last year. Canyon was the only city in Texas to make the top 50 on this list this year, or last year.

“We take a lot of pride in making Canyon one of the safest cities in Texas,” Canyon Police Chief Steve Brush said in the release. “Our partnership with WT’s University Police Department is important to uphold Canyon as a safe and secure place for both students and residents. The Canyon community really supports our efforts both on campus and in town.”

The release said towns that qualify for the list are required to have a population above the median for each state. Canyon was reported to have 0.86 violent crimes per 1,000 people and 8.12 property crimes per 1,000 in 2021, decrease from 2020.

“One of our top priorities is collaborating with our partners in the City of Canyon and the Canyon Police Department to keep the campus community safe,” WT University Police Department Chief Shawn Burns said. “It takes all of us to have an impact on crime.”