The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont


The most dangerous places in Vermont are Brattleboro and Winooski for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

Most dangerous cities in Vermont research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data using Saturday Night Science to determine the most dangerous cities in Vermont.

We examined the violent and property crime per capita statistics for every place with over 5,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 23 Vermont cities. Here are the results of our analysis:

  • The most dangerous city in Vermont is Brattleboro based on the most recent FBI crime data.

  • The violent crime rate in Vermont is 489 per 100k people.

  • The property crime rate in Vermont is 6,094 per 100k people.

  • The safest city in Vermont is Barre Town.

  • Vermont is the 48th most dangerous state in the United States.

Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont Map


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Methodology | FAQs | References


Ben & Jerry’s Rocky Road isn’t the only rocky thing in Vermont. The state has its fair share of pretty rocky situations in the form of dangerous places to live.

Most Vermonters would say that their little corner of this eastern state is safe, but that’s not the case for those living in Vermont’s most dangerous places.

To find the most dangerous cities in Vermont, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed 23 cities using the FBI’s latest crime report for violent and property crime per capita for every place with over 5,000 residents.

What is the most dangerous place in Vermont for 2024? The most dangerous city in Vermont is Brattleboro.

Overall, Vermont is a safe place to chill, ski, snowboard, and drink maple syrup by the gallon. How much crime can there be in a state that’s 75% forests? Not much, but that doesn’t mean some cities have much more crime than others.

For more Vermont reading, check out:

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Vermont For 2024

Brattleboro, VT

Source: Wikipedia User Qrpnut | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 12,256
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 489 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,094 (Most dangerous)
Murders: 1
More on Brattleboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Brattleboro may occupy the #1 spot on this list, but it actually has the highest overall crime rate in Vermont, outstripping the national average by about 70%.

How’d that happen? Well, Brattleboro has the highest property crime rate in Vermont, with residents facing a staggering 1 in 16 chance of having their stuff stolen or vandalized over 2022.

In other words, keep a close guard on your produce after a morning out at the Farmers’ Market, or it could get snatched.

Additionally, you should probably invest in a good security system if you’re living in Brattleboro because the town had the highest burglary rate in Vermont.

Winooski, VT

Source: Wikipedia User The original uploader was Hortont424 at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 2.5

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 8,647
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 543 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,966 (Fifth most dangerous)
Murders: 1
More on Winooski: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Located just northeast of Burlington, Winooski comes in as Vermont’s second least safe place to live.

The violent crime rate in Winooski fell from last year and the property crime rate also went down a bit, but the Winooski Police Department still have a lot to deal with.

Like having the second highest murder rate and the 13th highest rate of rape cases in Vermont. Residents are also well-advised to lock their homes up tight, considering Winooski had the fifth highest burglary rate statewide.

St. Albans, VT

Source: Wikipedia User Mitchazenia | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 7,022
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 569 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,659 (Seventh most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on St. Albans: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Kicking off our list of the most dangerous places to live in Vermont for 2024 is St. Albans, a city of 7,022 located a half-hour north of Burlington. While the property crime rate in St. Albans fell since last year, violent crime went up by about the same margin.

Overall, St. Albans residents had a 1 in 175 chance of being assaulted, robbed, raped, or murdered over 2022, the second highest rate in Vermont.

The property crime rate in St. Albans, while improving, is still the seventh highest worst statewide. So make sure you keep an eye on your valuables if you’re passing through St. Albans for the Vermont Maple Festival.

Rutland, VT

Source: Wikipedia User | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 15,858
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 479 (Sixth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,855 (Third most dangerous)
Murders: 1
More on Rutland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Vermont’s third biggest city, Rutland, is also its fourth most dangerous — probably not a surprise for most Vermonters. Rutland’s crime numbers have been level over the last year, which isn’t great news when you have the sixth highest violent crime rate in the state.

That works out to a 1 in 208 shot of being violently attacked over the course of a year.

More than one property crime went down in Rutland each day, on average, in 2022. That includes an average of more than one burglary each week. Here’s hoping there’s enough security at the Norman Rockwell Museum to stop any would-be heisters.

