The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Massachusetts For 2021

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Massachusetts For 2021

For the third year running, Holyoke takes the top spot on our list of Massachusetts’ most dangerous cities. Situated just north of Springfield, between the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range, Holyoke seems to be in a nice area.

But don’t let that fool you because the total crime rate in Holyoke is three times higher than the statewide average.

Folks in Holyoke had a 1 in 26 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2019, so keeping your doors locked and your eye on your valuables is paramount here.

On top of that, Holyoake averaged just under one violent crime per day, with the ninth highest rate of rape cases and sixth highest murder rate in Massachusetts.

Springfield is home to both America’s largest handgun producer, Smith & Wesson, and beloved children’s book author and illustrator Dr. Seuss.

Ultimately, the Smith & Wesson side of Springfield shines brighter, considering the city had the highest violent crime rate in Massachusetts. Springfield had the third highest murder rate statewide, reporting 20 murders in 2019.

Overall, Springfield residents had a 1 in 110 chance of being the victim of a violent crime over the year, so nobody will blame you for being a bit guarded here.

You’ll also want to lock your doors in Massachusetts’ 2nd biggest city because Springfield also had the fifth highest burglary rate in the state.

Situated about 25 miles south of Boston, Brockton comes in as the third most dangerous place to call home in Massachusetts.

Brockton had the fourth highest violent crime rate in the state, recording 782 such crimes over 2019.

While property crime in Brockton didn’t rank in the top ten this year, the city still had a high rate of car thefts, reporting 288 cars stolen over the year. All the more reason to lock your car in secluded areas, like when you’re going for a walk at Ames Nowell State Park.

New Bedford is known as The Whaling City, but now that slaughtering whales is kind of frowned upon, residents have had to find new outlets for savagery.

That’s where high crime rates come in. New Bedford experienced 383 aggravated assaults in 2019, just about one for every day of the year, on average.

Additionally, it would be best if you always double-checked that your home is adequately secured in New Bedford because the city had the fourth highest burglary rate in Massachusetts.

New Bedford is located in Bristol County in the South Coast region of Massachusetts.

Pittsfield is the largest city and county seat of Berkshire County and the fifth most dangerous place in Mass.

Pittsfield had about five burglaries per week in 2019, giving the city of 42,268 the second highest burglary rate in the state. We just hope nobody tries to pull a heist on the local Berkshire Museum.

Violent crime in Pittsfield is an even bigger problem. Throughout 2019, residents had a 1 in 140 shot of being robbed, raped, assaulted, or murdered.

Located smack dab in the middle of Holyoke and Springfield, Chicopee location doesn’t do it any favors, vis a vis crime. When it comes to violent crime, Chicopee isn’t nearly as bad as the cities it borders, but the property crime rate is almost as high.

Chicopee had 971 larceny cases in 2019, so it’s good practice to make sure you still have all your valuables after a picnic at Chicopee Memorial State Park.

And while violent crime isn’t as bad as some other cities you’ll see here, Chicopee still averaged just about one violent crime per day in 2019.

North Adams is a city of 12,800 in Berkshire County in western Massachusetts. Known as a center for tourism, culture, and recreation, North Adams is also starting to be recognized as quite a dangerous place.

For example, North Adams had the highest burglary rate in the state, recording 88 break-ins in 2019. We can only pray they have enough security at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, the largest museum of its class in the country.

While violent crime as a whole is relatively low in North Adams, the city did have the unfortunate distinction of having the seventh highest rate of rape cases in the state.

Known as the “Heart of the Commonwealth” for its central-Massachusetts location, Worcester is the second biggest city in New England and the state’s eighth most dangerous city.

Worcester had about one murder per month in 2019, giving it the 12th highest murder rate statewide. And that represents just a small portion of the 1,165 violent crimes reported over the year.

On top of that, Worcester averaged about ten property crimes per day in 2019, so you’ll want to double-check your pockets and purses after a day out at Green Hill Park.

Located some 20 miles north of Springfield, Hadley is Massachusetts’ ninth most dangerous place.

Hadley is a town of 5,358, making it the smallest spot on this list. But if you thought small towns were automatically safer, think again.

Hadley had the highest rate of rape cases in the state, accounting for 25% of all violent crimes committed over the year.

Add to that the third highest property crime rate in Mass, and you’ve got a recipe for a busy workload for the Hadley Police Department.

Located across the Connecticut River from Springfield, West Springfield ranks as the tenth most dangerous city in Massachusetts.

While the violent crime rate in West Springfield doesn’t hold a candle to Springfield, property crime is nearly as bad here. In fact, with the second highest property crime rate, West Springfield’s overall crime rate ranks as the second highest in Massachusetts.

That includes 814 larceny cases and 54 car thefts, or just about one per week. Someone needs to stage a production of “Crime and Punishment” at the Majestic Theater, so the city can begin its path to redemption.