At the state level, Massachusetts recorded very respectable crime figures in 2018: its violent crime rate is 8% below the national rate and its property crime rate is 57% of the national level. However, this doesn’t give the full picture, as many of the Bay State’s individual cities have nearly nonexistent levels of crime: the state’s cities earned 6 spots in the ranking of the 10 safest cities in the nation.
Wayland is the safest city in Massachusetts, and perhaps the entire country. The Middlesex County city has earned recognition for its excellent public education system, as well as for being a great place to raise a family, and its low crime no doubt contributes to this status. Wayland recorded just one violent crime and one property crime in 2018, resulting in crime rates beyond comparison.
Hopkinton is Massachusetts’ #2 safest city. Best known as the starting point of the Boston Marathon, Hopkinton logged just 2 violent crimes in 2018, and posted a property crime rate less than 10% of the national level.
Massachusetts’ 3rd safest community is Clinton, a Worcester County town of 14,000 first settled in 1654. Clinton logged less than 30 total crimes in 2018, a rare feat for any municipality.
4th on the list is Norfolk, which, like #1 Wayland, recorded a single violent crime in 2018. In addition to its 11.8K residents, the city is home to 4 state prisons.
Norton (#5) closes out the list of Massachusetts’ 5 safest cities. The community of nearly 20K recorded just 14 violent crimes and 23 property crimes in 2018.
Massachusetts’ Safest Cities
MA City Population Violent
crimeProperty
crimeLaw enforcement
employeesTotal crimes Crime rate per 1,000 Violent crimes per 1,000 Property crimes per 1,000 Law enforcement per 1,000
1 Wayland 14088 1 1 31 2 0.14 0.07 0.07 2.20
2 Hopkinton 18516 2 30 37 32 1.73 0.11 1.62 2.00
3 Clinton 14009 10 18 38 28 2.00 0.71 1.28 2.71
4 Norfolk 11872 1 21 26 22 1.85 0.08 1.77 2.19
5 Norton 19983 14 23 35 37 1.85 0.70 1.15 1.75
6 Franklin 33156 5 85 54 90 2.71 0.15 2.56 1.63
7 Southborough 10187 11 23 23 34 3.34 1.08 2.26 2.26
8 Shrewsbury 37631 4 114 61 118 3.14 0.11 3.03 1.62
9 Holliston 14924 12 40 29 52 3.48 0.80 2.68 1.94
10 Sharon 18373 13 51 33 64 3.48 0.71 2.78 1.80
11 Lexington 34050 8 113 63 121 3.55 0.23 3.32 1.85
12 North Reading 15849 16 44 33 60 3.79 1.01 2.78 2.08
13 Groton 11462 11 36 26 47 4.10 0.96 3.14 2.27
14 Bedford 14319 7 58 37 65 4.54 0.49 4.05 2.58
15 Scituate 18761 15 63 37 78 4.16 0.80 3.36 1.97
16 Sudbury 19037 21 63 40 84 4.41 1.10 3.31 2.10
17 Wellesley 29681 12 124 55 136 4.58 0.40 4.18 1.85
18 Marshfield 25922 33 83 43 116 4.47 1.27 3.20 1.66
19 Andover 36324 7 173 73 180 4.96 0.19 4.76 2.01
20 Billerica 44482 37 171 77 208 4.68 0.83 3.84 1.73
21 Norwell 11144 9 51 26 60 5.38 0.81 4.58 2.33
