Crime in Boston vs. the national average
Boston reports 628 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 65% above the U.S. average of 381, and 2,022 property crimes per 100k versus a national 1,954 (3% above). In the most recent FBI reporting year (2024), the violent crime rate rose 0.2% year over year, a pattern SafeNest classifies as volatile.
| Boston | US average | |
|---|---|---|
| Violent crime (per 100k) | 628 | 381 |
| Property crime (per 100k) | 2022 | 1954 |
City-wide averages hide block-by-block variation — the safest and least safe neighborhoods in Boston can differ dramatically. For a specific address, run a free SafeNest search.
Flood & natural hazard risk
Federal disaster records for Massachusetts — the state SafeNest uses for Boston's flood context — list 8 FEMA flood disaster declarations between 1972 and 2024, most recently "Severe Storms And Flooding". Massachusetts has also seen 14 hurricane or tropical-storm declarations, events that frequently drive flooding. These are state-level federal declarations, not a parcel-level flood-zone determination — a specific Boston address may sit inside or well outside a FEMA flood zone, which the SafeNest app checks directly by address.
Schools in Boston
Public schools in Boston average 4.1/10 on the SafeNest School Score across 15 rated schools. By level, elementary schools rate strongest at 4.5/10 on average, while high schools average 4.0/10. The highest-scoring is Boston Latin School at 9.5/10.
Registered offenders
Registered-offender data is meaningful only at the address level, so SafeNest does not publish a city-wide figure for Boston: a single citywide number would blend blocks with very different profiles and mislead more than it informs. Exact counts and locations for any specific Boston address are available in the SafeNest app, drawn directly from the state's public registry.
Check a specific Boston address
City averages are a starting point. SafeNest gives you the full picture for one address — crime, offenders, flood, schools, air quality, taxes — in 30 seconds.
Search an address freeOther city safety reports
Data compiled from public sources including FBI crime statistics, FEMA flood maps, NCES education data, and state registries. Last updated 2026-07-12. Figures are city-level estimates; verify with primary sources before making decisions. SafeNest is not a consumer reporting agency (see Terms).