Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in Massachusetts (FBI Data)

Quick answer

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, the most dangerous city in Massachusetts is Holyoke, MA with a total crime rate of 5,273.1 per 100,000 residents. These 100 cities average 1,503 per 100,000 — 0.5x the national average of 2,786.

Avg Violent Crime Rate

323

0.7x avg

per 100K (these cities)

Avg Murder Rate

1.6

0.2x avg

per 100K (national: 6.3)

Avg Property Crime Rate

1,180

per 100K (these cities)

Crime Hotspots in Massachusetts

These 100 cities reported the highest crime rates in Massachusetts. On average, they experience 0.5x the national crime rate, with violent crime averaging 323 per 100,000 (national average: 478).

Holyoke, MA crime rate: 5,273 per 100,000 tops this list — 1.9x the national average. Its violent crime rate of 1,041 per 100K is 2.2x the national average.

Key Findings: Highest Crime Rates

The city with the highest crime rate in Massachusetts, Holyoke, MA, reports 5,273 crimes per 100K residents — 1.9x the national average. The city ranked #100 on this list, Andover (MA), has a rate of 872, still significantly above the national average of 2,786.

Both violent and property crime contribute to these elevated rates. The average murder rate across these cities is 1.6 per 100K (0.2x national average), while property crime averages 1,180 per 100K. In many of these cities, property crime accounts for the majority of total offenses, though the violent crime rate draws the most attention.

It's important to note that citywide statistics can be misleading. Crime is rarely distributed evenly — most cities have neighborhoods that are quite safe alongside areas with concentrated challenges. A high citywide rate doesn't mean every resident faces equal risk. Individual city pages provide additional context including year-over-year trends.

On our Safety Score scale (1–100, where 50 is the national average), these cities average 59/100, with the highest-crime city scoring 3/100. These scores reflect the combined impact of both violent and property crime relative to national norms. Cities with scores below 20 have crime rates more than 1.6 times the national average.

Understanding These Crime Rates

The 100 cities with the highest crime rates in Massachusetts average 1,503 total crimes per 100,000 residents — 0.5x the national average of 2,786. Violent crime is particularly elevated at 323 per 100K, which is 0.7x the national violent crime rate.

The median city on this list — Agawam, MA — reports a crime rate of 1,331 per 100K. 74 of these cities have populations under 50,000, where even a small number of incidents can significantly affect the per-capita rate.

Context matters when interpreting these numbers. High crime rates often correlate with socioeconomic factors including poverty, unemployment, and inequality rather than reflecting the character of residents. Crime reporting practices also vary — cities with well-funded police departments tend to record more incidents. MA has 100 cities on this list.

