Share

Boston vs Palmer Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Boston crime rate · Palmer crime rate

Moving from Boston, MA to Palmer, 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.

Get the planner →

Is Boston or Palmer Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Palmer 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 Palmer has a 100% lower rate.

Note: Boston is 52.6x 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

Palmer — 5-Year Trend

Decreasing 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

Palmer, MA

Palmer, MA
Safety Score 77/100
Coverage 12,534
Total Crime Rate 949.4
Category Wins 7/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Boston Palmer Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,649.7 949.4 +1,700.3
Violent Crime Rate 628.0 375.0 +253.1
Murder Rate 3.6 0.0 +3.6
Rape Rate 25.6 31.9 -6.3
Robbery Rate 126.4 0.0 +126.4
Aggravated Assault Rate 472.2 343.1 +129.1
Property Crime Rate 2,021.7 574.4 +1,447.3
Burglary Rate 177.7 119.7 +58.0
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,687.4 375.0 +1,312.5
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 156.6 79.8 +76.8

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

Moving from Boston, MA to Palmer, 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.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Boston or Palmer safer?

Palmer 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 Palmer has 375.0. Palmer 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 Palmer, MA

Palmer, Massachusetts, a rural town in Hampden County, is known for its "Four Corners" where four distinct villages meet. Historically, it was a significant railroad hub, once home to a major roundhouse and repair shop. With a safety score of 77/100 and a population coverage of 12,534, Palmer has a total crime rate of 949.4 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons