Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Somerville, MA has a Safety Score of 43/100 — higher crime than 57% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 1,920.1 per 100,000 residents, ranking #1,680 of 2,957 US cities and #170 of 185 in Massachusetts.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Somerville, MA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Somerville, Massachusetts Safe?
Somerville, MA, a densely populated city immediately north of Boston, is known for its vibrant arts scene and diverse neighborhoods. Historically home to many working-class immigrants, it's now a hub for young professionals and students.
Somerville has a safety score of 43/100 (Higher Crime Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 1,920.1 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Somerville ranks #170 out of 185 cities in Massachusetts and #1680 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 43rd percentile for safety — with higher crime than 57% of US cities.
Year over year, Somerville's total crime rate increased by 15.1%, with violent crime declining 10.2%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Somerville Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 181 | 221.4 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 13 | 15.9 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 20 | 24.5 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 148 | 181.0 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 1,389 | 1,698.8 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 237 | 289.9 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 1,046 | 1,279.3 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 106 | 129.6 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Somerville vs Massachusetts Average
How does Somerville's crime rate compare to the Massachusetts state average?
| Metric | Somerville | Massachusetts Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 221.4 | 322.0 | -31.3% |
| Property Crime Rate | 1,698.8 | 1,123.7 | +51.2% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 1.8 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 1,920.1 | 1,445.7 | +32.8% |
Somerville Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Somerville, Massachusetts.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 81,766 | 1,920.1 | 221.4 | 1,698.8 |
| 2023 | 79,513 | 1,668.9 | 246.5 | 1,422.4 |
| 2022 | 79,178 | 1,635.6 | 252.6 | 1,383.0 |
| 2021 | 82,123 | 1,309.0 | 185.1 | 1,123.9 |
| 2020 | 81,552 | 1,372.1 | 187.6 | 1,184.5 |
| 2019 | 81,668 | 1,458.3 | 203.3 | 1,255.1 |
Somerville Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Somerville 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 Somerville, Massachusetts safe?
Somerville has a safety score of 43/100, meaning it has less crime than about 43% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 1,920.1 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Somerville is higher-crime than most US cities.
What is the crime rate in Somerville, Massachusetts?
According to FBI data for 2024, Somerville has a violent crime rate of 221.4 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 1,698.8 per 100,000 residents.
How does Somerville compare to the national average?
Somerville's total crime rate of 1,920.1 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 81,766 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Somerville?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Somerville are larceny-theft (1,046 reported incidents) and burglary (237 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 7.7x in the city.
Is Somerville safe to visit?
Like any city, Somerville has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 43/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.