Full Rankings

#	City	State	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Murder Rate	vs National
1	Holyoke	MA	38,232	5,273.1	1,041.0	7.9	+89%
2	North Adams	MA	12,395	3,751.5	1,194.0	0.0	+35%
3	Springfield	MA	155,491	3,728.2	892.7	10.9	+34%
4	West Springfield	MA	28,898	3,588.5	415.3	0.0	+29%
5	Cambridge	MA	120,447	3,081.0	436.7	0.0	+11%
6	Greenfield	MA	17,419	2,698.2	694.6	5.7	+-3%
7	Boston	MA	659,049	2,649.7	628.0	3.6	+-5%
8	Chelsea	MA	38,307	2,414.7	978.9	5.2	+-13%
9	Chicopee	MA	55,770	2,327.4	566.6	7.2	+-16%
10	Lowell	MA	116,062	2,195.4	532.5	4.3	+-21%
11	Fall River	MA	95,573	2,136.6	745.0	3.1	+-23%
12	Plainville	MA	10,051	2,029.7	268.6	0.0	+-27%
13	Watertown	MA	35,885	2,012.0	153.3	0.0	+-28%
14	Revere	MA	57,779	1,980.0	444.8	0.0	+-29%
15	Brockton	MA	106,650	1,944.7	599.2	7.5	+-30%
16	Somerville	MA	81,766	1,920.1	221.4	0.0	+-31%
17	Burlington	MA	27,124	1,887.6	224.9	0.0	+-32%
18	Seekonk	MA	16,083	1,859.1	211.4	0.0	+-33%
19	Fitchburg	MA	42,332	1,830.8	486.6	2.4	+-34%
20	Wrentham	MA	12,906	1,820.9	131.7	0.0	+-35%
21	Leominster	MA	44,407	1,799.3	484.2	4.5	+-35%
22	Pittsfield	MA	42,835	1,750.9	511.3	4.7	+-37%
23	Lynn	MA	103,200	1,745.2	574.6	2.9	+-37%
24	Northampton	MA	30,108	1,717.2	445.1	3.3	+-38%
25	New Bedford	MA	102,491	1,712.4	353.2	6.8	+-39%
26	Salem	MA	45,955	1,706.0	152.3	0.0	+-39%
27	Holbrook	MA	11,462	1,692.6	314.1	8.7	+-39%
28	East Longmeadow	MA	16,714	1,675.2	209.4	0.0	+-40%
29	Quincy	MA	103,550	1,667.8	335.1	0.0	+-40%
30	Everett	MA	51,744	1,662.0	347.9	0.0	+-40%
31	Saugus	MA	29,180	1,651.8	250.2	0.0	+-41%
32	Danvers	MA	28,375	1,617.6	137.4	0.0	+-42%
33	Dedham	MA	25,355	1,597.3	272.1	0.0	+-43%
34	Abington	MA	17,261	1,593.2	231.7	5.8	+-43%
35	Auburn	MA	17,122	1,565.2	408.8	23.4	+-44%
36	Millbury	MA	14,328	1,556.4	153.6	0.0	+-44%
37	Malden	MA	66,046	1,471.7	292.2	0.0	+-47%
38	Marlboro	MA	41,785	1,457.5	421.2	0.0	+-48%
39	Wilbraham	MA	14,798	1,439.4	162.2	13.5	+-48%
40	Lawrence	MA	89,600	1,438.6	439.7	7.8	+-48%
41	Webster	MA	17,876	1,437.7	637.7	0.0	+-48%
42	Braintree	MA	39,018	1,404.5	284.5	0.0	+-50%
43	Stoughton	MA	29,410	1,387.3	258.4	0.0	+-50%
44	Framingham	MA	73,123	1,379.9	325.5	0.0	+-50%
45	Medford	MA	59,601	1,379.2	179.5	0.0	+-50%
46	Wareham	MA	23,609	1,376.6	292.3	0.0	+-51%
47	Natick	MA	37,073	1,348.7	213.1	0.0	+-52%
48	Attleboro	MA	47,594	1,346.8	220.6	2.1	+-52%
