Bethesda, Md.: Land of security! Photo by T.D. Ford

Pack it up, Washington: We’re moving to Bethesda*, which is apparently a metropolitan area of its own now.

A study released by Farmers Insurance Group of Companies named Bethesda, Gaithersburg and Frederick, Md. as the most secure “large metropolitan area” in America. Yes, that’s right: Bethesda is apparently on its own now, having been removed from the Washington metropolitan area for the sake of this study.

The study, conducted by researchers at Sperling’s BestPlaces, only took into account areas with a population greater than 500,000, so there’s no need to defend any beloved tiny hometowns in the comments. It considered the following factors: “economic stability, crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, housing depreciation, foreclosures, air quality, environmental hazards, life expectancy, motor vehicle fatalities, and employment numbers.”

This is the seventh year that the Bethesda area has been in the ranking’s top 20. Its No. 1 spot comes in part from low unemployment and low personal crime rates, plus a long life expectancy rate, according to a release about the study.

Indeed, Bethesda regular tops lists that should make other areas envious. Forbes called the city America’s most educated small town, as well as the country’s second most livable city, in 2009.

But what of the sexist billboard ads its citizens must endure? Sadly, this was not factored into the ranking.

Rounding out the list’s top five secure areas are Pittsburgh; Grand Rapids and Wyoming, Mich.; Austin and Round Rock, Texas; and Cambridge, Newton, and Framingham, Mass.

*Kidding. We would never do that.