The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities In Massachusetts - 2018 Ranking!
Massachusetts is a beautiful mixture of coastline, mountains, lakes, and rivers. Its cities are packed with culture, history, and pride. Officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the state of Massachusetts is the most populous state in New England.
The state contains an abundance of indoor and outdoor activities all year round regardless of the season. Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard are popular tourist attractions, and artists often try to capture their charm.
Massachusetts is also home to the infamous town Salem, best known for the witch trials. You can visit the city's Witch Museum; the spot where twenty alleged witches were executed in 1692. Salem is sure to bewitch you with its seaside charm, its maritime history, and spellbinding beauty
You’ll also find the lake with the longest geographical name in Massachusetts, Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, known colloquially as Webster Lake.
If you are considering moving to Massachusetts or you already live there, make sure to continue reading to find out how safe Massachusetts is compared to other states, and learn about its safest cities based on the most recent FBI crime report.
6th in terms of safety nationwide, Massachusetts is home to 6.812 million residents and takes pride in being one of the safest states in the US.
When it comes to safe and dangerous cities, Wayland, a city with a lot of character and community, is the safest place in the state with a 79.9 crime rate per 100,000 people. This city is the perfect spot to live in. Boxford comes in as the 2nd safest place with a 181 total crime rate per 100,000 people.
More populous cities are more dangerous in the state. The 4th most dangerous in the state is the city of Springfield, and the 7th is Worcester with a rate of 3792 crimes per 100,000 people.
Boston, home to one of the best universities in the country, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the state capital, which previously was the 2nd most dangerous city is now ranked #15 danger-wise, meaning crime levels decreased tremendously in the capital. As for the Witch Town, Salem, it is the 21st most dangerous city, while Cambridge is the 30th, with a 2398 crime rate per 100,000 people.
Find out if your city is one of the safest in the state, then review our resources for crime prevention tips and home security information.
More Information About Massachusetts
Capital: Boston
Number of Counties: 14
Overall Population: 6.812 million inhabitants
Land Area: 10,565 square miles
Education Statistics: 41.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher, (percent of persons age 25 years+, 2011-2015)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
Crime Stats In Massachusetts
