When you're friends with a Bay Stater, they're loyal to no end, but if you rub one the wrong way, you're in for a world of hurt. While we're typically hard to upset, living in Massachusetts comes with a lot of pride. There's nothing quite like being a Bay Stater, and there are some things that will never change. We might be stubborn at times, but some things you just don't say to a Massachusetts native, and here are nine of the worst.
Do you agree that these would be the worst things to hear from someone who's not from Massachusetts? What would grind your gears? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section!
If this list resonates with you, we'll bet that you probably have these 11 odd habits, too.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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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.
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.
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.)
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?
