20 Dangerous Cities in New York You Need to Know About
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The crime statistics of New York State reveal that though the State offers vibrant cities and beautiful landscapes, a subset of areas has inescapable safety problems.
Though not as high in total number, areas with high levels of violent and property offenses are also disproportionately concentrated in certain places. Here are the 20 most dangerous cities in New York in terms of crime statistics.
Buffalo
Buffalo is one of the most dangerous cities around in that the violent crime rate is 41 in one thousand residents, with its population of 274,678 experiencing a high level of assaults, robberies, and homicides.
Buffalo’s ongoing crime problems are economic disparities, unemployment, and poverty. Local initiatives address these issues, but they are still much too big.
Rochester
According to Plumplot, the violent crime rate in Rochester’s postcode area was 48.9 crimes per 1,000 people, 39 percent higher than the national average.
The city has a population of 207,274 and has persistent violent and property crime. Limited job opportunities and social inequality worsen the case.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, infamous for its beauty, was battles with a violent crime rate of 60 out of 100 residents. The city was ranked as the 44th most dangerous city in the United States.
High crime levels are owing to economic hardships and lack of resources.
Syracuse
The City of Syracuse, New York, had an estimated population of 145,560 in 2023, a 2.1 percent decrease from the 2020 census population of 148,620.
The City of Syracuse (.gov) reports constantly high rates of violent crime and had a 2021 murder rate of 19.85 per 100,000 residents, three times the national average of 6.52.
Troy
According to NeighborhoodScout’s crime analysis of Troy, NY, the violent crime rate is 6.86 per 1,000 residents, the total crime rate is 41.36 per 1,000, and this city reports 349 violent crimes annually.
AreaVibes, however, reports Troy’s overall crime rate to be 30 percent below the national average, and 3.85 crimes occur in the city per day, with 0.28 of those considered violent.
Albany
In 2023, Albany’s violent crime rate spiked to 2 crimes per 1,000 people — a 14.7% increase, according to a PowerDMS published report, which is low compared to Oregon.
The violent crime clearance rate was 64.96, above the 60% target. Plus, the number of shooting victims decreased by 26 percent from 2022.
Schenectady
According to NeighborhoodScout, a violent crime rate of 41 per 1,000 residents occurs in Schenectady, New York, with a population of 68,544.
Property crimes are especially high in the city (33.61), with a 1 in 132 chance that residents will become victims. The city’s safety initiatives address economic issues related to criminal activity.
New York City
Although crime in New York City has fallen, there are pockets of intense crime. You’ll see higher rates of crime in areas such as the Bronx, where Hunts Point is. The city has a population of over 8.258 million.
According to Vital City, the violent crime rate in New York City was 352.3 per 100,000 people in mid-2024, up 4.5 percent from last year. Police reforms that aim to close neighborhood disparities are ongoing.
Binghamton
Binghamton has 46,727 people, and it has a violent crime rate of 49 per 1,000 people. This small city is one of the focus for community-oriented policing due to its high level of both violent and property crime.
Targeted interventions in high-risk areas are among efforts to reduce crime.
Newburgh
In a published report. In 2022, Newburgh, New York, reported 112 violent crimes per 10,000 residents, more than any other city in the Mid-Hudson Valley region, according to a story in the Mid-Hudson News.
In the first 10 months of 2023, violent crime decreased by 14% compared to a decade ago. The city has a population of 28,237.
Watertown
Watertown has 24,027 residents. Property and violent crime are issues in the area. The crime rate in Watertown is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America, from the largest to the smallest.
However, 53 per one thousand residents is not among the communities with the highest crime rate.
Mount Vernon
Elevated crime rates for 32 per one thousand residents include so much violent crime at Mount Vernon. Efforts to solve these issues are via community policing and social outreach programs.
Parts of Mount Vernon are still working to make crime a thing of the past.
Utica
Its violent crime rate is 6.09 per 1,000 residents. This seaside city has grown in violent crime, including robberies, affecting its 64,501 population.
There are also partnerships between law enforcement and local community organizations.
Johnson City
Johnson City has a population of 73,337 with a very high crime rate of 39 for each one thousand residents. The household income average median is $82,397, while the poverty rate is 21.66%.
Poughkeepsie
NeighborhoodScout reports that Poughkeepsie, New York, has a crime rate higher than 93% of the state’s cities and towns. As of the July 1, 2023, census, the city had a population of 31,772.
In 2022, Poughkeepsie had a violent crime rate of 63 per 10,000 people, and Newburgh was the highest in the area, with a rate of 112 per 10,000 people.
Jamestown
The population of 15,691 in Jamestown reports a violent crime rate of 39 per 1,000 residents. Factors contributing are economic struggles and limited law enforcement resources.
Yonkers
The crime rate metric reveals that Yonkers’ crime rate metric has ranked above 73% of all the cities and towns in New York regarding the crimes that happen in Yonkers, including burglaries and assaults.
The city has a population of 207,657 people.
Hempstead
Hempstead, New York, has a higher crime rate than the rest of the nation. 303 violent crimes were reported, which worked out to 518 violent crimes per 100,000 people in the city.
According to Area Vibes, this rate is 40.1 percent higher than the national average. The latest census shows Hempstead’s latest population is approximately 58,225 people.
Elmira
The national average was exceeded by crime rates within Elmira, New York, due to crimes being 60% higher in comparison to the average, while violent crimes were 100% higher.
In 2023, the population of Elmira was estimated at 26,176, representing a 1.3% reduction from the 26,523 population from the 2020 census.
White Plains
White Plains, New York’s estimated population in 2024 was 61,903. The number of violent crimes committed per 1,000 residents is 1.28, and for property crimes, the number of offenses is 13.28 per 1,000 residents.
White Plains’s total crime rate is 23% less than the national average and 35% less than the state of New York overall.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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