Violent Crime Rate Per 100,000 Inhabitants: 376.9
Property Crime Rate Per 100,000 Inhabitants: 1,561.1
Massachusetts’s Safety Rank: #6
Disclaimer:
In creating this ranking, we excluded all cities with population less than 5,000 residents as well as any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI.
Table 1: Top 50 Safest Cities In Massachusetts
| Rank |
City |
Population |
Total Crime Rate
Per 100,000 Inhabitants |
| 1 |
Wayland
Previous rank: 1 |
13760 |
80.0 |
| 2 |
Boxford
Previous rank: 3 |
8271 |
181.0 |
| 3 |
Groveland
Previous rank: 4 |
6776 |
192.0 |
| 4 |
Norfolk
Previous rank: 6 |
11991 |
208.0 |
| 5 |
Topsfield
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
6590 |
213.0 |
| 6 |
Norton
Previous rank: 12 |
19445 |
221.0 |
| 7 |
Sudbury
Previous rank: 11 |
19035 |
252.0 |
| 8 |
Rockport
Previous rank: 9 |
7222 |
277.0 |
| 9 |
Franklin
Previous rank: 10 |
33264 |
298.0 |
| 10 |
Wenham
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
5198 |
327.0 |
| 11 |
Holden
Previous rank: 27 |
18829 |
361.0 |
| 12 |
Manchester by the Sea
Previous rank: 21 |
5387 |
371.0 |
| 13 |
Bedford
Previous rank: 18 |
14280 |
385.0 |
| 14 |
Upton
Previous rank: 30 |
7726 |
388.0 |
| 15 |
Hopkinton
Previous rank: 7 |
16960 |
389.0 |
| 16 |
Hamilton
Previous rank: 31 |
8181 |
415.0 |
| 17 |
Sharon
Previous rank: 15 |
18200 |
418.0 |
| 18 |
Holliston
Previous rank: 17 |
14656 |
443.0 |
| 19 |
Medway
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
13289 |
444.0 |
| 20 |
Westford
Previous rank: 34 |
24103 |
452.0 |
| 21 |
Carlisle
Previous rank: 19 |
5300 |
453.0 |
| 22 |
Hopedale
Previous rank: 42 |
5938 |
454.0 |
| 23 |
Lexington
Previous rank: 26 |
33643 |
460.0 |
| 24 |
Clinton
Previous rank: 8 |
13780 |
464.0 |
| 25 |
Groton
Previous rank: 63 |
11372 |
466.0 |
| 26 |
Shrewsbury
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
36874 |
488.0 |
| 27 |
North Reading
Previous rank: 39 |
15712 |
509.0 |
| 28 |
Weston
Previous rank: 2 |
12147 |
510.0 |
| 29 |
Rowley
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
6343 |
536.0 |
| 30 |
Boxborough
Previous rank: 20 |
5223 |
536.0 |
| 31 |
Newbury
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
6999 |
557.0 |
| 32 |
Billerica
Previous rank: 48 |
42965 |
568.0 |
| 33 |
Georgetown
Previous rank: 14 |
8623 |
568.0 |
| 34 |
Southborough
Previous rank: 28 |
10048 |
577.0 |
| 35 |
Grafton
Previous rank: 24 |
18613 |
586.0 |
| 36 |
Wellesley
Previous rank: 50 |
29049 |
592.0 |
| 37 |
Needham
Previous rank: 44 |
30733 |
596.0 |
| 38 |
Berkley
Previous rank: 23 |
6678 |
599.0 |
| 39 |
Tyngsboro
Previous rank: 54 |
12397 |
605.0 |
| 40 |
Stow
Previous rank: 46 |
7197 |
611.0 |
| 41 |
Douglas
Previous rank: 35 |
8741 |
617.0 |
| 42 |
Marshfield
Previous rank: 36 |
25696 |
619.0 |
| 43 |
Lincoln
Previous rank: 25 |
7550 |
622.0 |
| 44 |
Arlington
Previous rank: 83 |
45004 |
627.0 |
| 45 |
