Three Massachusetts Cities are Deemed Most Dangerous in the State

Massachusetts has a fair share of attractions that inspire families to visit our great state. Whether it's going to see a Red Sox game at Fenway Park in Boston, bringing the kids to the New England Aquarium also in Boston, experiencing a concert at Tanglewood in Lenox, touring the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, viewing the 4th of July Parade in Pittsfield or checking out the many antique shops in the southern Berkshires (plus many many more examples, too many to name here), there are plenty of reasons people not only want to visit Massachusetts but they want to make the Bay State their home. In addition, Massachusetts is one of the safest states in America which you can read more about by going here.

Though Massachusetts is one of the safest states in America, as is the case with many if not all states, there are some cities in the BaySate that are safer than others. Looking at some recent data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and published by Population U.com, currently, these are the top three most dangerous cities in Massachusetts

#3 New Bedford

As published by Population U.com, in 2021 New Bedford had a population of 96,346. In 2019, the city had 628 violent crimes. That number increased to 2,771 in 2020 and then it increased again to 2,879 in 2021. This puts New Bedford's crime rate at 29.88 per 1,000 persons.

#2 North Adams

As published by Population U.com, in 2021 North Adams had a population of 12,638. In 2019, the city had 72 violent crimes. That number increased to 302 in 2020 and then it increased again to 378 in 2021. This puts North Adams' crime rate at 29.91 per 1,000 persons.

I would like to add my two cents on this particular data, I lived in North Adams for 16 years from (1985-2001, age 2-16) and I never once felt unsafe. When I was a kid, I had some great times at Coury's Drive-In, I walked to school every day, and I even had my own paper route where I walked and delivered newspapers all on my own. I have some very fond memories of North Adams and I never came across any danger. If my current job was closer, I would have no hesitation in moving back to my hometown in the northern Berkshires.

#1 Springfield

As published by Population U.com, in 2021 Springfield had a population of 154,098. In 2019, the city had 1,397 violent crimes. That number increased to 5,221 in 2020 and then it increased again to 5,337 in 2021. This puts Springfield's crime rate at 34.63 per 1,000 persons.

The Takeaway

As I mentioned earlier with North Adams, data is data, not everybody is going to experience danger in any of the cities that are listed here. In addition, there are many people that live in safe areas of these cities who have raised families and are very successful. It's always a good idea to keep this in mind when looking at the numbers.

You can see where your city ranks on this list by going here.