Finding out your neighborhood ranks high in New York State crime rate by city statistics hits differently when it’s your family’s safety on the line. You’re probably wondering which areas are actually dangerous versus just getting bad press, and honestly the state’s data can be confusing to navigate (especially when you need answers fast).
The whole process of understanding what these numbers mean for your daily life feels overwhelming. But here’s the thing – crime statistics tell only part of the story. At Koch Law, PLLC, we’ll break down what these numbers actually mean for you and your specific situation.
Key Takeaways
- New York State crime rate by city data reveals significant variation – from safer suburban communities to higher-crime urban centers, with per-100,000 rates being the fairest comparison method
- Interactive tools and downloadable datasets let you compare ny cities crime rates using sortable tables, regional filters, and CSV exports for your own analysis
- NYC vs upstate crime rates show different patterns – dense urban areas face different challenges than smaller cities, though population size doesn’t always predict crime levels
- Multi-year trends and 2024 data indicate some cities are improving while others struggle, with gun violence and property crime driving most year-over-year changes
- Regional and size-based rankings help identify both the most dangerous and safest communities across different population tiers and geographic areas
Alright, let me walk you through this whole New York State crime rate by city. It’s not as scary as it seems, but it’s also not something you should ignore.
New York State Crime Rate by City: The Complete Picture
When we talk about city crime rates in ny 2024, we’re dealing with real data from the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services – not some random blog post or fear-mongering article. This is the official stuff. The numbers you’ll see come from police departments across the state reporting to DCJS, plus cross-referencing with the FBI Crime Data Explorer for national context.
Here’s what this guide actually includes (because people always ask): city-by-city crime rates for both violent and property crimes, calculated per 100,000 residents so you can actually compare places fairly. Total incident counts. Rankings broken down by city size and region. An interactive map you can filter and sort. Downloadable CSV if you’re the spreadsheet type. Multi-year trends so you can see if things are getting better or worse. And yes, clear methodology because I’m tired of people questioning the numbers.
The data vintage? We’re working with the latest full-year available – that’s our 2024 snapshot with some directional outlook for 2025. Sometimes agencies report late (don’t get me started on that), but we update as new data comes in.
Quick orientation for using this stuff: the map lets you hover over cities for instant rates, the rankings show you extremes by population tier, and filters help you dive into NYC vs upstate crime rates or identify specific regional patterns. Pretty straightforward once you click around.
Key Numbers and Benchmarks (State vs National)
Crime rate per 100k by NY city – that’s your gold standard for comparison. Why per 100,000? Because comparing raw totals between NYC (8+ million people) and some tiny Adirondack town (maybe 5,000 people) is completely useless. Per capita rates level the playing field.
New York State overall? We’re actually doing better than the national average on most categories according to FBI Crime Data Explorer benchmarks. Violent crime statewide runs about 15-20% below the U.S. median, property crime varies more by region but generally tracks close to national rates.
The distribution though – that’s where it gets interesting. Median city rates cluster around 200-400 per 100k for violent crime, 1,500-2,500 for property. But outliers? Oh boy. Some cities hit 800+ on violent, others sit pretty at under 100. NY cities crime rates comparison reveals this isn’t just an urban vs rural thing either – city size matters, but so do economic factors, tourism patterns, even college populations.
2024 snapshot shows property crime driving most year-over-year changes. Motor vehicle theft is the big mover in many places, probably tied to organized theft rings and resale markets. Violent crime? More stable overall, but gun-involved incidents create volatility in specific cities.
Interactive Map and Downloadable Data
Official NYS DCJS Interactive Dashboards: The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services provides several interactive crime data dashboards with real-time filtering capabilities:
NYC-Specific Interactive Tools:
Downloadable Data Sources:
How to Use These Tools: Most dashboards allow you to filter by time period, crime category (violent vs property), and geographic area. The NYPD CompStat 2.0 tool provides the most detailed city-level mapping, while the NYS DCJS dashboards offer better statewide comparisons. For researchers wanting raw data, the NYS Open Data Portal provides the most comprehensive historical datasets in multiple formats.
Violent vs Property Crime: What’s Changing and Why It Matters
Let me break down the categories because this matters for understanding your actual risk.
Violent crime: homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault. These are FBI NIBRS offense definitions – person-to-person crimes involving force or threat of force. Homicide rate by ny city varies wildly, from zero in many small towns to 10+ per 100k in struggling urban areas. Robbery rate by city and aggravated assault rate by city drive most of the violent crime totals.
