Crime & Safety
FBI: Urban Neighbors More Violent, Per Capita, Than Somerville
According to recently released data from the FBI, Somerville is not as violent as Cambridge but is more violent than Brookline.
According to crime data released by the FBI in September, Somerville is less violent, per capita, than Boston, Cambridge and Quincy.
It even has less violent crime, per capita, than places like Randolph, Provincetown and Salem.
Other nearby communities, however, like Brookline and Arlington, were considerably less violent, per capita, than Somerville.
In all, Somerville saw 269 violent crimes in 2012, according to the FBI's data. That's down from 282 in 2011, but up from 238 in 2010. Violent crime consists of murder, forceable rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
In terms of the total number of violent crimes committed in 2012, Somerville was ranked number 21 in Massachusetts, tied with Revere, according to the FBI's data.
Not surprisingly, big cities, like Boston and Worcester, topped the list. Communities with more people, naturally, have higher numbers of total crime.
But when you also take population into account, Somerville dropped down the list, to number 49 in Massachusetts, when it comes to violent crime per capita.
Here are some other communities and where they fell on the list of violent crime per capita:
- Provincetown, 9th on the list
- Boston, 10th on the list
- Quincy, 31st on the list
- Cambridge, 37th on the list
- Randolph, 43rd on the list
- Salem, 45th on the list
- Brookline, 146th on the list
- Arlington, 172nd on the list
The most violent communities in the state, per capita, were Chelsea, followed by Brockton and New Bedford.
The least violent communities in the state: Well, it was a tie; ten towns, including Boxford and North Attleboro, had no violent crimes in 2012.
You can see the FBI's data here.
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