Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Bedford, MA has a Safety Score of 94/100 — safer than 94% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 457.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #180 of 2,957 US cities and #38 of 185 in Massachusetts.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Bedford, MA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Bedford, Massachusetts Safe?
Bedford, MA, home to Hanscom Air Force Base and a significant tech industry presence, sits northwest of Boston. This Middlesex County town, a bedroom community, maintains a suburban character with a notable historical district.
Bedford has a safety score of 94/100 (Safer Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 457.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Bedford ranks #38 out of 185 cities in Massachusetts and #180 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 94th percentile for safety — safer than 94% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Bedford is murder, at 13.6 per 100K — 2.2x the national average. Conversely, rape is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Bedford's total crime rate decreased by 15.1%, with violent crime declining 75.9%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Bedford Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 2 | 13.6 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 2 | 13.6 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 0 | 0.0 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0.0 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 0.0 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 65 | 443.4 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 6 | 40.9 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 55 | 375.2 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 27.3 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Bedford vs Massachusetts Average
How does Bedford's crime rate compare to the Massachusetts state average?
| Metric | Bedford | Massachusetts Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 13.6 | 322.0 | -95.8% |
| Property Crime Rate | 443.4 | 1,123.7 | -60.5% |
| Murder Rate | 13.6 | 1.8 | +662.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 457.1 | 1,445.7 | -68.4% |
Bedford Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Bedford, Massachusetts.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14,659 | 457.1 | 13.6 | 443.4 |
| 2023 | 14,117 | 538.4 | 56.7 | 481.7 |
| 2022 | 14,034 | 527.3 | 14.3 | 513.0 |
| 2021 | 14,241 | 456.4 | 28.1 | 428.3 |
| 2020 | 14,135 | 523.5 | 77.8 | 445.7 |
| 2019 | 14,193 | 331.2 | 49.3 | 281.8 |
Bedford Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Bedford 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 Bedford, Massachusetts safe?
Bedford has a safety score of 94/100, meaning it has less crime than about 94% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 457.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Bedford is relatively safe.
What is the crime rate in Bedford, Massachusetts?
According to FBI data for 2024, Bedford has a violent crime rate of 13.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 443.4 per 100,000 residents.
How does Bedford compare to the national average?
Bedford's total crime rate of 457.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 14,659 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Bedford?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Bedford are larceny-theft (55 reported incidents) and burglary (6 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 32.5x in the city.
Is Bedford safe to visit?
Like any city, Bedford has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 94/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.