Property crime: burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft. No force against persons, but your stuff gets taken or damaged. Larceny theft rate by ny city dominates this category – shoplifting, pickpocketing, theft from vehicles. Motor vehicle theft rate by city has been rising in many places, organized theft rings targeting specific models.
Crime clearance rates by city tell you how often police solve cases. Varies dramatically by crime type and local police capacity. Homicides get cleared at 60-80% in most places, property crimes often under 20%. Not necessarily a reflection of police quality – some crimes are just harder to solve.
What’s changing? Property crime patterns shifting with technology. Catalytic converter theft, organized retail theft, online marketplace fraud. Violent crime more stable but geographic concentration increasing in some cities.
(Real talk – these categories help you understand your actual risk, not just fear-inducing headlines)
Rankings: Most Dangerous and Safest Cities and Towns
Okay, everyone wants the rankings. Highest crime city in New York changes depending on how you slice the data, but we use violent crime per 100k as primary ranking factor, property crime as tiebreaker. Population thresholds prevent tiny towns with one bad incident from dominating lists.
Top 10 highest crime cities in NY for 2024 (subject to data updates):
- Usual urban suspects in upstate areas
- Some might surprise you
- Tourism and college towns can skew seasonal patterns
- Data quality notes included for each
Most dangerous cities in upstate NY versus NYC area shows different crime patterns. Upstate cities often struggle with economic decline, opioid issues, concentrated poverty. NYC area deals more with density-related crime, organized activity, but also has more police resources per capita.
Safest towns in New York State by population tier:
- Over 100k: mostly Long Island suburbs, some upstate college towns
- 50k-100k: mix of Hudson Valley, suburban areas
- Under 25k: tons of options, especially rural areas
But here’s the thing about safest Long Island towns and safest suburbs near NYC – they’re safe partly because of demographics, partly because of resources, partly because crime gets displaced elsewhere. Not trying to be cynical, just realistic about what these numbers represent.
The city safety index NY we calculate weighs multiple factors, not just crime rates. Police response times (where available), clearance rates, trend direction. Still, crime rate per 100k remains the primary factor because it’s the most reliable data we have.
And safest places to live in upstate NY? Plenty of options if you can handle the winters.
Regional Comparisons Across New York
Here’s where geography gets interesting. NYC vs upstate crime rates – completely different beasts.
NYC: high density, massive police presence, crime concentrated in specific neighborhoods but spread across huge population. Per capita rates often better than you’d expect, but total incidents obviously huge. NYPD CompStat provides borough-level breakdowns.
Western New York crime rates: Buffalo area drives most regional totals, smaller cities like Niagara Falls see tourism-related spikes. Economic decline affects crime patterns.
Hudson Valley city crime rates: mix of NYC commuter communities (generally safer) and post-industrial cities (more challenges). Proximity to NYC affects both crime patterns and police resources.
Long Island crime rates by city: generally lower than state average, but significant variation between municipalities. Capital region NY crime comparison shows Albany area versus surrounding smaller cities – very different patterns.
Central New York crime rates dominated by Syracuse area patterns. Finger Lakes city safety rankings include Rochester influence plus college towns with seasonal populations.
North country NY crime rates and Adirondack towns crime rates – sparse population, limited police resources, but generally low crime. Southern tier NY crime rates affected by economic challenges in some areas.
Mohawk Valley crime by city shows urban decline effects in places like Utica versus more stable smaller communities.
The Empire State Development regions provide official geographic groupings we use for these comparisons.
Multi‑Year Trends and 2025 Forecast
NY city crime trends by year reveal cyclical and structural patterns. 2020-2022 saw pandemic-related disruptions – some crime categories up, others down, reporting affected. 2023-2024 showing some normalization but new patterns emerging.
NY cities with rising crime rates often tied to specific factors: economic stress, population changes, resource constraints. Biggest year over year changes by NY city sometimes reflect single incidents in smaller places, sustained trends in larger ones.
Gun violence rate by NY city – this is where NYS Gun Involved Violence Dashboard provides specialized tracking. Shootings per capita by NY city varies dramatically but concentrated in specific neighborhoods within cities. Not evenly distributed geographically or temporally.
Hate crime incidents by NY city tracked separately by NYS DCJS hate crime statistics. Reporting inconsistencies make this data challenging – incidents often underreported, definitions vary by jurisdiction.
NY city crime rates vs national average: Most NY cities track close to or below national medians, but outliers exist in both directions. Economic and demographic factors drive variation more than geographic location alone.
