Crime
Boston's crime rate by year
Police in Boston, MA reported about 583 violent crimes per 100,000 people they serve in 2025 (U.S.: 329), down from a high of 2,379 in 1990, and 3.6 murders in 2025 (U.S.: 4.3), down from a high of 24.9 in 1990. That was the 41st highest violent crime rate of the 89 biggest U.S. cities whose police reported a full year. Rates count only crimes police reported to the FBI.
Violent crime rate, 2025
583
per 100,000 people (U.S.: 329)
Murder rate, 2025
3.6
per 100,000 people (U.S.: 4.3)
Among big cities
41st
highest violent crime rate of 89
Violent crime rate in Boston and the U.S., each year
The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are in the table below.
Murder rate in Boston and the U.S., each year
The interactive chart needs JavaScript. The numbers are in the table below.
The numbers
Crimes per 100,000 people, as police reported them to the FBI, newest first.
| Year | Violent, Boston | Violent, U.S. | Murder, Boston | Murder, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 583.2 | 329.3 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
| 2024 | 630.3 | 363.4 | 3.8 | 5.2 |
| 2023 | 633.8 | 385.6 | 5.4 | 6.1 |
| 2022 | 635.8 | 398.2 | 7.2 | 6.9 |
| 2021 | 564.3 | 360.9 | 5.3 | 6.9 |
| 2020 | 637.0 | 399.3 | 8.3 | 6.8 |
| 2019 | 611.9 | 381.0 | 6.0 | 5.2 |
| 2018 | 622.5 | 384.8 | 8.1 | 5.2 |
| 2017 | 669.2 | 397.5 | 8.3 | 5.4 |
| 2016 | 707.4 | 399.5 | 7.3 | 5.4 |
| 2015 | 706.8 | 384.6 | 5.7 | 5.0 |
| 2014 | 725.7 | 373.7 | 8.1 | 4.5 |
| 2013 | 782.4 | 378.2 | 6.1 | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 835.0 | 390.7 | 9.0 | 4.8 |
| 2011 | 845.2 | 390.1 | 10.1 | 4.8 |
| 2010 | 942.2 | 408.1 | 11.8 | 4.8 |
| 2009 | 992.0 | 436.8 | 8.0 | 5.1 |
| 2008 | 1,104.4 | 463.7 | 10.3 | 5.5 |
| 2007 | 1,155.2 | 477.9 | 11.0 | 5.8 |
| 2006 | 1,339.5 | 486.9 | 13.3 | 5.9 |
| 2005 | 1,317.7 | 483.0 | 12.9 | 5.9 |
| 2004 | 1,192.4 | 478.6 | 10.5 | 5.7 |
| 2003 | 1,216.2 | 493.7 | 6.6 | 5.9 |
| 2002 | 1,166.2 | 512.9 | 10.1 | 5.9 |
| 2001 | 1,243.5 | 529.5 | 11.0 | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 1,242.8 | 534.4 | 6.6 | 5.8 |
| 1999 | 1,302.1 | 545.8 | 5.6 | 5.9 |
| 1998 | 1,327.1 | 603.8 | 6.1 | 6.6 |
| 1997 | 1,420.8 | 644.9 | 7.7 | 7.2 |
| 1996 | 1,656.8 | 658.8 | 10.7 | 7.8 |
| 1995 | 1,737.6 | 720.6 | 17.4 | 8.7 |
| 1994 | 1,915.5 | 740.4 | 15.3 | 9.2 |
| 1993 | 1,957.7 | 764.1 | 17.7 | 9.8 |
| 1992 | 2,037.6 | 785.4 | 12.7 | 9.7 |
| 1991 | 2,066.4 | 798.1 | 19.7 | 10.3 |
| 1990 | 2,379.3 | 749.8 | 24.9 | 9.7 |
| 1989 | 2,227.0 | 680.5 | 17.1 | 8.9 |
| 1988 | 2,099.4 | 630.2 | 16.0 | 8.5 |
| 1987 | 2,075.8 | 624.9 | 13.2 | 8.4 |
| 1986 | 2,159.0 | 633.6 | 18.3 | 8.7 |
| 1985 | 2,074.0 | 570.3 | 15.2 | 8.1 |
Source and notes
FBI Crime Data Explorer, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (Public domain (U.S. government work); source FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program).
These are the crimes the Boston police reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program, per 100,000 people the department serves. Violent crime is murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; murder includes nonnegligent manslaughter. A year counts only when the department reported violent crimes in all 12 months, and not when its rate is far out of line with the years either side (under a quarter, or over 1.75 times, of both), which means it sent only part of its reports or some twice. In 2021 the FBI took only reports from its newer system (NIBRS), and many departments hadn't switched yet, so that year is often missing or less certain. NIBRS counts every crime in an incident, not just the most serious, so a jump or drop when a department switched can come from the change in counting rather than in crime. The FBI widened its definition of rape in 2013. A city's rate depends on where its borders fall, so compare cities with care. The U.S. rates count only the agencies that reported, so they differ a little from the FBI's national estimates.