BOONE COUNTY, Ind. -- As far as farming communities go, Boone County is one of the safest in the country, according to Progressive Farmer magazine.

Editors at the national publication named the central Indiana county as the fifth-safest in rural America based on crime statistics like property crime, burglary and vehicle theft, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

"I'd like to give credit to the tremendous job that the sheriff and deputies are doing, but it's the quality of people who live here," Sheriff Ken Campbell said in the magazine article. "A lot of the credit goes to the farmers and families who live in the rural area and take care of their neighbors."

Boone County covers 497-square miles and has more than 53,000 residents. Still, many people said the individual communities have more of a small-town feel, where pricey farm equipment is left out in the fields and doors go unlocked.

"There is a good quality, family-oriented, take-care-of-your-neighbor attitude here that not all communities are blessed with," Campbell said.

Carrol County in Ohio was named the safest rural county in the country, followed by Ralls County in Missouri, Tipton County in Tennessee and Bib County in Alabama.

More Information:

Progressive Farmer Magazine Article