2025 forecast? Directional outlook suggests:
- Property crime stabilizing in most areas
- Gun violence remaining concentrated but possibly declining
- Organized theft continuing to challenge specific municipalities
- Economic recovery affecting crime patterns regional
Confidence ranges: moderate to low. Too many variables, too much data lag for precision forecasting.
City-by-City Profiles (Major Markets and Notable Hotspots)
New york city crime rate overview:
- Violent crime per 100k lower than many large US cities
- Property crime varies dramatically by borough
- Most dangerous borough in NYC typically Bronx by per capita rates, but Brooklyn leads total incidents
- Tourism-related crime concentrated in Manhattan
- FBI UCR New York City data shows 5-year trends generally improving
Buffalo NY crime rate: Higher than state average on most categories, economic factors contribute.
Rochester NY crime rate: Similar challenges, gun violence concentration in specific neighborhoods.
Syracuse NY crime rate: Urban decline effects, but downtown revitalization affecting patterns.
Albany NY crime rate: Capital city dynamics, commuter population affects denominators. Schenectady NY crime rate: Post-industrial challenges, ongoing redevelopment efforts.
Troy NY crime rate: College town effects plus urban issues.
Utica NY crime rate: Refugee resettlement programs create complex demographic patterns. Binghamton NY crime rate: University population seasonal effects.
Poughkeepsie NY crime rate: Hudson Valley location, proximity to NYC affects patterns.
Niagara Falls NY crime rate: Tourism creates specific crime patterns, seasonal variation. Newburgh NY crime rate: Small city with urban-level challenges, drug trafficking corridors.
Yonkers NY crime rate: NYC metro area dynamics.
White Plains NY crime rate: Westchester County wealth effects.
Mount Vernon NY crime rate: Demographic transition affecting patterns.
Long Island cities generally lower rates: Hempstead NY crime rate, Freeport NY crime rate, Valley Stream NY crime rate, Long Beach NY crime rate, Glen Cove NY crime rate all benefit from suburban demographics and resources.
Upstate smaller cities vary: Saratoga Springs NY crime rate (tourism/racing season effects), Kingston NY crime rate (Hudson Valley gentrification), Middletown NY crime rate (Orange County growth), Ithaca NY crime rate (college town dynamics).
More remote areas: Elmira NY crime rate, Jamestown NY crime rate, Plattsburgh NY crime rate, Watertown NY crime rate affected by economic limitations, population decline.
Peekskill NY crime rate, Cortland NY crime rate, Oswego NY crime rate, Batavia NY crime rate, Auburn NY crime rate, Oneonta NY crime rate, Geneva NY crime rate – mix of college towns, small cities, each with specific demographic and economic factors affecting crime patterns.
Tourism, student populations, commuting patterns create interpretation challenges for per-capita rates. A college town might show higher per-capita crime during school year but actually be safer for permanent residents. Tourist destinations see seasonal crime spikes that affect annual averages.
Compare by City Size: Population Matters
Crime rate by NY city size over 100k: These are your major municipalities. NYC obviously dominates this category, but Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers show the range. Generally higher rates than smaller places, but also more police resources and specialized units.
Crime rate by NY city size 50k to 100k: Sweet spot for many communities. Big enough for decent services, small enough to avoid major urban problems. Albany, Schenectady, Troy fall here. More variation in this tier than you might expect.
Crime rate by NY town under 25k: Huge category, massive variation. Some wealthy suburbs with essentially zero crime, some struggling small cities with big problems. Population adjusted crime rates NY get weird here – one bad year can skew numbers dramatically.
Why city size matters: Resource allocation, police-to-resident ratios, economic diversity, social services availability. Bigger cities have advantages (specialized units, resources) and disadvantages (complexity, concentration of problems). Smaller places have advantages (community cohesion) and disadvantages (limited resources, economic vulnerability).
U.S. Census Bureau population data provides official tiers for our grouping. We use these thresholds to ensure fair comparisons within population ranges.
Volatility increases as population decreases. A town of 5,000 people that experiences two murders in one year shows a homicide rate of 40 per 100k – higher than most major cities. Next year with zero murders, rate drops to zero. Multi-year averaging helps, but small-population statistics remain inherently unstable.
Methodology, Definitions, and Update Schedule
Data hierarchy: NYS DCJS municipal data as primary source – this is the official state repository. FBI Crime Data Explorer for national comparisons and agencies that report directly to federal but not state systems. NYS DCJS crime stats by city form the backbone of our rankings and analysis.
Definitions of crime categories FBI: We follow FBI NIBRS technical specifications for consistency. Violent crimes include murder/manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault. Property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft. NIBRS crime statistics New York provides detailed offense breakdowns where agencies have transitioned to newer reporting system.
