Lawrence is safer than Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City, Kan., but not as safe as Overland Park or Olathe.

Those are the findings of the recently released 2010 Crime Rankings published yearly by CQ Press.

Out of 400 cities with populations of at least 75,000, Lawrence ranked as the 156th safest in this year’s rankings, which are calculated by population using six crime categories from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports: motor vehicle theft, murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery and burglary.

Lawrence ranked 159th last year, 114th in 2008, and 166th in 2007.

St. Louis received this year’s notorious ranking for the least-safest city, while Colonie, N.Y., ranked as the safest.

CQ Press has published such rankings for 17 years, but the figures have come under fire from various organizations. For example, the United States Conference of Mayors recently issued a news release calling this year’s numbers “bogus,” citing flawed methodology that ignores other risk factors of crime victimization.

Here’s how other Kansas cities in this year’s rankings fared, from lowest (safest) ranking, to highest (less safe):

• Overland Park: 44

• Olathe: 49

• Topeka: 255

• Wichita: 307

•Kansas City, Kan.: 369

*Out of 400 total cities.