22 Arlington 45876 34 191 81 225 4.90 0.74 4.16 1.77
23 Pepperell 12234 13 41 17 54 4.41 1.06 3.35 1.39
24 Reading 26293 5 144 59 149 5.67 0.19 5.48 2.24
25 Grafton 18900 21 61 24 82 4.34 1.11 3.23 1.27
26 Needham 31264 16 144 54 160 5.12 0.51 4.61 1.73
27 Littleton 10292 9 56 27 65 6.32 0.87 5.44 2.62
28 Pembroke 18446 15 86 33 101 5.48 0.81 4.66 1.79
29 Marblehead 20652 20 102 43 122 5.91 0.97 4.94 2.08
30 Concord 19459 8 111 42 119 6.12 0.41 5.70 2.16
31 Dudley 11807 24 33 15 57 4.83 2.03 2.79 1.27
32 Ipswich 14107 14 74 30 88 6.24 0.99 5.25 2.13
33 Maynard 10744 21 52 27 73 6.79 1.95 4.84 2.51
34 Melrose 28552 15 146 48 161 5.64 0.53 5.11 1.68
35 Belmont 26700 5 167 59 172 6.44 0.19 6.25 2.21
36 Ashland 17860 22 90 33 112 6.27 1.23 5.04 1.85
37 Sandwich 20248 23 102 36 125 6.17 1.14 5.04 1.78
38 Hudson 20060 48 90 42 138 6.88 2.39 4.49 2.09
39 Acton 24038 26 156 54 182 7.57 1.08 6.49 2.25
40 Beverly 42114 42 243 73 285 6.77 1.00 5.77 1.73
41 Lynnfield 13141 4 93 27 97 7.38 0.30 7.08 2.05
42 Rehoboth 12268 8 97 34 105 8.56 0.65 7.91 2.77
43 North Andover 31394 35 173 51 208 6.63 1.11 5.51 1.62
44 Medway 13406 21 73 24 94 7.01 1.57 5.45 1.79
45 Belchertown 15165 25 78 25 103 6.79 1.65 5.14 1.65
46 Newton 89505 58 629 188 687 7.68 0.65 7.03 2.10
47 Hanson 10858 30 58 25 88 8.10 2.76 5.34 2.30
48 Spencer 11989 18 69 21 87 7.26 1.50 5.76 1.75
49 Northborough 15124 0 111 27 111 7.34 0.00 7.34 1.79
50 Acushnet 10576 19 69 22 88 8.32 1.80 6.52 2.08
51 Watertown 36320 29 283 80 312 8.59 0.80 7.79 2.20
52 Amherst 40242 120 175 64 295 7.33 2.98 4.35 1.59
53 East Bridgewater 14558 22 94 27 116 7.97 1.51 6.46 1.85
54 Kingston 13700 26 102 32 128 9.34 1.90 7.45 2.34
55 Hingham 23588 37 180 53 217 9.20 1.57 7.63 2.25
56 Canton 23709 81 118 43 199 8.39 3.42 4.98 1.81
57 Wakefield 27447 42 175 44 217 7.91 1.53 6.38 1.60
58 Easton 25225 45 173 48 218 8.64 1.78 6.86 1.90
59 Gloucester 30356 72 216 66 288 9.49 2.37 7.12 2.17
60 Waltham 62655 117 561 171 678 10.82 1.87 8.95 2.73
61 Amesbury 17623 32 143 40 175 9.93 1.82 8.11 2.27
62 Carver 11743 30 70 19 100 8.52 2.55 5.96 1.62
63 Norwood 29267 39 265 70 304 10.39 1.33 9.05 2.39
64 Easthampton 16050 34 122 33 156 9.72 2.12 7.60 2.06
65 Mansfield 24050 34 205 51 239 9.94 1.41 8.52 2.12
66 Harwich 12130 24 125 40 149 12.28 1.98 10.31 3.30
67 Brookline 59199 56 632 170 688 11.62 0.95 10.68 2.87
68 Foxborough 17667 44 154 47 198 11.21 2.49 8.72 2.66
69 Methuen 50676 44 486 114 530 10.46 0.87 9.59 2.25
70 Milford 29056 61 233 59 294 10.12 2.10 8.02 2.03
71 Taunton 57304 243 356 121 599 10.45 4.24 6.21 2.11
72 Mashpee 14215 47 134 43 181 12.73 3.31 9.43 3.02
73 Somerset 18166 39 155 37 194 10.68 2.15 8.53 2.04
74 Medford 57997 73 548 111 621 10.71 1.26 9.45 1.91
75 Lakeville 11525 14 114 23 128 11.11 1.21 9.89 2.00
