The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island For 2022

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Rhode Island For 2022

Providence is at the top of a lot of lists, at least where Rhode Island is concerned. One of the oldest cities in the U.S.,it's the 1st largest city in Rhode Island in terms of population, as well as the state's capital. Unfortunately, Providence sits at the top of a less illustrious list: it is the number 1 most dangerous city in Rhode Island for 2022.

With a population of 179,603, the city reported 873 violent crimes over the course of a year. These included 17 murders and 66 rapes. In addition to this violent streak, Providence has its share of property crimes, with 4,337 such events in a year.

Looking at things in terms of population, Providence suffers a per-capita property-crime rate of 2,414/100k people, highest in the state. Meanwhile, the city showed a per-capita violent-crime rate of 486/100k people, ranking it second highest in Rhode Island for that category.

Located in the northern part of Rhode Island, Woonsocket is known for its annual Autumnfest. Unfortunately, with the decline of manufacturing in the region, it's also known for high unemployment and a high crime rate.

The city suffered 209 violent crimes in a year. With a population of 41,693, that equates to a per-capita violent-crime rate of 501/100k people. That figure puts Woonsocket at highest in the state.

The city has a particular problem with rapes, with 45 such attacks in a year. On a per-capita basis, that puts the city as the highest in Rhode Island for that horrendous crime.

Things are a little better when it comes to property crimes. Woonsocket saw 756 such events in a year. Putting that in terms of the city's population, that figure amounts to the third highest pace for the state as a whole. Burglaries are a problem, however, with the state ranking highest in Rhode Island in that category.

Pawtucket gets its name from an Algonquian term meaning "river fall." Home of the Red Sox's minor-league affiliate, it represents the 4th most populous communities in the state, with 72,017 people living within its borders.

That may not sound like much in relation to megalopolises like nearby New York or Boston. But that number of people is enough to give Pawtucket a distinct crime problem. This is especially true when it comes to property crimes. With 1,496 such events in a year, the city ranked second highest in Rhode Island on a per-capita basis.

The city had 288 violent crimes during a year. That includes 41 rapes and 36 robberies. On a per-capita basis, Pawtucket ranked fourth highest for violent crime in the state.

Nestled against Narragansett Bay, Newport has made its name as a renowned seaside resort, home of the famous Newport Jazz Festival. All those tourists must attract a criminal element, however, as the city also ranks as the number 4 most dangerous place in Rhode Island for 2022.

In terms of raw numbers, Newport might not seem too daunting. After all, the city reported just 74 violent crimes and 370 property crimes in a year. However, it's important to remember that these figures came in an area with a population of only 24,202.

Referencing the crime wave in terms of population, Newport saw a per-capita pace of violent crime of 305/100k people, putting it fifth highest in the state as a whole. This included 14 rapes, giving it the community the third highest per-capita rate in Rhode Island.

With all those rich folks coming in for summer holidays, it's not surprising that property crime rates are high in Newport. On a per-capita basis, the area had the fourth highest pace in the state.

Named after a waterfall in the local Blackstone River, Central Falls, Rhode Island, is small but compact. The municipality has just 19,530, but those people are squeezed into an area of less than 1.3 square miles. The result? One of the most densely populated spots in the U.S. - more densely populated than places like Boston, Chicago, or Philadelphia.

Pack all those folks into a tiny area and you're bound to have some issues. Central Falls provides ample evidence of that, ranking as the number 5 most dangerous spot in Rhode Island. True, the number of violent crimes only totaled 89 for the year and the tally of property crimes only reached 245. But given the small population, those represent significant numbers.

On a per-capita basis, the violent-crime rate in Central Falls is the third highest in the state.

Warren, Rhode Island, has an ancient heritage, reaching back even before European settlement in North America. This historic character doesn't save the community from the scourges of modern life, however, as the area represents one of the most dangerous spots in the state.

Built on the site of a Pokanoket settlement along the coast of Narragansett Bay, Warren has a population of just 10,469. This relatively small total accounted for 18 violent crimes and 93 property crimes. These figures included 5 rapes, 8 burglaries, and 2 car thefts.

On a per capita basis, this gives Warren the ninth highest violent-crime rate in the state. At the same time, the town's property-crime rate is 12th highest in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is a small state. In fact, it's so small that it only supports one landfill. Where do you think you can find that lonely trash dump? That's right: Johnston.

To be fair, the area has other, more culturally significant, landmarks. That includes the Clemence--Irons House, originally built in 1691. But it's hard to talk about Johnston without mentioning the dump.

Or the crime. Johnston also serves as the number 7 most dangerous spot in Rhode Island. Property crime represents the main worry in the area, including a high rate of car thefts.

Lincoln, Rhode Island, has a lot going for it. A suburb of the state capital of Providence and located within a short driving distance from Boston, it provides an excellent jump-off spot for the region's biggest cities. One major problem, though: Lincoln has also imported some big-city issues. Namely, the area ranks as the number 8 most dangerous spots in Rhode Island.

During a year, Lincoln reported 226 property crimes. This included 33 burglaries and 26 car thefts. Those totals might not seem intimidating in terms of raw numbers. But, remember, Lincoln's population only reaches 22,029. On a per-capita basis, the area sits at 11th highest on the list of highest property-crime spots in the state.

Luckily, violence isn't as much of a problem. With only 34 violent crimes in a year, Lincoln has the 11th highest per-capita pace in Rhode Island.

West Warwick exists as part of the outer rim of suburbs for Rhode Island's biggest city, Providence. As with the other communities surrounding that population center, it has to deal with some of the crime that often radiates out of big urban areas. The result? West Warwick ranks as the number 9 most dangerous place in the state.

West Warwick counted 61 violent crimes during the year. Given that the city has a population of just 28,831, that equates to a per-capita rate of 211/100k people. This puts the city as the eighth most violent community in the state.

For property crimes, things look a little better. The city suffered 221 such events in a year. Comparing this to the West Warwick's population, the per-capita pace comes in at 14th highest for the state.

Part of the Providence metropolitan area, Cranston, Rhode Island, is more than just a simple suburb. With 81,313 people, the city ranks, on its own, as the 2nd most populous areas in the state. Unfortunately, this size comes with its share of problems. While relatively safe compared to its neighbor, Cranston still ranks as the number 10 most dangerous place in Rhode Island.

This comes as the city reported 111 violent crimes during a year, a total that included 27 rapes. For property crimes, Cranston's tally reached 858. Comparing those numbers to the city's overall population, the per-capita rate of violent crime equaled 136/100k people, putting it 12th highest in the state. The pace of property crime reached 1,055/100k people, a figure which sits at tenth highest for Rhode Island as a whole.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Rhode Island FAQs

Is Rhode Island a dangerous state?

No, Rhode Island is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #6 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in rhode island ranks 44th highest in the United States -- 40.48% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Ocean State ranks 44th highest in the United States -- 36.4% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Is Providence, RI a dangerous city?

No, Providence is not a dangerous city. Providence ranks as the #162 safest out of 320 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Providence might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Blackstone is the safest in Providence, while Downtown is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Providence ranks 15highest in America -- 11.45% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 166th highest in the United States -- 9.07% better than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020 and that no city in America is 'dangerous'. Despite the uptick in murders, it's nothing like you'd see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.