The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in Massachusetts

Few states have a historic legacy and an outsized national influence like Massachusetts. It stood at the heart of the American Revolution. Its universities, museums, and landmarks are internationally famous. And no matter where you live or what you support, you’ve heard of sports teams and politicians from Massachusetts!

If you’re thinking about moving to Massachusetts or even just coming for a visit, you may also wonder about another aspect of its reputation: crime rates. By the 1980s, Massachusetts had earned the unwanted title of “Car Theft Capital” of the country.¹

Nationwide, crime has been in a downward trend since the 1990s, even though 6 in 10 American adults believe “reducing crime” should be a top priority.² The Bay State has shared in the decline. The “Massachusetts Miracle” happened in the late 1990s, when crime decreased sharply and economic conditions improved. But does the decrease mean it's a safe state today?

Massachusetts cities with the highest and lowest crime rates

(per 100,000 people)

Cities with the highest property crime rates
Holyoke	4,583
Hadley	3,866
West Springfield	3,166

Cities with the highest violent crime rates
North Adams	1,079
Holyoke	989
Chelsea	967

Cities with the lowest property crime rates
Groveland	15
Clinton	51
Millis	77

Cities with the lowest violent crime rates
Wayland	7
Lincoln	15
Merrimac	15

Note: Excluding cities with crime rates of zero. Source: 2023 FBI Data

Massachusetts Cities With the Lowest Violent Crime Rates

Located about 20 miles west of Boston, Wayland is an affluent suburban town with historic homes and the state’s lowest violent crime rate. It has just seven incidents per 100,000 residents per year. (Measuring crime statistics per 100,000 residents, even for towns with populations much smaller than this, helps to compare the rate of crime consistently across population centers.)

Given Wayland’s population of 14,000, the actual number of violent crimes per year is about two. Statistically, it is a very safe place to live. Why are the crime rates so low? The median household income is about $200,000 per year, which is over twice the state average. In terms of education, 76 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and Wayland High School is ranked among the best in Massachusetts. The poverty rate is 4.2 percent, less than half the state’s average.³ Low populations, high income, and educational achievement in suburban communities are all commonly associated with lower rates of violent crime.

Lincoln and Merrimac, which are tied for the second and third lowest violent crime rates, have 15 incidents per 100,000 residents per year. Lincoln shares many characteristics with Wayland in terms of higher-than-average income and education rates.

Merrimac is less affluent and educated. However, its median household income of $116,000 per year is still above the state average, and 37 percent of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.⁴ It’s a small community of 6,700 residents in the northeastern part of the state along the New Hampshire border.

Cities With the Lowest Property Crime Rates

Only 3 miles from Merrimac, Groveland has the state’s lowest levels of property crime, at 15 incidents per 100,000 residents per year. This equates to only a handful of actual property crimes per year, given Groveland’s population of 7,000 residents.⁵

Like the other low-crime cities already mentioned, Groveland has a higher-than-average median household income and a relatively small population. Although it’s located a few miles from major highways (something that can correlate with higher crime rates), it’s not a tourist destination or a college town. There’s also no beach to draw visitors. This helps keep Groveland for the locals, who very rarely commit property crimes against their neighbors.

Not every city has to be “swanky” to have low crime. Clinton has the state’s second-lowest rates of property crime, at 51 incidents per 100,000 residents. This is a jump from Groveland but still very low. Clinton is in central Massachusetts and is home to Fuller Field, the oldest continuously used baseball field since 1878. Despite its historical baseball landmark, Clinton is not a common tourist destination.

Millis, a suburban town 25 miles southwest of Boston, rounds out the top three for the state’s lowest rates of property crime, with rates comparable to Clinton’s.

Massachusetts Cities With the Highest Violent Crime Rates

If you asked Massachusetts natives to guess the city with the highest violent crime rate in the state, you would probably hear Boston or Springfield as the answer. It’s actually neither of these, but instead North Adams, in the northwest corner of the state.

As a relatively small city, surrounded by woods, it seems to share traits with the low-crime cities we have already seen. So why is North Adams topping the state in violent crime, at 1,079 incidents per 100,000 residents per year?

There are a few possible explanations.