49	Dartmouth	MA	34,792	1,345.1	250.1	0.0	+-52%
50	Haverhill	MA	68,602	1,335.2	411.1	0.0	+-52%
51	Agawam	MA	28,921	1,331.2	287.0	0.0	+-52%
52	Raynham	MA	16,119	1,315.2	235.8	0.0	+-53%
53	Taunton	MA	61,874	1,281.6	447.7	1.6	+-54%
54	Bellingham	MA	18,099	1,259.7	215.5	0.0	+-55%
55	Chelmsford	MA	36,795	1,250.2	122.3	0.0	+-55%
56	Bourne	MA	21,124	1,245.0	274.6	0.0	+-55%
57	Barnstable	MA	50,928	1,195.8	410.4	2.0	+-57%
58	Westwood	MA	16,551	1,190.3	42.3	0.0	+-57%
59	Milford	MA	30,799	1,188.4	285.7	3.3	+-57%
60	Athol	MA	12,165	1,183.7	452.1	0.0	+-58%
61	Wilmington	MA	23,535	1,177.0	165.7	0.0	+-58%
62	Swampscott	MA	15,907	1,156.7	81.7	0.0	+-58%
63	Woburn	MA	42,716	1,142.4	215.4	0.0	+-59%
64	Lunenburg	MA	12,095	1,141.0	107.5	0.0	+-59%
65	Randolph	MA	34,992	1,134.6	240.1	2.9	+-59%
66	North Attleboro	MA	31,565	1,127.8	95.0	0.0	+-60%
67	Tewksbury	MA	31,827	1,124.8	254.5	0.0	+-60%
68	Falmouth	MA	33,877	1,124.7	283.4	0.0	+-60%
69	Nantucket	MA	14,789	1,115.7	202.9	0.0	+-60%
70	Peabody	MA	54,964	1,091.6	254.7	0.0	+-61%
71	Hanover	MA	15,008	1,086.1	106.6	0.0	+-61%
72	Sturbridge	MA	10,135	1,065.6	217.1	0.0	+-62%
73	Middleboro	MA	25,046	1,054.1	427.2	0.0	+-62%
74	Ware	MA	10,076	1,052.0	694.7	0.0	+-62%
75	Weymouth	MA	60,802	1,042.7	223.7	0.0	+-63%
76	Whitman	MA	15,670	1,033.8	293.6	0.0	+-63%
77	Westborough	MA	22,591	1,027.0	225.8	0.0	+-63%
78	Plymouth	MA	68,195	1,017.7	322.6	2.9	+-63%
79	Southbridge	MA	18,280	1,001.1	366.5	0.0	+-64%
80	Westfield	MA	41,270	998.3	191.4	0.0	+-64%
81	Dennis	MA	15,263	995.9	235.9	0.0	+-64%
82	Brookline	MA	64,122	995.0	99.8	0.0	+-64%
83	Maynard	MA	10,762	985.0	241.6	0.0	+-65%
84	Leicester	MA	11,275	975.6	310.4	0.0	+-65%
85	Methuen	MA	54,623	972.1	175.8	0.0	+-65%
86	Yarmouth	MA	25,616	972.1	296.7	0.0	+-65%
87	Lynnfield	MA	13,298	955.0	97.8	0.0	+-66%
88	Waltham	MA	65,488	951.3	252.0	1.5	+-66%
89	Palmer	MA	12,534	949.4	375.0	0.0	+-66%
90	Gardner	MA	21,288	948.9	328.8	0.0	+-66%
91	Walpole	MA	26,268	947.9	133.2	0.0	+-66%
92	Hingham	MA	24,620	930.1	125.9	0.0	+-67%
93	Easton	MA	25,941	921.3	146.5	0.0	+-67%
94	Mansfield	MA	24,311	913.2	115.2	0.0	+-67%
95	South Hadley	MA	18,627	907.3	193.3	0.0	+-67%
96	Oxford	MA	13,549	900.4	236.2	0.0	+-68%
97	Foxboro	MA	18,793	899.3	282.0	0.0	+-68%
98	Kingston	MA	14,291	895.7	216.9	0.0	+-68%
99	Norwood	MA	31,704	880.0	167.2	0.0	+-68%
100	Andover	MA	37,152	872.1	94.2	0.0	+-69%