Belchertown
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
14985 |
628.0 |
| 46 |
Middleton
Previous rank: 71 |
9852 |
629.0 |
| 47 |
Dover
Previous rank: 5 |
6008 |
632.0 |
| 48 |
Townsend
Previous rank: 104 |
9585 |
636.0 |
| 49 |
North Andover
Previous rank: 82 |
29853 |
640.0 |
| 50 |
Merrimac
Previous rank: 53 |
6859 |
641.0 |
Table 2: Top 50 Most Dangerous Cities In Massachusetts
| Rank |
City |
Population |
Total Crime Rate
Per 100,000 Inhabitants |
| 1 |
Holyoke
Previous rank: 1 |
40738 |
6011.0 |
| 2 |
West Springfield
Previous rank: 2 |
28689 |
4859.0 |
| 3 |
North Adams
Previous rank: 5 |
13162 |
4665.0 |
| 4 |
Springfield
Previous rank: 3 |
154102 |
4322.0 |
| 5 |
Hadley
Previous rank: 3 |
5372 |
4319.0 |
| 6 |
New Bedford
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
94524 |
3959.0 |
| 7 |
Worcester
Previous rank: 6 |
184595 |
3793.0 |
| 8 |
Brockton
Previous rank: 13 |
95189 |
3487.0 |
| 9 |
Chelsea
Previous rank: 10 |
40096 |
3203.0 |
| 10 |
Pittsfield
Previous rank: 7 |
43031 |
3151.0 |
| 11 |
Nantucket
Previous rank: 39 |
11036 |
3009.0 |
| 12 |
Fall River
Previous rank: 16 |
88371 |
2978.0 |
| 13 |
Leominster
Previous rank: 8 |
41547 |
2912.0 |
| 14 |
Fitchburg
Previous rank: 9 |
40391 |
2867.0 |
| 15 |
Boston
Previous rank: 2 |
673880 |
2857.0 |
| 16 |
Lynn
Previous rank: 15 |
92443 |
2851.0 |
| 17 |
Montague
Previous rank: 18 |
8242 |
2852.0 |
| 18 |
Chicopee
Previous rank: 19 |
56887 |
2779.0 |
| 19 |
Greenfield
Previous rank: 17 |
17456 |
2761.0 |
| 20 |
Auburn
Previous rank: 22 |
16508 |
2757.0 |
| 21 |
Salem
Previous rank: 11 |
42888 |
2714.0 |
| 22 |
Dennis
Previous rank: 27 |
13905 |
2711.0 |
| 23 |
Fairhaven
Previous rank: 35 |
16120 |
2661.0 |
| 24 |
Revere
Previous rank: 30 |
53514 |
2624.0 |
| 25 |
Lawrence
Previous rank: 12 |
80622 |
2612.0 |
| 26 |
Northampton
Previous rank: 28 |
28521 |
2556.0 |
| 27 |
Wareham
Previous rank: 25 |
22422 |
2538.0 |
| 28 |
Dartmouth
Previous rank: 42 |
34630 |
2530.0 |
| 29 |
Webster
Previous rank: 26 |
16842 |
2452.0 |
| 30 |
Cambridge
Previous rank: 31 |
111030 |
2399.0 |
| 31 |
Falmouth
Previous rank: 41 |
31382 |
2374.0 |
| 32 |
Saugus
Previous rank: 40 |
28131 |
2356.0 |
| 33 |
Lowell
Previous rank: 33 |
111027 |
2323.0 |
| 34 |
Danvers
Previous rank: 24 |
27997 |
2311.0 |
| 35 |
Seekonk
Previous rank: 38 |
15159 |
2302.0 |
| 36 |
Ware
Previous rank: 72 |
9891 |
2295.0 |
| 37 |
Athol
Previous rank: 58 |
11612 |
2239.0 |
| 38 |
Raynham
Previous rank: 37 |
13818 |
2171.0 |
| 39 |
Haverhill
Previous rank: 36 |
62851 |
2155.0 |
| 40 |
Palmer
Previous rank: 66 |
12171 |
2128.0 |
| 41 |
Lunenburg
Previous rank: 14 |
11438 |
2107.0 |
| 42 |
Sturbridge
Previous rank: 47 |
9520 |
2101.0 |
| 43 |
Bellingham
Previous rank: 53 |
16922 |
2098.0 |
| 44 |
Barnstable
Previous rank: 21 |
43974 |
2070.0 |
| 45 |
Quincy
Previous rank: 54 |
93437 |
2049.0 |
| 46 |
