Share

Lowell, MA vs Watertown, MA Crime Comparison

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

Full report: Lowell crime rate · Watertown crime rate

Moving from Lowell, MA to Watertown, 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 Lowell, MA or Watertown, MA Safer?

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Watertown, MA is safer than Lowell, MA (Safety Score 40/100 vs 35/100), with a total crime rate of 2,012 per 100,000 versus 2,195 for Lowell, MA — 8% lower. Lowell has higher rates in 2 of 7 crime categories.

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

Note: Lowell is 3.2x 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 Lowell, MA?

Lowell — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Watertown — 5-Year Trend

Increasing Violent Increasing Property Increasing Total

Lowell, MA

Lowell, MA
Safety Score 35/100
Coverage 116,062
Total Crime Rate 2,195.4
Category Wins 2/7

Watertown, MA

Watertown, MA
Safety Score 40/100
Coverage 35,885
Total Crime Rate 2,012.0
Category Wins 5/7

Detailed Crime Rate Comparison

Crime Type Lowell Watertown Difference
Total Crime Rate 2,195.4 2,012.0 +183.4
Violent Crime Rate 532.5 153.3 +379.2
Murder Rate 4.3 0.0 +4.3
Rape Rate 6.9 25.1 -18.2
Robbery Rate 56.9 8.4 +48.5
Aggravated Assault Rate 464.4 119.8 +344.6
Property Crime Rate 1,662.9 1,858.7 -195.8
Burglary Rate 149.9 53.0 +97.0
Larceny-Theft Rate 1,309.6 1,780.7 -471.1
Motor Vehicle Theft Rate 203.3 25.1 +178.3

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

Moving from Lowell, MA to Watertown, 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 Lowell or Watertown safer?

Watertown, MA is safer with a total crime rate of 2,012 per 100K vs 2,195 for Lowell, MA — a 8% difference.

How do violent crime rates compare?

Lowell has a violent crime rate of 532.5 per 100K while Watertown has 153.3. Watertown has lower violent crime.

About Lowell, MA

Lowell, a historic mill city on the Merrimack River, was a birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Its diverse population includes a significant Cambodian American community. With a safety score of 35/100 and a population coverage of 116,062, Lowell has a total crime rate of 2,195.4 per 100,000 residents.

About Watertown, MA

Watertown, a historic Middlesex County town, sits along the Charles River just west of Boston. It was home to the Perkins School for the Blind, where Helen Keller studied. The town has a diverse population, including a notable Armenian community. With a safety score of 40/100 and a population coverage of 35,885, Watertown has a total crime rate of 2,012.0 per 100,000 residents.

More Crime Rate Comparisons