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Cambridge, MA vs New York City, NY Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Cambridge crime rate · New York City crime rate

Moving from Cambridge, MA to New York City, NY?

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Is Cambridge, MA or New York City, NY Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, New York City, NY is safer than Cambridge, MA (Safety Score 19/100 vs 18/100), with a total crime rate of 3,040 per 100,000 versus 3,081 for Cambridge, MA — 1% lower. Cambridge has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: New York City is 68.9x 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 Cambridge, MA?

Cambridge — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

New York City — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA
Safety Score 18/100
Coverage 120,447
Total Crime Rate 3,081.0
Category Wins 4/7

New York City, NY

New York City, NY
Safety Score 19/100
Coverage 8,299,271
Total Crime Rate 3,039.7
Category Wins 3/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Cambridge New York City Difference
Total Crime Rate 3,081.0 3,039.7 +41.3
Violent Crime Rate 436.7 671.4 -234.7
Murder Rate 0.0 3.9 -3.9
Rape Rate 34.0 23.4 +10.6
Robbery Rate 91.3 187.5 -96.1
Aggravated Assault Rate 311.3 456.2 -144.9
Property Crime Rate 2,644.3 2,368.3 +276.1
Burglary Rate 236.6 154.7 +81.9
Larceny-Theft Rate 2,323.0 2,015.0 +308.0
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 84.7 198.5 -113.9

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

Moving from Cambridge, MA to New York City, NY?

An out-of-state move adds new driver's license, plates, voter registration and deadlines that differ by state. The Moving Checklist Planner dates every task from your move-in day — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.

Get the planner →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cambridge or New York City safer?

New York City, NY is safer with a total crime rate of 3,040 per 100K vs 3,081 for Cambridge, MA — a 1% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Cambridge has a violent crime rate of 436.7 per 100K while New York City has 671.4. Cambridge has lower violent crime.

About Cambridge, MA

Nestled across the Charles River from Boston, Cambridge is a vibrant intellectual hub home to Harvard University. Its youthful, highly educated population, with a median age around 30, contributes to its dynamic character. With a safety score of 18/100 and a population coverage of 120,447, Cambridge has a total crime rate of 3,081.0 per 100,000 residents.

About New York City, NY

New York City, a global financial hub, sits at the mouth of the Hudson River. Home to the iconic Statue of Liberty, its five boroughs house over 8 million people, making it the most populous city in the United States. With a safety score of 19/100 and a population coverage of 8,299,271, New York City has a total crime rate of 3,039.7 per 100,000 residents.

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