Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Boston, MA has a Safety Score of 25/100 — higher crime than 75% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 2,649.7 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,204 of 2,957 US cities and #179 of 185 in Massachusetts.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Boston, MA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Boston, Massachusetts Safe?
Boston, a city steeped in American Revolution history, sits on Massachusetts Bay. This densely populated urban center is home to a diverse population and numerous universities.
Boston has a safety score of 25/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 2,649.7 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Boston ranks #179 out of 185 cities in Massachusetts and #2204 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 25th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 75% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Boston is aggravated assault, at 472.2 per 100K — 1.4x the national average. Conversely, motor vehicle theft is relatively low at just 0.4x the national rate.
Year over year, Boston's total crime rate increased by 3%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Boston Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 4,139 | 628.0 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 24 | 3.6 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 169 | 25.6 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 833 | 126.4 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 3,112 | 472.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 13,324 | 2,021.7 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 1,171 | 177.7 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 11,121 | 1,687.4 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1,032 | 156.6 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Boston vs Massachusetts Average
How does Boston's crime rate compare to the Massachusetts state average?
| Metric | Boston | Massachusetts Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 628.0 | 322.0 | +95.0% |
| Property Crime Rate | 2,021.7 | 1,123.7 | +79.9% |
| Murder Rate | 3.6 | 1.8 | +103.4% |
| Total Crime Rate | 2,649.7 | 1,445.7 | +83.3% |
Boston Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Boston, Massachusetts.
Between 2019 and 2024, Boston's total crime rate is up 6% (2,498 → 2,650 per 100,000). Violent crime is up 3% and property crime up 7% over the same period.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 659,049 | 2,649.7 | 628.0 | 2,021.7 |
| 2023 | 642,823 | 2,571.9 | 627.5 | 1,944.4 |
| 2022 | 638,925 | 2,458.8 | 633.7 | 1,825.1 |
| 2021 | 704,758 | 2,219.1 | 558.6 | 1,660.4 |
| 2020 | 697,323 | 2,528.8 | 636.0 | 1,892.8 |
| 2019 | 698,941 | 2,497.6 | 607.2 | 1,890.4 |
Boston Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Boston 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 Boston, Massachusetts safe?
Boston has a safety score of 25/100, meaning it has less crime than about 25% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 2,649.7 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Boston is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Boston, Massachusetts?
According to FBI data for 2024, Boston has a violent crime rate of 628.0 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 2,021.7 per 100,000 residents.
How does Boston compare to the national average?
Boston's total crime rate of 2,649.7 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 659,049 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Boston?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Boston are larceny-theft (11,121 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (3,112 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 3.2x in the city.
How many murders were reported in Boston in 2024?
24 murders were reported to the FBI for Boston in 2024 — a homicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime in Boston going up or down?
Boston's total crime rate is rising: 6% higher in 2024 than in 2019 (2,650 vs 2,498 per 100,000, FBI data).
Is Boston safe to visit?
Like any city, Boston has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 25/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.