Middletown ranked the safest town in New Jersey in 2017, according to the National Council for Home Safety and Security.

The Monmouth County town has a population of at least 50,000 and saw just 25 crimes last year.

"We like to refer to Middletown as the biggest little small town in America," says Middletown Police Chief Craig Weber.

The town also ranked 8th safest in the entire country.

"The last three years, 2015, ‘16 and ’17, we had the lowest crime rates in the last 50 years going back to 1968,” says Weber.

The police chief says he attributes the town’s safety to the strong neighborhood associations that are diligent in reporting issues.

"When you see a stat like that, we're obviously very proud because we are a significantly sized town with a significant population,” says Mayor Stephanie Murray.

Many towns in the state with 10,000 people or less are also considered some of the safest in America.