76 Plymouth 60349 230 519 144 749 12.41 3.81 8.60 2.39
77 Swampscott 15380 9 170 32 179 11.64 0.59 11.05 2.08
78 Barnstable 44015 166 462 139 628 14.27 3.77 10.50 3.16
79 Westborough 19226 17 181 31 198 10.30 0.88 9.41 1.61
80 Walpole 25204 42 262 55 304 12.06 1.67 10.40 2.18
81 Holbrook 11052 23 110 24 133 12.03 2.08 9.95 2.17
82 Stoneham 22135 33 243 50 276 12.47 1.49 10.98 2.26
83 Dracut 31917 41 277 45 318 9.96 1.28 8.68 1.41
84 Chelmsford 35264 31 381 68 412 11.68 0.88 10.80 1.93
85 Ludlow 21590 46 228 49 274 12.69 2.13 10.56 2.27
86 Palmer 12320 57 98 27 155 12.58 4.63 7.95 2.19
87 Stoughton 28729 76 327 77 403 14.03 2.65 11.38 2.68
88 Bellingham 17184 19 210 40 229 13.33 1.11 12.22 2.33
89 Tewksbury 31561 82 345 75 427 13.53 2.60 10.93 2.38
90 Braintree 37345 52 487 101 539 14.43 1.39 13.04 2.70
91 Dedham 25437 7 339 60 346 13.60 0.28 13.33 2.36
92 Abington 16443 41 147 27 188 11.43 2.49 8.94 1.64
93 Swansea 16619 29 193 37 222 13.36 1.74 11.61 2.23
94 Peabody 53209 159 532 110 691 12.99 2.99 10.00 2.07
95 Longmeadow 15898 15 183 30 198 12.45 0.94 11.51 1.89
96 Natick 36717 56 419 73 475 12.94 1.53 11.41 1.99
97 Malden 61469 180 588 112 768 12.49 2.93 9.57 1.82
98 North Attleboro 29208 28 357 58 385 13.18 0.96 12.22 1.99
99 Millbury 13802 19 155 25 174 12.61 1.38 11.23 1.81
100 Saugus 28471 66 370 76 436 15.31 2.32 13.00 2.67
101 Burlington 27562 40 378 72 418 15.17 1.45 13.71 2.61
102 Middleboro 25125 111 215 46 326 12.98 4.42 8.56 1.83
103 Dartmouth 34322 66 458 87 524 15.27 1.92 13.34 2.53
104 Attleboro 44719 98 529 95 627 14.02 2.19 11.83 2.12
105 Bourne 19894 46 266 51 312 15.68 2.31 13.37 2.56
106 Falmouth 31033 109 329 62 438 14.11 3.51 10.60 2.00
107 Northbridge 16759 27 186 27 213 12.71 1.61 11.10 1.61
108 Oxford 14015 33 171 29 204 14.56 2.35 12.20 2.07
109 Quincy 94388 352 1190 244 1542 16.34 3.73 12.61 2.59
110 Framingham 72510 253 820 151 1073 14.80 3.49 11.31 2.08
111 Somerville 82161 177 1020 158 1197 14.57 2.15 12.41 1.92
112 Everett 47005 173 685 136 858 18.25 3.68 14.57 2.89
113 Dennis 13872 63 231 53 294 21.19 4.54 16.65 3.82
114 Marlborough 40052 167 456 80 623 15.55 4.17 11.39 2.00
115 Lowell 111989 363 1718 316 2081 18.58 3.24 15.34 2.82
116 South Hadley 17799 24 251 33 275 15.45 1.35 14.10 1.85
117 Leicester 11435 35 142 21 177 15.48 3.06 12.42 1.84
118 Seekonk 15820 26 267 39 293 18.52 1.64 16.88 2.47
119 Raynham 14320 27 235 34 262 18.30 1.89 16.41 2.37
120 Randolph 34535 108 456 64 564 16.33 3.13 13.20 1.85
121 Auburn 16771 29 318 49 347 20.69 1.73 18.96 2.92
122 Fitchburg 40836 238 526 96 764 18.71 5.83 12.88 2.35
123 Danvers 27703 54 420 53 474 17.11 1.95 15.16 1.91
124 Chelsea 40974 277 584 117 861 21.01 6.76 14.25 2.86
125 Lawrence 80669 500 934 164 1434 17.78 6.20 11.58 2.03
126 Cambridge 114881 339 2068 320 2407 20.95 2.95 18.00 2.79