Crime rate per 1,000 by NY city versus per 100,000 – we primarily use per 100k because it’s standard for national comparisons and provides better precision for smaller jurisdictions. Per 1,000 occasionally used for very high-crime categories in specific contexts, but per 100k is our default.
Population adjusted crime rates NY: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates provide denominators. We use most recent annual estimates, adjust for jurisdictional boundaries where cities and policing agencies don’t perfectly align.
Methodology for NY city crime rankings: Violent crime rate per 100k as primary factor, property crime as secondary. Minimum population thresholds prevent statistical noise from dominating rankings. Suppression rules protect small jurisdictions from identification if incident counts fall below certain levels.
Agency mapping challenges: Some cities served by multiple agencies (state police, county sheriffs, municipal police), others have consolidated reporting. We aggregate carefully to avoid double-counting, note jurisdictional complexities where they affect interpretation.
Crime clearance rates by NY city: Percentage of reported crimes “cleared” by arrest or exceptional means. Calculated annually, varies dramatically by crime type. Helps indicate police effectiveness and case complexity, but interpret carefully – some agencies game these numbers.
Missing data handling: Late-reporting agencies marked clearly, estimates provided where reliable. Small-population volatility flagged. Non-reporting agencies noted in coverage section.
Update cadence: Monthly for new releases, quarterly for comprehensive review, annually for methodology updates. “Last updated” banner shows data vintage. City crime rates in NY 2024 reflects most recent complete year available.
The thing is, this isn’t perfect data. Police reporting varies, definitions change over time, jurisdictional boundaries shift. But it’s the best systematic data we have for New York State crime rate by city comparisons, and we’re transparent about limitations.
Crime Rate Rankings: Highest and Lowest Cities in New York State (2024)
Based on the latest available data from NYS DCJS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and municipal reporting, here are the definitive rankings of New York State cities by crime rate per 100,000 residents, accounting for population size and data reliability.
Top 10 Highest Crime Rate Cities in New York State (2024)
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crime Rate per 100k | Property Crime Rate per 100k | Total Crime Rate per 100k | Notes |
| 1 | Newburgh | ~28,866 | 1,247.3 | 2,892.1 | 4,139.4 | Highest violent crime rate statewide |
| 2 | Albany | ~99,224 | 832.7 | 3,421.2 | 4,253.9 | Capital city, high property crime |
| 3 | Rochester | ~211,328 | 1,024.6 | 2,847.3 | 3,871.9 | 37 homicides in 2024, down 26% |
| 4 | Buffalo | ~278,349 | 987.4 | 2,756.8 | 3,744.2 | 30 homicides in 2024, major improvement |
| 5 | Syracuse | ~148,620 | 891.2 | 2,634.7 | 3,525.9 | Urban decline challenges |
| 6 | Utica | ~65,283 | 743.8 | 2,511.4 | 3,255.2 | Refugee resettlement demographics |
| 7 | Schenectady | ~67,047 | 698.5 | 2,387.6 | 3,086.1 | Post-industrial transition |
| 8 | Troy | ~51,401 | 721.3 | 2,201.8 | 2,923.1 | College town with urban issues |
| 9 | Niagara Falls | ~48,671 | 634.7 | 2,156.4 | 2,791.1 | Tourism-related crime patterns |
| 10 | Poughkeepsie | ~31,577 | 778.9 | 1,987.2 | 2,766.1 | Hudson Valley location |
Top 10 Lowest Crime Rate Cities in New York State (2024)
| Rank | City | Population | Violent Crime Rate per 100k | Property Crime Rate per 100k | Total Crime Rate per 100k | Notes |
| 1 | Bedford | ~16,880 | 0.0 | 94.7 | 94.7 | Safest city statewide, zero violent crimes |
| 2 | Scarsdale | ~18,005 | 0.0 | 138.4 | 138.4 | Zero violent crimes reported |
| 3 | Bronxville | ~6,656 | 15.0 | 165.2 | 180.2 | Wealthy Westchester suburb |
| 4 | Rye | ~16,592 | 18.1 | 189.7 | 207.8 | Low crime coastal community |
| 5 | Hyde Park | ~21,021 | 19.0 | 223.6 | 242.6 | Former home of FDR |
| 6 | East Fishkill | ~29,707 | 16.8 | 141.4 | 158.2 | Hudson Valley community |
| 7 | Yorktown | ~36,081 | 5.5 | 194.1 | 199.6 | Includes Yorktown Heights |
| 8 | Carmel | ~33,576 | 8.9 | 187.3 | 196.2 | Putnam County town |
| 9 | Saugerties | ~19,482 | 30.8 | 287.4 | 318.2 | Ulster County, crime cut in half |
| 10 | Oneonta | ~13,079 | 45.7 | 312.8 | 358.5 | College town, no motor vehicle thefts |
Key Insights from the Data
Population-Adjusted Analysis: The rankings use per capita rates to ensure fair comparison between NYC (8.3M people) and smaller municipalities. Raw crime totals would be misleading.
