Boston, MA Assault Rates and Assault Maps

Crime Grade's assault map shows the safest places in the Boston area in green. The most dangerous areas in the Boston area are in red, with moderately safe areas in yellow. Crime rates on the map are weighted by the type and severity of the crime.

Is Boston, MA Safe?

The C- grade means the rate of assault is slightly higher than the average US city. Boston is in the 37th percentile for safety, meaning 63% of cities are safer and 37% of cities are more dangerous. This analysis applies to the Boston area's proper boundaries only. See the table on nearby places below for nearby cities.

The rate of assault in the Boston area is 2.216 per 1,000 residents during a standard year. People who live in the Boston area generally consider the northeast part of the city to be the safest.

Your chance of being a victim of assault in the Boston area may be as high as 1 in 282 in the central neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 844 in the northeast part of the city. See the section on interpreting the assault map, however, because comparing rates for assault or any other crime is not as intuitive as it may seem.

By a simple count ignoring population, more crimes occur in the central parts of Boston, MA: about 4,121 per year. The northeast part of the Boston area has fewer cases of assault with only 602 in a typical year.

Interpreting the Assault Maps

When looking at the assault map for the Boston area, remember that the rate of assault per resident may appear inflated when people visit the area during the day, but do not live there. For example, there are more retail establishments in the central part of the city. Many crimes are committed in retail areas in blocks where few people live. Red areas on the assault rate map do not always indicate danger for the Boston area residents who live there.

More issues arise with places like airports, parks, and schools. Major airports, of which the Boston area has 1, always look like high-crime locations due to the large number of people and the low population nearby. Parks and designated recreational areas, of which the Boston area has 150, have the same problem. Of the Boston area’s 5,097,079 residents, few live near recreational areas. Because many people visit, crime rates may appear higher even for safe parks. Ultimately crime happens where people are, whether they live there or not. Before writing off an area as unsafe, look at both the crime rate and total crime maps, then consider nearby destinations that people may be visiting.

To better understand and navigate these intricate crime maps, a high-speed internet connection can be crucial. Fast and seamless online connectivity ensures that map details load efficiently, providing users with clearer, uninterrupted insights. If you're considering enhancing your online experience, check out high speed internet in Boston, MA at ISP Reports.

Boston Crime Breakdown

The tables below show which crimes are used to calculate the Crime Grades above. All assault rates are shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 Boston residents in a standard year.

Individual Boston Crime Maps & Stats

Crime Maps and Rates for Nearby Cities

Compared to surrounding cities, the rate of assault in the Boston area is lower. The table below shows Crime Grades for cities close to the Boston area.

Nearby City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade	Assault Crime Grade
Jamaica Plain, MA	C-	D	C	D
Brookline, MA	C	C-	C+	D+
Charlestown, MA	C-	D	C	D-
Allston, MA	D+	D	D+	D-
Cambridge, MA	D+	D	D+	D-
Mattapan, MA	C-	D-	B	F
Somerville, MA	C	D+	C	D
Brighton, MA	C+	D+	C+	D
Roslindale, MA	C+	D+	B	D
Chelsea, MA	C	D-	B	D-

Crime Maps and Rates for City with Similar Populations

Boston is similar versus other cities of the same size for assault. The table below compares crime in cities with comparable overall population in the city‘s boundaries.

Similar City	Overall Crime Grade	Violent Crime Grade	Property Crime Grade	Assault Crime Grade
Phoenix, AZ	C	C-	C-	D+
Riverside, CA	C-	D+	D+	D+
Detroit, MI	D+	D-	D-	D-
Seattle, WA	D-	D+	D+	C-
San Francisco, CA	D	D	D	D
Washington, DC	C-	C	C	C+
Minneapolis, MN	D+	C	C	C
Atlanta, GA	C	C-	C-	C-
Miami, FL	B	C+	C+	C
Philadelphia, PA	C+	B-	B-	C+

Considering only the assault rate, the Boston area is as safe as the Massachusetts state average and safer than the national average.

Safety and school performance are separate topics, but both shape moving decisions. Using SchoolGrade data, schools in Boston, MA average SchoolGrade of B, with 45% actual proficiency versus 45% projected; overall, schools meet expectations. See Boston schools on SchoolGrade

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All maps and statistics above are projections, not certainties, and provided without guarantee free of charge. Verify all info before making any decisions based on the data.