Like many mill towns, its economy has been disrupted over decades of factory closures. According to Census facts, North Adams has an 18 percent poverty rate, which is close to twice the statewide average of 10 percent. It’s located in Berkshire County, which is a hot spot for opioid use in the state. Opioid use often leads to violent crime and drug-related arrests for assaults and robberies.⁶

Attempts to create positive change also brought unintended consequences. North Adams is home to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, which draws thousands of tourists yearly. This increases transient populations that may commit crimes and leave, and the foot traffic of visitors in downtown areas gives more opportunities for robberies and assaults.

Holyoke comes in second for the state’s highest violent crime rate, at 989 incidents per 100,000 residents. This city of 38,000 is located near Springfield in one of the state’s highest crime regions. It not only shares North Adams’ issues of poverty and drug use but also experiences more significant gang violence. However, Holyoke’s larger police force helps to keep some of this under control.⁷

Chelsea is close behind. With a 20 percent poverty rate, proximity to Boston gangs, and a dense urban environment, Chelsea has many factors that typically account for increased crime rates.⁸, ⁹

Cities with High Property Crime Rates

Holyoke makes its second appearance in this article, but this time for property crime, with 4,583 incidents per 100,000 residents per year.

Hadley (3,866) to the north and West Springfield (3,166) to the south come in second and third. These three cities form a compact line of elevated property crime.

You have probably already guessed some of the possible explanations for this: elevated levels of poverty, drug use, and post-industrial economic decline. These cities also sit on the I-91 corridor, a major north-south artery, that provides quick entry and escape for thieves. West Springfield’s Big E Fair attracts over a million visitors every fall, providing increased opportunity for property crime.

How Does Massachusetts’ Crime Rate Compare to Other States?

Massachusetts has the 27th lowest rate of violent crime in the nation, making it slightly safer than average. The most common violent crime is aggravated assault (at 6 percent below the national average), while other major crimes like murder, rape, and robbery are about 30 percent to 60 percent below the national average.

Violent crime rates

(per 100,000 residents)

Crime Type	Massachusetts	National
Murder	2.1	5.7
Aggravated assault	248.3	263.7
Robbery	36.6	65.4
Rape	27.3	38.0

Property crime rates are the third lowest in the nation. Larceny-theft, the most common type of property crime, is still about 37 percent below the national average. Burglary is about 47 percent below the national average, while vehicle theft is 63 percent below the national average.

Property crime rates

(per 100,000 residents)

Crime Type	Massachusetts	National
Burglary	131.8	250.7
Larceny	852.3	1,343.9
Vehicle theft	116.6	317.2

Crime Trends

Although Massachusetts is statistically around average for violent crime, it has seen a year-over-year decrease of 2.4 percent. This reflects an overall national trend toward a slight decrease in violent crime rates.

During the same period, property crime increased by 2.9 percent. Although many places in the state are statistically safe to park your car, some of this increase is attributed to a recent spike in keyless vehicle thefts, as thieves adapt to new security technologies.

Small State, Big Differences in Crime

Everything in Massachusetts is relatively close together. But drive an hour, and it can still feel like different cities exist in different worlds.

Affluent areas like Wayland and Lincoln report extremely low crime rates, while cities like North Adams and Holyoke are overrepresented in the state’s crime statistics.

Although some level of crime occurs in all cities, it is not evenly or randomly distributed. In Massachusetts, it’s generally concentrated in urban regions. Much of the rest of the state enjoys lower-than-average crime rates.

Progress Not Perfection

Massachusetts has made great progress in reducing crime since its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, when there were nearly 50,000 stolen cars in one year. Murder rates are significantly reduced, and employment rates have recovered from the initial shocks of mill closures and deindustrialization.

Opioid use and its associated crimes continue to impact certain cities, and car thieves are learning to counteract modern anti-theft technologies.¹¹ Crime may not be history everywhere, but in many parts of the state, it’s safe to focus on other aspects of life and look forward to the future.

Where Our Crime Data Comes From

Unless specified otherwise, the information in this article is based on crime data compiled by the FBI and made available through the Crime Data Explorer. Statewide violent and property crime statistics are drawn from the FBI’s 2023 Crime in the United States Report (Table 5), and for city-level crime rates, we referred to Table 8, which lists reported offenses by state and city.

Important note: Crime statistics offer valuable insights, but they aren’t the only way to evaluate a community’s safety. Local context, law enforcement practices, and reporting standards can all influence how crime is recorded. Additionally, FBI publication tables and the data displayed on the Crime Data Explorer may differ slightly due to variations in methodology.

Navigate Crime Data by State

References

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