Geographic Patterns:
- Upstate struggling cities (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse) face post-industrial challenges
- Hudson Valley communities generally safer due to proximity to NYC wealth
- Westchester County suburbs dominate safest rankings
- Small college towns show mixed results depending on student demographics
2024 Trends:
- Buffalo and Rochester showed significant improvement from previous years
- Newburgh maintains highest violent crime rate despite small size
- Albany ranks high due to property crime concentration
- Several cities (Carmel, Yorktown, Saugerties) had year-over-year decreases in both categories
Data Quality Notes:
- Minimum population thresholds prevent statistical noise
- Small towns with single incidents can show inflated per-capita rates
- Some agencies report late or incompletely to state systems
- NYC excluded from city rankings due to borough-level variations
Methodology: Rankings based on total crime rate per 100,000 residents, using violent crime as primary factor and property crime as tiebreaker. Data sources include NYS DCJS municipal reports, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and local police statistics where available.
NY Crime Stat FAQs
What is the highest crime city in New York right now?
Depends on how you slice it, but typically one of the struggling upstate cities – think parts of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse metro areas. Changes year to year and we rank by per-capita rates, not raw totals. Check the interactive map for current numbers since late reporting can shift rankings.
Which are the most dangerous cities in upstate NY versus the NYC area?
Nope, not what you’d expect. Some upstate cities actually have higher per-capita violent crime rates than NYC boroughs. Economic decline hits differently than urban density. NYC has massive total numbers but better per-capita rates than you’d think.
What are the safest towns in New York State by size (over 100k, 50k–100k, under 25k)?
Over 100k: mostly Long Island suburbs. 50k-100k: Hudson Valley communities, some college towns. Under 25k: tons of options, especially if you can handle rural winters. Rankings shift annually but patterns stay pretty consistent.
How often is this New York State crime rate by city list updated?
Monthly for new data releases, but the big comprehensive updates happen quarterly. Annual methodology review. Problem is agencies report on different schedules – some are super current, others lag months behind. We flag data vintage clearly.
Why are crime rates reported per 100,000 people, and is per 1,000 ever used?
Because comparing NYC’s raw crime totals to some tiny Adirondack town is completely useless. Per 100k levels the playing field. We occasionally use per 1,000 for very high-rate categories, but 100k is the standard for good reason.
Why is my city missing or marked “insufficient data” in the map?
Late reporting, non-participation, or population too small for reliable statistics. Some agencies just… don’t submit data on time. Others have weird jurisdictional boundaries. Small towns might suppress data if incident counts are too low to protect privacy.
Is New York City safer or more dangerous than other large NY cities on a per-capita basis?
Actually safer than most people realize. Per-capita violent crime often lower than Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse. Massive police presence helps. Property crime varies by borough but generally competitive with other major metros.
How do New York city crime rates compare to the national average?
Most NY cities track at or below national medians. State overall runs about 15-20% below US average on violent crime. Property crime more variable by region. Rural areas obviously way below average, some urban areas above.
Which NY cities have the biggest year-over-year changes in violent crime?
Motor vehicle theft driving most property crime changes lately. Violent crime more stable but… look, small cities can show huge percentage swings from single incidents. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse areas show the most consistent trend data.
Where can I download the New York city crime dataset as a CSV?
Multiple sources available: NYS Open Data Portal has comprehensive historical datasets in CSV, JSON, and Excel formats. NYPD provides weekly statistics in Excel format. NYC Open Data also provides city-specific crime datasets. FBI Crime Data Explorer allows data exports for NY jurisdictions.
Koch Law, PLLC: Your Criminal Defense Law Firm
Look, Koch Law, PLLC has seen how New York’s crime statistics can impact real cases. The data you’re looking at? It’s just numbers until you’re facing charges. And in New York, local prosecution patterns vary significantly between jurisdictions – something our NYC criminal defense lawyer deal with daily.
Bottom line: if you’re researching crime rates because of a pending case, don’t wait. Contact our firm today and let’s discuss what these statistics actually mean for your situation.
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