Burlington, VT

Source: Wikipedia User Kenneth C. Zirkel | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 44,689
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 409 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,126 (Second most dangerous)
Murders: 5
More on Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Home to the University of Vermont and the biggest city Vermont has to offer, Burlington clocks in as the state’s fifth most dangerous place for 2024.

Burlington saw a rise in property crime and a spike in violent crime over the last year.

That left residents to contend with the 16th highest rape and third highest murder rate in the state.

On top of that, an average of about three property crimes go down each day in Burlington, making it good protocol to keep a close eye on your belongings while you’re out shopping on Church Street.

Bennington, VT

Source: Wikipedia User Daniel Case | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 15,301
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 607 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,104 (Ninth most dangerous)
Murders: 2
More on Bennington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Located in the southwestern corner of the state, Bennington comes in as Vermont’s sixth most dangerous place to call home.

Bennington experienced a spike in property crime and a rise in violent crime over the last year, which explains why it jumped up 5 spots on this list.

The Bennington Battle Monument might honor the past, or be a declaration about the current state of affairs in a town with the highest violent crime rate in Vermont.

Bennington’s burglary rate is also the eighth highest statewide, so definitely lock your doors when you’re here.

St. Johnsbury, VT

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 7,404
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 351 (Eighth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,673 (Sixth most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on St. Johnsbury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Located in the northeast part of the state, St. Johnsbury sits close the New Hampshire border and less than 50 miles away from Canada. While it exists in a largely rural region, the community comes with its share of amenities. This includes the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium.

As the population hub in the area, St. Johnsbury also endures its share of challenges. Crime ranks among these, as this counts as the number 7 most dangerous spot in Vermont. The list of concerns includes high rates of robbery, burglary and larceny.

Barre, VT

Source: Wikipedia User John Phelan | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 8,447
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 532 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,592 (Tenth most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Barre: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Located about 15 minutes southeast of Montpelier, Barre ranks as Vermont’s eighth most dangerous place to live.

While Barre is pretty proud of its granite, we’re sure residents wish local leaders took a bit more pride in having safe streets.

Barre had the fourth highest violent crime rate in Vermont over 2022. That includes the unfortunate distinction of having the highest rate of rape cases in the whole state.

South Burlington, VT

Source: Wikipedia User Superbug2399 | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 20,307
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 295 (11th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,988 (Fourth most dangerous)
Murders: 1
More on South Burlington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

South Burlington might not rank as high on this list as its northern neighbor, but it does have a higher property crime rate. South Burlington residents had a 1 in 25 chance of having their valuables stolen or damaged over 2022.

Now, a lot of that may be down to shoplifting teenagers at Vermont’s largest mall. Or it could be criminals trying to steal intel on the newest ice cream flavor from the headquarters of Ben and Jerry’s.

On the bright side, South Burlington has the lowest violent crime rate on this list, so if you’re not a retailer, you’re probably pretty safe here.

Montpelier, VT

Source: Wikipedia User The original uploader was Decumanus at English Wikipedia | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 7,995
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 325 (Tenth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,838 (13th most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Montpelier: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Montpelier is the capital of Vermont. As such, the town, situated in the north-central part of the state, comes with unique features — its gold-domed State House offering a hint of grandeur. However, this only represents one layer of the Montpelier experience. With only 7,995 residents, the area still generally exudes the vibe of a small New England town.

Meanwhile, there’s yet another side to Montpelier. It also has its seamy underworld, one obscured by postcard presentation. The town endures high rates of car theft and larceny. Violence comes into play as well. The community has the number 10 highest pace of violent crimes in the state.

