Massachusetts is a beautiful state full of friendly, safe communities. However, one little Boston suburb has long been considered the safest city in America! Using the latest FBI crime statistics, Safewise determined that the community of Hopkinton in Massachusetts had the lowest rates of violent and property crime in the nation in 2021, and although it's since fallen from the top spot, the town's reputation as a safe and wonderful place to live continues to this day.
In 2021, the little community of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, was named the safest city in America. Safewise’s annual study on crime in the U.S. revealed that this Massachusetts city had the lowest crime rates in the nation.
In fact, this is actually the second time that Hopkinton has taken the top spot. The Massachusetts town of Franklin also took the title of second-safest city in America this year.
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And if you’re wondering how Massachusetts fared in general, the Bay State has quite a few on the list. For 2022, Wayland is actually ranked as the second-safest city in the country!
The town of Hopkinton was purchased from Native residents by trustees of Harvard University and incorporated in 1715. Hopkinton is the traditional starting point of the Boston Marathon.
With a population of 18,585 residents, Hopkinton boasts incredibly low crime rates, both for violent and property crimes.
In total, Massachusetts had 22 cities on the list, a number exceeded by only one state, New Jersey! (In case you're curious, the Garden State has 31 cities on the list.)
Congratulations to the peaceful town of Hopkinton and its residents for earning such an enviable honor!
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Have you ever visited Hopkinton in Massachusetts? Do you agree that it seems like one of the safest places in the Bay State? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! You can read the full report on the 100 Safest Cities in America on the Safewise website. Did your hometown make the list?
There are certain places that you just avoid after dark. Every state has areas known as the most dangerous places, and Massachusetts is no exception. To determine the most dangerous cities in Massachusetts, we focused on rates of violent crime over property crime for this list. However, a combination of crime statistics was considered, such as violent crime (including rape), arson, property crime, and theft. Poverty rates were also factored into the rankings. All data used is from the most recent FBI Crime Report.
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Please note: this list is for general interest purposes only. There are beautiful and valuable spots in all of these cities! Truly, Massachusetts is a wonderful place to live.
1. Holyoke
This city ranked #1 in terms of crime across the board when it comes to looking for places to avoid in Massachusetts. You have a 1 in 15 chance of being the victim of any crime in Holyoke. Residents also have a 1 in 100 chance of being attacked, raped or killed for each year that they stay in Holyoke. That's pretty horrifying. The city also includes woods that do no less than send a chill down your spine, like Eyrie House Ruins. Take a hike away from downtown Holyoke and into the woods to take a look for yourself.
2. Chelsea
Chelsea may be the smallest city in the state, but it’s also one of the most dangerous. You have a 1 in 18 chance of being the victim of a crime in Chelsea, which is pretty scary considering the entire city is only 2.5 square miles in area. There were 250 aggravated assaults in Chelsea in 2013.
3. Brockton
Your chances of being a victim of violent crime in Brockton are just over 3 in 250. Brockton was the site of nine murders, 87 rapes and 838 violent assaults in 2014.
4. New Bedford
As with all larger cities, parts of New Bedford have a reputation for being a bit sketchy after dark. There were 1,039 violent crimes here in 2013, including six murders, 100 rapes, 256 robberies and 677 violent assaults. There were also 20 reports of arson, which is much higher than in surrounding areas.
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5. Springfield
Springfield comes in 5th on our list with a lower assault rate than some other cities, but a much higher murder rate than most: there were 22 murders in Springfield in 2013. Your chances of being the victim of a robbery, arson or theft are also pretty high in this area. The odds are 1 out of 21, making Springfield a dangerous place to avoid in Massachusetts.
6. Fall River
Fall River is a beautiful city, but safety here can go downhill after dark. In 2013, there were 73 rapes and 225 robberies in Fall River. There were also 646 reported cases of aggravated assault. Unemployment hovers around 12%, which certainly doesn’t help.
7. Lawrence
Lawrence has the second-highest high school dropout rate in the state, with 4 out of 10 students failing to get their diplomas. This is thought to contribute to the high crime rate that plagues the city and its place as one of the most dangerous cities in Massachusetts after dark. There were 776 violent crimes in 2013, with 473 aggravated assaults.
8. North Adams
The town of North Adams may be an unlikely addition to this list, but its low population (about 13,500 people) belies its comparatively high crime rate. In 2013, there were two murders, 21 rapes, eight robberies and 103 aggravated assaults. Top that off with 175 reported burglaries. North Adams also has the lowest housing prices in the state, which may be understandable given the above statistics.
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9. Worcester
Worcester is a pretty big place with a population that comes around 183,400. Even given its size, however, Worcester can still be a little scary after dark and one of the dangerous places to avoid in Massachusetts. There were 1,750 total reported violent crimes in 2013, which included nine murders, 22 rapes, 483 robberies and a staggering 1,236 aggravated assaults.
10. Lynn
Lynn has a bit of a reputation for crime, though things have been improving over the last decade. However, it still ranks as one of the most dangerous cities to wander after sundown. There were two murders in Lynn in 2013, as well as 39 rapes, 189 robberies and 584 aggravated assaults.
What are some places that you consider the most dangerous cities in Massachusetts? Of course, in recent years, cities and towns in Massachusetts have seen a decline in serious crimes across the state, and some point to a faster fall in crime in the state compared to the United States as a whole. This is good news for both locals and tourists, as there is much more to the state than crime.
Massachusetts is fortunate enough to be one of the safest states in America, but do you know which Bay State cities are among the safest places to live in the state? Safewise has released its annual safety survey for Massachusetts and the results are pretty eye-opening. Take a look and see if your hometown made the cut.
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Safewise’s annual list of Massachusetts’ 20 Safest Cities has been released for 2021. Franklin (pictured) took the #1 spot, followed by Hopkinton, Shrewsbury, Milton, Westford, Lexington, Sharon, Bedford, Wellesley, and Reading.
Interestingly, despite having the highest violent crime rate in New England, the crime most Bay Staters reported being worried about was … package theft.
The survey showed that almost 7 in 10 Massachusetts residents feel generally safe in their state. Unfortunately, the study also revealed that more Bay Staters worried about crime on a daily basis in 2021 (47 percent) than in 2020 (39 percent).
The good news is that overall crime rates continue to fall in Massachusetts, with a decline in both violent and property crime from 2020 to 2021. In fact, Massachusetts had the lowest level of property crime in the nation.
Sixty percent of survey participants named gun violence as their top safety concern. There were five mass shootings in Massachusetts in 2019 and eight in 2020. Hopkinton was the only city in Massachusetts with no reported violent crimes in 2020.
In addition to the top 10 safest cities, Safewise also highlighted some of the other safe cities in Massachusetts. These include Winchester (#11), Scituate (#18), and Northborough (#20).
Of course, no matter where in Massachusetts you live, this state is a great place to call home. You can check out the full Massachusetts safety report on the Safewise website. Did your city make the top 10 or top 20? Share your thoughts with us!