Orleans
Previous rank: 45 |
5810 |
2031.0 |
| 47 |
West Bridgewater
Previous rank: 63 |
7097 |
2029.0 |
| 48 |
Dedham
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
25402 |
2023.0 |
| 49 |
Winchendon
Previous rank: 56 |
10727 |
2023.0 |
| 50 |
Braintree
Previous rank: Not Ranked |
37673 |
2002.0 |
Table 3: All Cities, Ranked By Population
| City |
Population |
Total Crime Rate
Per 100,000 Inhabitants |
Safety Rank |
| Boston |
673880 |
2857.0 |
220 |
| Worcester |
184595 |
3793.0 |
228 |
| Springfield |
154102 |
4322.0 |
231 |
| Cambridge |
111030 |
2399.0 |
205 |
| Lowell |
111027 |
2323.0 |
202 |
| Brockton |
95189 |
3487.0 |
227 |
| New Bedford |
94524 |
3959.0 |
229 |
| Quincy |
93437 |
2049.0 |
190 |
| Lynn |
92443 |
2851.0 |
219 |
| Newton |
89116 |
772.0 |
67 |
| Fall River |
88371 |
2978.0 |
223 |
| Somerville |
80899 |
1746.0 |
172 |
| Lawrence |
80622 |
2612.0 |
210 |
| Framingham |
71422 |
1459.0 |
153 |
| Waltham |
63613 |
1238.0 |
132 |
| Haverhill |
62851 |
2155.0 |
196 |
| Malden |
61102 |
1450.0 |
150 |
| Plymouth |
59088 |
795.0 |
69 |
| Brookline |
59033 |
1033.0 |
103 |
| Medford |
57367 |
1323.0 |
139 |
| Chicopee |
56887 |
2779.0 |
217 |
| Taunton |
56720 |
1679.0 |
166 |
| Weymouth |
56149 |
1226.0 |
128 |
| Revere |
53514 |
2624.0 |
211 |
| Peabody |
52501 |
1697.0 |
168 |
| Methuen |
49912 |
1803.0 |
173 |
| Everett |
46754 |
1705.0 |
170 |
| Arlington |
45004 |
627.0 |
44 |
| Attleboro |
44225 |
1971.0 |
180 |
| Barnstable |
43974 |
2070.0 |
191 |
| Pittsfield |
43031 |
3151.0 |
225 |
| Billerica |
42965 |
568.0 |
32 |
| Salem |
42888 |
2714.0 |
214 |
| Westfield |
41700 |
1542.0 |
157 |
| Leominster |
41547 |
2912.0 |
222 |
| Beverly |
41303 |
956.0 |
93 |
| Holyoke |
40738 |
6011.0 |
234 |
| Fitchburg |
40391 |
2867.0 |
221 |
| Chelsea |
40096 |
3203.0 |
226 |
| Amherst |
40063 |
816.0 |
76 |
| Marlborough |
39899 |
1807.0 |
174 |
| Woburn |
39638 |
1332.0 |
141 |
| Braintree |
37673 |
2002.0 |
185 |
| Shrewsbury |
36874 |
488.0 |
26 |
| Natick |
36777 |
1504.0 |
155 |
| Andover |
35558 |
672.0 |
52 |
| Chelmsford |
35251 |
1279.0 |
137 |
| Watertown |
34655 |
1264.0 |
136 |
| Dartmouth |
34630 |
2530.0 |
207 |
| Randolph |
33807 |
1677.0 |
165 |
| Lexington |
33643 |
460.0 |
23 |
| Franklin |
33264 |
298.0 |
9 |
| Dracut |
31586 |
1399.0 |
147 |
| Falmouth |
31382 |
2374.0 |
204 |
| Tewksbury |
31160 |
1165.0 |
119 |
| Needham |
30733 |
596.0 |
37 |
| North Andover |
29853 |
640.0 |
49 |
| Gloucester |
29836 |
1013.0 |
101 |
| Norwood |
29058 |
1126.0 |
113 |
| Wellesley |
29049 |
592.0 |
36 |
| North Attleboro |
29013 |
1613.0 |
162 |
| Agawam |
28844 |
1976.0 |
181 |
| West Springfield |
28689 |
4859.0 |
233 |
| Milford |
28606 |
1455.0 |
152 |
| Stoughton |
28583 |
1829.0 |
176 |
| Northampton |
28521 |
2556.0 |
209 |
| Saugus |
28131 |
2356.0 |
203 |
| Melrose |
28070 |
830.0 |
79 |
