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Boston vs Fall River Crime Comparison

Side-by-side crime rates, safety scores, and trends based on FBI data.

Full report: Boston crime rate · Fall River crime rate

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Is Boston or Fall River Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Fall River is safer than Boston (Safety Score 37/100 vs 25/100), with a total crime rate of 2,137 per 100,000 versus 2,650 for Boston — 19% lower. Boston has higher rates in 3 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in property crime, where Fall River has a 31% lower rate.

Note: Boston is 6.9x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.

Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Boston, MA?

Boston — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Fall River — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing Violent Increasing Property Flat Total

Boston, MA

Boston, MA
Safety Score 25/100
Coverage 659,049
Total Crime Rate 2,649.7
Category Wins 3/7

Fall River, MA

Fall River, MA
Safety Score 37/100
Coverage 95,573
Total Crime Rate 2,136.6
Category Wins 4/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Boston Fall River Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,649.7 2,136.6 +513.1
Violent Crime Rate 628.0 745.0 -117.0
Murder Rate 3.6 3.1 +0.5
Rape Rate 25.6 60.7 -35.1
Robbery Rate 126.4 100.5 +25.9
Aggravated Assault Rate 472.2 578.6 -106.4
Property Crime Rate 2,021.7 1,391.6 +630.1
Burglary Rate 177.7 231.2 -53.6
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,687.4 996.1 +691.3
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 156.6 164.3 -7.7

All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.

Moving from Boston, MA to Fall River, MA?

The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston or Fall River safer?

Fall River is safer with a total crime rate of 2,137 per 100K vs 2,650 for Boston — a 19% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Boston has a violent crime rate of 628.0 per 100K while Fall River has 745.0. Boston has lower violent crime.

About Boston, MA

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. With a safety score of 25/100 and a population coverage of 659,049, Boston has a total crime rate of 2,649.7 per 100,000 residents.

About Fall River, MA

Fall River, site of the infamous Lizzie Borden case, is a South Coast Massachusetts city nestled along the Taunton River. Once a major textile center, its population is now largely working-class, with a significant Portuguese heritage. With a safety score of 37/100 and a population coverage of 95,573, Fall River has a total crime rate of 2,136.6 per 100,000 residents.

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