Violent
Property
Total
Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Waltham, MA has a Safety Score of 77/100 — safer than 77% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 951.3 per 100,000 residents, ranking #692 of 2,957 US cities and #98 of 185 in Massachusetts.
Quiz: which of these is MORE DANGEROUS than Waltham, MA?
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Waltham, Massachusetts Safe?
Waltham, "Watch City," is a historic industrial suburb of Boston along the Charles River. Home to Brandeis University, its diverse population includes a significant immigrant community.
Waltham has a safety score of 77/100 (Safer Than Average). Based on FBI data, the city reported a total crime rate of 951.3 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,785.9 per 100,000.
Waltham ranks #98 out of 185 cities in Massachusetts and #692 out of 2957 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 77th percentile for safety — safer than 77% of US cities.
All major crime categories in Waltham are below the national average, with motor vehicle theft particularly low at 0.2x the national rate.
Year over year, Waltham's total crime rate decreased by 12.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Waltham Crime Statistics Breakdown
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 165 | 252.0 | 478.2 |
| Murder | 1 | 1.5 | 6.3 |
| Rape | 12 | 18.3 | 43.8 |
| Robbery | 15 | 22.9 | 94.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 137 | 209.2 | 333.5 |
| Property Crime | 458 | 699.4 | 2,307.7 |
| Burglary | 82 | 125.2 | 292.0 |
| Larceny-Theft | 340 | 519.2 | 1,657.7 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 36 | 55.0 | 358.0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Waltham vs Massachusetts Average
How does Waltham's crime rate compare to the Massachusetts state average?
| Metric | Waltham | Massachusetts Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 252.0 | 322.0 | -21.8% |
| Property Crime Rate | 699.4 | 1,123.7 | -37.8% |
| Murder Rate | 1.5 | 1.8 | -14.5% |
| Total Crime Rate | 951.3 | 1,445.7 | -34.2% |
Waltham Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Waltham, Massachusetts.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 65,488 | 951.3 | 252.0 | 699.4 |
| 2023 | 63,797 | 1,087.8 | 250.8 | 837.0 |
| 2022 | 63,525 | 703.7 | 151.1 | 552.5 |
| 2021 | 62,693 | 590.2 | 119.6 | 470.6 |
| 2020 | 62,339 | 753.9 | 136.4 | 617.6 |
| 2019 | 62,737 | 978.7 | 162.6 | 816.1 |
Waltham Crime Map — Surrounding Area
City-level crime rates from FBI data for Waltham 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 Waltham, Massachusetts safe?
Waltham has a safety score of 77/100, meaning it has less crime than about 77% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 951.3 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Waltham is relatively safe.
What is the crime rate in Waltham, Massachusetts?
According to FBI data for 2024, Waltham has a violent crime rate of 252.0 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 699.4 per 100,000 residents.
How does Waltham compare to the national average?
Waltham's total crime rate of 951.3 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 65,488 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Waltham?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Waltham are larceny-theft (340 reported incidents) and aggravated assault (137 reported incidents). Property crime outnumbers violent crime 2.8x in the city.
Is Waltham safe to visit?
Like any city, Waltham has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 77/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.