20 Safest Cities In Massachusetts In 2024: Report (2024)

Crime & Safety

Is your city among the safest in Massachusetts? See the rankings.

Posted Wed, Apr 17, 2024 at 4:24 pm ET

SafeWise, a security product review platform, looked at FBI crime statistics for cities in Massachusetts to compile its 10th annual Safest Cities report.

Massachusetts saw increases across the board for per capita property crime and violent crime. But the Bay State still boasts some of the lowest crime rates in the nation. The violent crime rate of 3.7 incidents per 1,000 people is below the national average of 4.0.

Despite rising crime rates, Bay Staters are less concerned about their safety than the nation's average.

According to SafeWise, 59 percent of Massachusetts said they are highly concerned about violent crime happening to them — an increase from 51 percent a year ago. Violent crime in Massachusetts rose 4 percent last year, according to the report but reported experiences with it fell 10 percent.

In Massachusetts, Northborough, Wayland and Clinton ranked as the top three safest cities or towns in the state. Northborough rose three spots from last year's ranking.

Northborough ranked as the safest city or town in the Bay State, with a violent crime rate of 0.3 and a property crime rate of 0.1 incidents per 1,000 people, according to the report. The town has a population of 15,699.

All the safest cities or towns reported fewer than 1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 people.

The rankings were based on FBI crime data. Cities and jurisdictions across the country voluntarily report the information through the FBI Summary Reporting System and National Incident-Based Reporting System. The most recent FBI data was released in October 2023 and accounts for crimes reported in 2022. SafeWise also used population thresholds in its reporting, according to the company.

These are the top 20 safest cities and towns in Massachusetts for 2024, according to SafeWise:

1. Northborough
2. Wayland
3. Clinton
4. Grafton
5. Ipswich
6. Winchester
7. Sharon
8. Scituate
9. Holliston
10. Lexington
11. Medway
12. Sudbury
13. Bedford
14. Pembroke
15. Westford
16. Medfield
17. Norton
18. Milton
19. Duxbury
20. Marshfield

See the full list here.

Twenty percent of Bay Staters who said they use personal protection carry a concealed weapon — compared to 41 percent nationally. Only 9 percent said they rely on a gun to protect their home — compared to 28 percent nationally.

There were seven mass shooting events in Massachusetts in 2023, an increase from three each the previous two years.