The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Rhode Island For 2024

Located in the northern part of Rhode Island, Woonsocket is known for its annual Autumnfest. Unfortunately, with the decline of manufacturing in the region, it’s also known for high unemployment and a high crime rate.

The city suffered 193 violent crimes in a year. With a population of 42,925, that equates to a per-capita violent-crime rate of 449/100k. That figure puts Woonsocket at highest in the state.

The city has a particular problem with rapes, with 24 such attacks in a year. On a per-capita basis, that puts the city as the fourth highest in Rhode Island for that horrendous crime.

Things are a little better when it comes to property crimes. Woonsocket saw 767 such events in a year. Putting that in terms of the city’s population, that figure amounts to the third highest pace for the state as a whole. Burglaries are a problem, however, with the state ranking highest in Rhode Island in that category.

Providence is at the top of a lot of lists, at least where Rhode Island is concerned. One of the oldest cities in the U.S.,it’s the 1st largest city in Rhode Island in terms of population, as well as the state’s capital. Unfortunately, Providence sits at the top of a less illustrious list: it is the number 2 most dangerous city in Rhode Island for 2024.

With a population of 189,064, the city reported 643 violent crimes over the course of a year. These included 7 murders and 65 rapes. In addition to this violent streak, Providence has its share of property crimes, with 4,786 such events in a year.

Looking at things in terms of population, Providence suffers a per-capita property-crime rate of 2,531/100k, highest in the state. Meanwhile, the city showed a per-capita violent-crime rate of 340/100k, ranking it third highest in Rhode Island for that category.

Pawtucket gets its name from an Algonquian term meaning “river fall.” Home of the Red Sox’s minor-league affiliate, it represents the 4th most populous communities in the state, with 74,967 people living within its borders.

That may not sound like much in relation to megalopolises like nearby New York or Boston. But that number of people is enough to give Pawtucket a distinct crime problem. This is especially true when it comes to property crimes. With 1,689 such events in a year, the city ranked second highest in Rhode Island on a per-capita basis.

The city had 215 violent crimes during a year. That includes 36 rapes and 35 robberies. On a per-capita basis, Pawtucket ranked fourth highest for violent crime in the state.

Named after a waterfall in the local Blackstone River, Central Falls, Rhode Island, is small but compact. The municipality has just 22,340, but those people are squeezed into an area of less than 1.3 square miles. The result? One of the most densely populated spots in the U.S. – more densely populated than places like Boston, Chicago, or Philadelphia.

Pack all those folks into a tiny area and you’re bound to have some issues. Central Falls provides ample evidence of that, ranking as the number 4 most dangerous spot in Rhode Island. True, the number of violent crimes only totaled 90 for the year and the tally of property crimes only reached 266. But given the small population, those represent significant numbers.

On a per-capita basis, the violent-crime rate in Central Falls is the second highest in the state.

Nestled against Narragansett Bay, Newport has made its name as a renowned seaside resort, home of the famous Newport Jazz Festival. All those tourists must attract a criminal element, however, as the city also ranks as the number 5 most dangerous place in Rhode Island for 2024.

In terms of raw numbers, Newport might not seem too daunting. After all, the city reported just 57 violent crimes and 394 property crimes in a year. However, it’s important to remember that these figures came in an area with a population of only 25,039.

Referencing the crime wave in terms of population, Newport saw a per-capita pace of violent crime of 227/100k, putting it fifth highest in the state as a whole. This included 22 rapes, giving it the community the highest per-capita rate in Rhode Island.

With all those rich folks coming in for summer holidays, it’s not surprising that property crime rates are high in Newport. On a per-capita basis, the area had the fourth highest pace in the state.

Lincoln, Rhode Island, has a lot going for it. A suburb of the state capital of Providence and located within a short driving distance from Boston, it provides an excellent jump-off spot for the region’s biggest cities. One major problem, though: Lincoln has also imported some big-city issues. Namely, the area ranks as the number 6 most dangerous spots in Rhode Island.

During a year, Lincoln reported 233 property crimes. This included 21 burglaries and 28 car thefts. Those totals might not seem intimidating in terms of raw numbers. But, remember, Lincoln’s population only reaches 22,400. On a per-capita basis, the area sits at ninth highest on the list of highest property-crime spots in the state.

Luckily, violence isn’t as much of a problem. With only 29 violent crimes in a year, Lincoln has the ninth highest per-capita pace in Rhode Island.

Part of the Providence metropolitan area, Cranston, Rhode Island, is more than just a simple suburb. With 82,205 people, the city ranks, on its own, as the 3rd most populous areas in the state. Unfortunately, this size comes with its share of problems. While relatively safe compared to its neighbor, Cranston still ranks as the number 7 most dangerous place in Rhode Island.

This comes as the city reported 98 violent crimes during a year, a total that included 27 rapes. For property crimes, Cranston’s tally reached 950. Comparing those numbers to the city’s overall population, the per-capita rate of violent crime equaled 119/100k, putting it tenth highest in the state. The pace of property crime reached 1,155/100k, a figure which sits at eighth highest for Rhode Island as a whole.

Rhode Island is a small state. In fact, it’s so small that it only supports one landfill. Where do you think you can find that lonely trash dump? That’s right: Johnston.

To be fair, the area has other, more culturally significant, landmarks. That includes the Clemence–Irons House, originally built in 1691. But it’s hard to talk about Johnston without mentioning the dump.

Or the crime. Johnston also serves as the number 8 most dangerous spot in Rhode Island. Property crime represents the main worry in the area, including a high rate of car thefts.

One of a series of communities surrounding the capital of Providence, Warwick ranks as the number 2.0 most populous city in the state. It also boasts the state’s most important airport.

Along with those benefits comes a share of challenges as well. The city saw 63 violent crimes and 1,167 property crimes in a year. In an area with a population of 82,966, that translates to a per-capita rate of 75/100k for violent crimes and a pace of 1,406/100k for the property variety.

All in all, this puts Warwick at the relatively tame 15th highest rate of violent crime in the state. Given this figure, you might feel comparatively safe walking the streets of Warwick. But don’t drop your guard entirely. You’ll need to keep an eye on your stuff, as the pace of property crime ranks fifth highest in Rhode Island.

Warren, Rhode Island, has an ancient heritage, reaching back even before European settlement in North America. This historic character doesn’t save the community from the scourges of modern life, however, as the area represents one of the most dangerous spots in the state.

Built on the site of a Pokanoket settlement along the coast of Narragansett Bay, Warren has a population of just 11,243. This relatively small total accounted for 24 violent crimes and 86 property crimes. These figures included 2 rapes, 20 burglaries, and 7 car thefts.

On a per capita basis, this gives Warren the sixth highest violent-crime rate in the state. At the same time, the town’s property-crime rate is 16th highest in Rhode Island.

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