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Boston vs Gardner Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Boston crime rate · Gardner crime rate

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Is Boston or Gardner Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Gardner is safer than Boston (Safety Score 77/100 vs 25/100), with a total crime rate of 949 per 100,000 versus 2,650 for Boston — 64% lower. Boston has higher rates in 0 of 7 crime categories.

The biggest difference is in murder, where Gardner has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Boston is 31.0x 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 MORE DANGEROUS than Boston, MA?

Boston — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Gardner — 5-Year Trend

Flat Violent Decreasing Property Decreasing Total

Boston, MA

Boston, MA
Safety Score 25/100
Coverage 659,049
Total Crime Rate 2,649.7
Category Wins 0/7

Gardner, MA

Gardner, MA
Safety Score 77/100
Coverage 21,288
Total Crime Rate 948.9
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Boston Gardner Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,649.7 948.9 +1,700.8
Violent Crime Rate 628.0 328.8 +299.2
Murder Rate 3.6 0.0 +3.6
Rape Rate 25.6 28.2 -2.5
Robbery Rate 126.4 4.7 +121.7
Aggravated Assault Rate 472.2 295.9 +176.3
Property Crime Rate 2,021.7 620.1 +1,401.6
Burglary Rate 177.7 89.3 +88.4
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,687.4 474.5 +1,213.0
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 156.6 56.4 +100.2

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

Moving from Boston, MA to Gardner, 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 Gardner safer?

Gardner is safer with a total crime rate of 949 per 100K vs 2,650 for Boston — a 64% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Boston has a violent crime rate of 628.0 per 100K while Gardner has 328.8. Gardner 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 Gardner, MA

Gardner, the "Chair City," is a small city in northern Worcester County, historically renowned for its furniture industry. Its population of around 21,000 residents is predominantly white, with a median age in the early 40s. With a safety score of 77/100 and a population coverage of 21,288, Gardner has a total crime rate of 948.9 per 100,000 residents.

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