| Danvers |
27997 |
2311.0 |
201 |
| Milton |
27317 |
849.0 |
82 |
| Wakefield |
27080 |
997.0 |
98 |
| Burlington |
26083 |
1936.0 |
179 |
| Reading |
25779 |
726.0 |
58 |
| Marshfield |
25696 |
619.0 |
42 |
| Belmont |
25637 |
745.0 |
61 |
| Dedham |
25402 |
2023.0 |
187 |
| Walpole |
25187 |
1148.0 |
117 |
| Middleboro |
24490 |
1400.0 |
148 |
| Westford |
24103 |
452.0 |
20 |
| Easton |
23918 |
1091.0 |
111 |
| Acton |
23770 |
812.0 |
72 |
| Mansfield |
23681 |
1035.0 |
104 |
| Wilmington |
23667 |
925.0 |
91 |
| Hingham |
23204 |
948.0 |
92 |
| Canton |
22962 |
1202.0 |
125 |
| Winchester |
22523 |
755.0 |
63 |
| Wareham |
22422 |
2538.0 |
208 |
| Stoneham |
22045 |
1239.0 |
133 |
| Ludlow |
21484 |
1578.0 |
160 |
| Marblehead |
20563 |
827.0 |
77 |
| Sandwich |
20312 |
900.0 |
87 |
| Concord |
20189 |
743.0 |
60 |
| Hudson |
19931 |
1179.0 |
122 |
| Bourne |
19577 |
1563.0 |
159 |
| Norton |
19445 |
221.0 |
6 |
| Sudbury |
19035 |
252.0 |
7 |
| Westborough |
18984 |
838.0 |
80 |
| Templeton |
18984 |
838.0 |
81 |
| Holden |
18829 |
361.0 |
11 |
| Grafton |
18613 |
586.0 |
35 |
| Pembroke |
18274 |
668.0 |
51 |
| Somerset |
18223 |
1426.0 |
149 |
| Winthrop |
18216 |
1252.0 |
135 |
| Sharon |
18200 |
418.0 |
17 |
| Newburyport |
18011 |
1160.0 |
118 |
| South Hadley |
17748 |
1556.0 |
158 |
| Ashland |
17689 |
769.0 |
66 |
| Greenfield |
17456 |
2761.0 |
216 |
| Hopkinton |
16960 |
389.0 |
15 |
| Bellingham |
16922 |
2098.0 |
192 |
| Webster |
16842 |
2452.0 |
206 |
| Southbridge |
16819 |
1986.0 |
182 |
| Northbridge |
16638 |
1382.0 |
146 |
| Auburn |
16508 |
2757.0 |
215 |
| Swansea |
16418 |
1699.0 |
169 |
| Westwood |
16285 |
1203.0 |
126 |
| East Longmeadow |
16267 |
1309.0 |
138 |
| Abington |
16201 |
1691.0 |
167 |
| Fairhaven |
16120 |
2661.0 |
212 |
| Easthampton |
16026 |
1354.0 |
144 |
| Longmeadow |
15876 |
957.0 |
94 |
| Westport |
15798 |
1082.0 |
110 |
| North Reading |
15712 |
509.0 |
27 |
| Duxbury |
15497 |
677.0 |
53 |
| Seekonk |
15159 |
2302.0 |
200 |
| Northborough |
15109 |
986.0 |
96 |
| Belchertown |
14985 |
628.0 |
45 |
| Whitman |
14852 |
1037.0 |
105 |
| Wilbraham |
14684 |
1247.0 |
134 |
| Holliston |
14656 |
443.0 |
18 |
| Swampscott |
14551 |
1347.0 |
143 |
| Hanover |
14466 |
816.0 |
75 |
| East Bridgewater |
14390 |
1070.0 |
108 |
| Bedford |
14280 |
385.0 |
13 |
| Mashpee |
14122 |
1225.0 |
127 |
| Dennis |
13905 |
2711.0 |
213 |
| Oxford |
13895 |
1605.0 |
161 |
| Ipswich |
13863 |
722.0 |
57 |
| Raynham |
13818 |
2171.0 |
197 |
| Clinton |
13780 |
464.0 |
24 |
| Wayland |
13760 |
80.0 |
1 |
| Millbury |
13532 |
1818.0 |
175 |
| Charlton |
13430 |
678.0 |
54 |
| Kingston |
13378 |
1225.0 |
129 |
| Medway |
13289 |
444.0 |
19 |
| North Adams |
13162 |
4665.0 |
232 |
| Lynnfield |
12946 |
765.0 |
65 |
| Tyngsboro |
12397 |
605.0 |
39 |
| Pepperell |
12242 |
915.0 |
89 |
| Palmer |
12171 |