Crime By City In Vermont

Rank City Population Total Crimes Per 100K Violent Crimes Per 100K Property Crimes Per 100K Murders
1 Brattleboro 12,256 6,584 489 6,094 1
2 Winooski 8,647 4,510 543 3,966 1
3 St. Albans 7,022 4,229 569 3,659 0
4 Rutland 15,858 5,334 479 4,855 1
5 Burlington 44,689 5,536 409 5,126 5
6 Bennington 15,301 3,712 607 3,104 2
7 St. Johnsbury 7,404 4,024 351 3,673 0
8 Barre 8,447 3,125 532 2,592 0
9 South Burlington 20,307 4,284 295 3,988 1
10 Montpelier 7,995 2,163 325 1,838 0
11 Springfield 9,180 2,429 272 2,156 0
12 Hartford 10,863 1,850 349 1,500 0
13 Colchester 17,710 2,140 254 1,885 0
14 Williston 10,067 3,327 59 3,268 0
15 Essex 22,481 1,610 160 1,450 0
16 Morristown 5,610 1,693 124 1,568 0
17 Shelburne 7,903 1,720 63 1,657 0
18 Northfield 6,291 445 286 158 0
19 Middlebury 9,037 1,040 154 885 0
20 Milton 10,656 807 159 647 0
21 Stowe 5,359 1,548 55 1,492 0
22 Swanton 6,813 572 132 440 0
23 Barre Town 7,970 1,079 62 1,016 0

Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Vermont for 2024?

Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Vermont. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Vermont, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.

For our analysis, we focused on the 2022 data, specifically the 2022 Crime In The United States Report for Vermont.

So what criteria did we use? Have a look:

  • Violent Crimes Per Capita
  • Property Crimes Per Capita

In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Vermont cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 23 cities in Vermont.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 23 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.

Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.

Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Vermont — Brattleboro. Any ties went to the smaller city.

This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our tenth time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Vermont and is updated for 2024.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Vermont FAQs

No, Vermont is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #3 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Vermont ranks 48th most dangerous in the United States — 53.1% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Green Mountain State ranks 45th most dangerous in the United States — 37.73% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.

Yes, Burlington is a dangerous city. Burlington ranks as the #66 most dangerous out of 1433 major cities over 30,000 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 Burlington might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Burlington ranks 490th highest in America — 9.47% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 43rd highest in the United States — 136.99% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 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.

Graphing The Most Dangerous And Safest Places In Vermont

Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont Graph

Click To Enlarge

Summary: Locking It All Up In Vermont

So what is the most dangerous city in Vermont? After analyzing 23 cities in Vermont, Brattleboro takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Vermont based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2022.

The latest FBI crime data shows that Brattleboro ranks as the most dangerous city in Vermont for 2024.

The most dangerous cities in Vermont are .

We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Brattleboro and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.

What is the most dangerous place in Vermont for 2024? The most dangerous city in Vermont is Brattleboro.

Overall, Vermont is a safe place to chill, ski, snowboard, and drink maple syrup by the gallon. How much crime can there be in a state that’s 75% forests? Not much, but that doesn’t mean some cities have much more crime than others.

Learn more about the safest places in Vermont.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.

Here are the safest cities in Vermont:

  1. Williston (Pop. 10,067)
  2. Essex (Pop. 22,481)
  3. Morristown (Pop. 5,610)
  4. Shelburne (Pop. 7,903)
  5. Northfield (Pop. 6,291)
  6. Middlebury (Pop. 9,037)
  7. Milton (Pop. 10,656)
  8. Stowe (Pop. 5,359)
  9. Swanton (Pop. 6,813)
  10. Barre Town (Pop. 7,970)

For more Vermont reading, check out:

References

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

6 thoughts on “The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont

    1. THANK YOU! I can see from many of the other responses people have their heads right up their butts in there in complete denial. You are correct heroin is rampant in the skate heroin is used more widely in the state of Vermont than any other state in America per capita in these little redneck hillbillies have their heads pack so far up their butts they’re not going to realize if ever that they’re swirling in a downward spiral in that thing called the toilet

    2. steph, go back to your french model, u r comment has indications of the possibility that you may be an idiot. BTW, when u compile your own statistics the counter these which probably paint Vermont too pretty, go ahead and post them on here until then you should keep your stupid comments to yourself.

  1. Vermont according to the FBI crime index report is seeing a surge of property crime. Also Stephanie is correct on the heroine stat. Glad to see any counterpoint to her claim went unsubstantiated Ala insults.

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