Maine Ranked 3rd Among the Safest States for Kids With Cell Phones

If you've been stressing about when to hand your kid their very first phone, here's one little parenting win for Mainers. 

A new study says Maine ranks as the third safest state in America for kids to own a cell phone, and honestly? We'll take that victory. 

The research from WellPCB looked at two things: the average age kids get their first phone and the number of cybercrime complaints in each state.

Maine earned a low "phone danger score" of 10.76, landing behind only Mississippi and Idaho. 

One reason? Maine parents aren't exactly rushing to put smartphones in little hands.

Maine Parents Are Winning the Phone Game

Kids here get their first phone at an average age of 11.85 years old, making us one of the latest states in the country to make that leap. Sometimes waiting really is the right call. 

The study also found Maine has 152.1 cybercrime complaints per 100,000 residents, helping keep the overall risk lower than in many other states. 

Now, does this mean your middle schooler is magically safe from TikTok drama, group chats that never stop buzzing, or the mysterious disappearance of chargers?

Absolutely not. 

But it does suggest that Maine families are taking a more measured approach to introducing phones, and that's something worth celebrating. 

For comparison, Nevada ranked as the most dangerous state for kids with phones, followed by Florida and Indiana.

Massachusetts also landed in the top five most dangerous, so if you've ever wanted one more reason to tease your friends "from away," this might be it. 

Read More: Tiffani Thiessen Shares 2026 Maine Vacation Video on Social Media

Whether your family hands over a phone at 10, 12, or waits even longer, one thing is clear: there's no substitute for conversations about online safety, privacy, and responsible screen time. Those are the real parental controls.