2128.0 |
195 |
| Weston |
12147 |
510.0 |
28 |
| Harwich |
12112 |
1453.0 |
151 |
| Rehoboth |
12033 |
1005.0 |
99 |
| Norfolk |
11991 |
208.0 |
4 |
| Spencer |
11782 |
1188.0 |
124 |
| Wrentham |
11614 |
1894.0 |
178 |
| Athol |
11612 |
2239.0 |
198 |
| Carver |
11600 |
1129.0 |
115 |
| Dudley |
11558 |
762.0 |
64 |
| Lunenburg |
11438 |
2107.0 |
194 |
| Lakeville |
11417 |
1331.0 |
140 |
| Groton |
11372 |
466.0 |
25 |
| Leicester |
11355 |
1515.0 |
156 |
| Nantucket |
11036 |
3009.0 |
224 |
| Norwell |
11030 |
735.0 |
59 |
| Maynard |
10745 |
829.0 |
78 |
| Winchendon |
10727 |
2023.0 |
186 |
| Hanson |
10666 |
750.0 |
62 |
| Hull |
10482 |
1011.0 |
100 |
| Acushnet |
10466 |
1462.0 |
154 |
| Littleton |
10074 |
883.0 |
85 |
| Southborough |
10048 |
577.0 |
34 |
| Ware |
9891 |
2295.0 |
199 |
| Brewster |
9888 |
1173.0 |
121 |
| Middleton |
9852 |
629.0 |
46 |
| Southwick |
9758 |
1076.0 |
109 |
| Townsend |
9585 |
636.0 |
48 |
| Sturbridge |
9520 |
2101.0 |
193 |
| Salisbury |
9425 |
1995.0 |
184 |
| Sutton |
9292 |
1033.0 |
102 |
| Freetown |
9199 |
1369.0 |
145 |
| Plainville |
9178 |
1231.0 |
131 |
| Blackstone |
9079 |
859.0 |
83 |
| Monson |
8812 |
1067.0 |
107 |
| Douglas |
8741 |
617.0 |
41 |
| Georgetown |
8623 |
568.0 |
33 |
| Rutland |
8599 |
919.0 |
90 |
| Cohasset |
8538 |
996.0 |
97 |
| Boxford |
8271 |
181.0 |
2 |
| Montague |
8242 |
2852.0 |
218 |
| Hamilton |
8181 |
415.0 |
16 |
| Lancaster |
8150 |
773.0 |
68 |
| Adams |
8131 |
1722.0 |
171 |
| Ayer |
8078 |
1659.0 |
164 |
| Sterling |
7993 |
814.0 |
73 |
| West Boylston |
7895 |
1228.0 |
130 |
| Halifax |
7861 |
1056.0 |
106 |
| Upton |
7726 |
388.0 |
14 |
| Orange |
7615 |
1654.0 |
163 |
| Westminster |
7595 |
1185.0 |
123 |
| Williamstown |
7591 |
159.0 |
177 |
| Lincoln |
7550 |
622.0 |
43 |
| Dighton |
7430 |
808.0 |
71 |
| Shirley |
7389 |
798.0 |
70 |
| Rockport |
7222 |
277.0 |
8 |
| Stow |
7197 |
611.0 |
40 |
| West Bridgewater |
7097 |
2029.0 |
188 |
| Newbury |
6999 |
557.0 |
31 |
| Great Barrington |
6870 |
1135.0 |
116 |
| Merrimac |
6859 |
641.0 |
50 |
| Groveland |
6776 |
192.0 |
3 |
| Berkley |
6678 |
599.0 |
38 |
| Dalton |
6642 |
1130.0 |
114 |
| Topsfield |
6590 |
213.0 |
5 |
| Harvard |
6552 |
702.0 |
56 |
| Granby |
6375 |
879.0 |
84 |
| Rowley |
6343 |
536.0 |
29 |
| Mattapoisett |
6282 |
1115.0 |
112 |
| Ashburnham |
6206 |
886.0 |
86 |
| Chatham |
6119 |
1340.0 |
142 |
| Mendon |
6033 |
680.0 |
55 |
| Dover |
6008 |
632.0 |
47 |
| Hopedale |
5938 |
454.0 |
22 |
| Orleans |
5810 |
2031.0 |
189 |
| Lee |
5790 |
1987.0 |
183 |
| Rochester |
5522 |
815.0 |
74 |
| Manchester by the Sea |
5387 |
371.0 |
12 |
| Hadley |
5372 |
4319.0 |
230 |
| Carlisle |
5300 |
453.0 |
21 |
| Hampden |
5227 |
1167.0 |
120 |
| Boxborough |
5223 |
536.0 |
30 |
| Bolton |
5210 |
979.0 |
95 |
| Wenham |
5198 |
327.0 |
10 |
| Marion |
5098 |
903.0 |
88 |