127 Agawam 28955 105 428 61 533 18.41 3.63 14.78 2.11
128 Webster 17051 108 206 34 314 18.42 6.33 12.08 1.99
129 Salem 43634 83 824 107 907 20.79 1.90 18.88 2.45
130 Boston 694673 4324 14007 2715 18331 26.39 6.22 20.16 3.91
131 Fairhaven 16076 55 293 39 348 21.65 3.42 18.23 2.43
132 Gardner 20704 92 364 51 456 22.02 4.44 17.58 2.46
133 East Longmeadow 16398 28 262 26 290 17.69 1.71 15.98 1.59
134 Fall River 89475 908 1361 289 2269 25.36 10.15 15.21 3.23
135 Southbridge 16933 89 304 44 393 23.21 5.26 17.95 2.60
136 Northampton 28587 113 540 70 653 22.84 3.95 18.89 2.45
137 Lunenburg 11498 18 180 16 198 17.22 1.57 15.65 1.39
138 Haverhill 64012 358 895 113 1253 19.57 5.59 13.98 1.77
139 Lynn 94558 563 1359 179 1922 20.33 5.95 14.37 1.89
140 Revere 54296 259 885 110 1144 21.07 4.77 16.30 2.03
141 Greenfield 17443 101 325 45 426 24.42 5.79 18.63 2.58
142 Wareham 22747 160 384 55 544 23.92 7.03 16.88 2.42
143 Leominster 41727 219 824 95 1043 25.00 5.25 19.75 2.28
144 New Bedford 95106 603 2425 299 3028 31.84 6.34 25.50 3.14
145 Springfield 155179 1534 4089 552 5623 36.24 9.89 26.35 3.56
146 Brockton 95922 868 2071 207 2939 30.64 9.05 21.59 2.16
147 West Springfield 28802 168 1020 96 1188 41.25 5.83 35.41 3.33
148 Pittsfield 42298 356 1196 109 1552 36.69 8.42 28.28 2.58
149 North Adams 12858 100 421 33 521 40.52 7.78 32.74 2.57
150 Holyoke 40470 391 1640 126 2031 50.19 9.66 40.52 3.11
Methodology
To identify the safest cities, we reviewed the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics. We eliminated any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI and cities with populations under 10,000. This left 3,381 cities (out of a total of 9,251).
There are two broad classifications of crimes: violent crimes and non-violent crimes. According to the FBI, “Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Violent crimes are defined in the UCR Program as those offenses that involve force or threat of force. Property crime includes the offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of the theft-type offenses is the taking of money or property, but there is no force or threat of force against the victims. ”
We computed the total number of crimes reported by each city by adding violent crimes and property crimes. We then created a crime rate as the number of crimes per 1,000 population. Then we transformed the total crime rate variable so that the skewness was reduced and normalized.
Data from 2,831 law enforcement agencies was then collected to determine police adequacy (TotalCrimes / Number of police employees). We consider that the smaller the police adequacy statistic is, the safer the city is. This variable was also transformed and normalized.
Finally, the two variables were combined to create a safety score for each city.