More Rankings

Safest cities in Massachusetts Massachusetts crime overview — all cities Most dangerous cities in Rhode Island Most dangerous cities in New Hampshire Most dangerous cities in Connecticut Most dangerous cities in New York Most dangerous cities in Vermont Most dangerous cities in America

How These Rankings Are Calculated

These rankings are based on data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which collects crime statistics from law enforcement agencies nationwide. We use the most recent available data and include only cities with a population of 10,000 or more to ensure statistical reliability — smaller towns with very few incidents can produce misleadingly extreme rates.

Cities are ranked by total crime rate per 100,000 residents, which combines both violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson). Using per-capita rates rather than raw counts ensures fair comparison regardless of city size. The 100 cities listed here represent a combined population of 4,461,473 residents.

For a full explanation of our data sources, safety score formula, and methodology, visit our methodology page.

What the Numbers Mean

Crime statistics can be difficult to interpret without context. A total crime rate of 2,000 per 100,000 means that in a city of 100,000 people, approximately 2,000 crimes were reported to police in a given year. This includes everything from petty theft to violent assault. Not all crimes are reported, so actual rates may be higher — the FBI estimates that roughly half of violent crimes and a third of property crimes go unreported.

For the highest-crime cities on this list, the average total crime rate of 1,503 per 100K means roughly 1.5% of the population experiences a reported crime annually. The violent crime rate of 323 per 100K translates to about 0.3% of residents — or roughly 1 in 310 — though crime is not evenly distributed across neighborhoods.

Our Safety Score simplifies these numbers into a single 1–100 scale. A score of 50 equals the national average, and every 10 points above or below represents a meaningful difference in risk. The score accounts for both violent and property crime, weighted by their per-capita rates against national benchmarks.

When using these rankings for decisions about relocation, travel, or investment, consider consulting multiple data points: crime trends over time (available on each city's individual page), the specific types of crime most prevalent in each area, neighborhood-level variation, and quality-of-life factors beyond crime statistics. No single number tells the complete story of any community, but per-capita rates from a verified source like the FBI provide the most objective starting point available.

Violent Crime vs Property Crime

In these 100 highest-crime cities, both violent and property crime exceed national norms substantially. The average violent crime rate of 323 per 100K is 0.7x the national average, while property crime averages 1,180 per 100K. Aggravated assault is typically the most common violent crime, followed by robbery, while larceny-theft dominates property crime categories.

The distinction matters because violent and property crime have different impacts on daily life and different underlying causes. Violent crime tends to concentrate in specific neighborhoods and time periods, often linked to interpersonal disputes, drug markets, or gang activity. Property crime is more widely distributed geographically. Understanding which type of crime drives a city's ranking provides more actionable information than the total rate alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most dangerous city in Massachusetts?

Holyoke, MA has the highest crime rate in Massachusetts at 5,273.1 per 100,000 residents.

What makes a city dangerous?

High crime rates, particularly violent crime, indicate elevated risk. Cities on this list average a violent crime rate of 323 per 100K — 0.7x the national average of 478.

Is the crime rate getting worse?

Crime trends vary by city. Some cities on this list have seen decreasing rates in recent years while others have increased. Visit individual city pages for year-over-year trend data.

Are these cities always dangerous?

No. Crime rates fluctuate year to year, and many cities on this list have seen improvements over time. These rankings reflect the latest data. Visit individual city pages to see multi-year trends and whether crime is rising or falling in each location.

What types of crime drive these rankings?

Rankings are based on total crime rate, which includes both violent and property crime. Among these 100 cities, the average violent crime rate is 323 per 100K (0.7x the national average) and the average property crime rate is 1,180 per 100K. Property crime is typically more common, but violent crime carries greater weight in public perception.

Year-over-Year Crime Trends

High-crime cities often show more volatility in their year-to-year statistics than the national average. Some cities on this list have seen significant improvements in recent years due to targeted policing strategies, community investment programs, or economic development. Others continue to face persistent challenges. National trends in violent crime, drug trafficking, and economic inequality all influence which cities appear on this list from year to year.

To see whether a specific city on this list is improving or worsening, click its name in the table above to view detailed trend charts covering multiple years. A city with a high current rate but a strong downward trend tells a very different story than one with a rising trajectory. We encourage using these trends alongside the current snapshot when forming conclusions about any community's safety profile.

Geographic Distribution

The 100 cities with the highest crime rates span 1 states. MA (100 cities). The concentration of high-crime cities in certain states often reflects broader regional challenges including economic inequality, urbanization patterns, and historical factors.

City sizes on this list vary considerably, from smaller cities around 10,051 to major metros. 74 cities have populations under 50,000, where a relatively small number of incidents can disproportionately affect per-capita rates. The combined population of these 100 cities is 4,461,473.

Most Dangerous Cities in Massachusetts