Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Athol, MA has a Safety Score of 67/100 — safer than 67% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,183.7 per 100,000 residents, ranking #967 of 2,957 US cities and #126 of 185 in Massachusetts.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Athol, MA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Athol, Massachusetts Safe?
Athol, "Tool Town," is a small manufacturing community in north-central Massachusetts, bisected by the Millers River. Its population of around 9,000 has seen a slight decline in recent decades. The town once boasted a thriving shoe industry.
Athol has a safety score of 67/100 (Near National Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,183.7 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Athol ranks #126 out of 185 cities in Massachusetts and #967 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 67th percentile for safety — safer than 67% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Athol is rape, at 57.5 per 100K — 1.3x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Athol's total crime rate decreased by 2%, with violent crime rising 1.7%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Athol Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 55 | 452.1 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 7 | 57.5 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 48 | 394.6 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 89 | 731.6 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 13 | 106.9 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 75 | 616.5 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 8.2 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Athol vs Massachusetts Average
How does Athol's crime rate compare to the Massachusetts state average?
| Metric | Athol | Massachusetts Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 452.1 | 322.0 | +40.4% |
| Property Crime Rate | 731.6 | 1,123.7 | -34.9% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 1.8 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,183.7 | 1,445.7 | -18.1% |
Athol Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Athol, Massachusetts.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12,165 | 1,183.7 | 452.1 | 731.6 |
| 2023 | 11,923 | 1,207.8 | 444.5 | 763.2 |
| 2022 | 11,938 | 1,357.0 | 578.0 | 779.0 |
| 2021 | 11,802 | 1,304.9 | 381.3 | 923.6 |
| 2020 | 11,682 | 1,309.7 | 410.9 | 898.8 |
| 2019 | 11,679 | 1,267.2 | 402.4 | 864.8 |
Athol Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Athol and nearby cities — green is safer, red is higher-crime; circle size is population. Not an incident-level map. Full state view: Massachusetts crime map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Athol, Massachusetts safe?
Athol has a safety score of 67/100, meaning it has less crime than about 67% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,183.7 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Athol is about average for a US city.
What is the crime rate in Athol, Massachusetts?
According to FBI data for 2024, Athol has a violent crime rate of 452.1 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 731.6 per 100,000 residents.
How does Athol compare to the national average?
Athol's total crime rate of 1,183.7 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 12,165 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Athol?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Athol are larceny-theft (75 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (48 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 1.6x in the city.
Is Athol safe to visit?
Like any city, Athol has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 67/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.