The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Vermont

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Vermont For 2024

Brattleboro may occupy the #1 spot on this list, but it actually has the highest overall crime rate in Vermont, outstripping the national average by about 70%.

How’d that happen? Well, Brattleboro has the highest property crime rate in Vermont, with residents facing a staggering 1 in 16 chance of having their stuff stolen or vandalized over 2022.

In other words, keep a close guard on your produce after a morning out at the Farmers’ Market, or it could get snatched.

Additionally, you should probably invest in a good security system if you’re living in Brattleboro because the town had the highest burglary rate in Vermont.

Located just northeast of Burlington, Winooski comes in as Vermont’s second least safe place to live.

The violent crime rate in Winooski fell from last year and the property crime rate also went down a bit, but the Winooski Police Department still have a lot to deal with.

Like having the second highest murder rate and the 13th highest rate of rape cases in Vermont. Residents are also well-advised to lock their homes up tight, considering Winooski had the fifth highest burglary rate statewide.

Kicking off our list of the most dangerous places to live in Vermont for 2024 is St. Albans, a city of 7,022 located a half-hour north of Burlington. While the property crime rate in St. Albans fell since last year, violent crime went up by about the same margin.

Overall, St. Albans residents had a 1 in 175 chance of being assaulted, robbed, raped, or murdered over 2022, the second highest rate in Vermont.

The property crime rate in St. Albans, while improving, is still the seventh highest worst statewide. So make sure you keep an eye on your valuables if you’re passing through St. Albans for the Vermont Maple Festival.

Vermont’s third biggest city, Rutland, is also its fourth most dangerous — probably not a surprise for most Vermonters. Rutland’s crime numbers have been level over the last year, which isn’t great news when you have the sixth highest violent crime rate in the state.

That works out to a 1 in 208 shot of being violently attacked over the course of a year.

More than one property crime went down in Rutland each day, on average, in 2022. That includes an average of more than one burglary each week. Here’s hoping there’s enough security at the Norman Rockwell Museum to stop any would-be heisters.

Home to the University of Vermont and the biggest city Vermont has to offer, Burlington clocks in as the state’s fifth most dangerous place for 2024.

Burlington saw a rise in property crime and a spike in violent crime over the last year.

That left residents to contend with the 16th highest rape and third highest murder rate in the state.

On top of that, an average of about three property crimes go down each day in Burlington, making it good protocol to keep a close eye on your belongings while you’re out shopping on Church Street.

Located in the southwestern corner of the state, Bennington comes in as Vermont’s sixth most dangerous place to call home.

Bennington experienced a spike in property crime and a rise in violent crime over the last year, which explains why it jumped up 5 spots on this list.

The Bennington Battle Monument might honor the past, or be a declaration about the current state of affairs in a town with the highest violent crime rate in Vermont.

Bennington’s burglary rate is also the eighth highest statewide, so definitely lock your doors when you’re here.

Located in the northeast part of the state, St. Johnsbury sits close the New Hampshire border and less than 50 miles away from Canada. While it exists in a largely rural region, the community comes with its share of amenities. This includes the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium.

As the population hub in the area, St. Johnsbury also endures its share of challenges. Crime ranks among these, as this counts as the number 7 most dangerous spot in Vermont. The list of concerns includes high rates of robbery, burglary and larceny.

Located about 15 minutes southeast of Montpelier, Barre ranks as Vermont’s eighth most dangerous place to live.

While Barre is pretty proud of its granite, we’re sure residents wish local leaders took a bit more pride in having safe streets.

Barre had the fourth highest violent crime rate in Vermont over 2022. That includes the unfortunate distinction of having the highest rate of rape cases in the whole state.

South Burlington might not rank as high on this list as its northern neighbor, but it does have a higher property crime rate. South Burlington residents had a 1 in 25 chance of having their valuables stolen or damaged over 2022.

Now, a lot of that may be down to shoplifting teenagers at Vermont’s largest mall. Or it could be criminals trying to steal intel on the newest ice cream flavor from the headquarters of Ben and Jerry’s.

On the bright side, South Burlington has the lowest violent crime rate on this list, so if you’re not a retailer, you’re probably pretty safe here.

Montpelier is the capital of Vermont. As such, the town, situated in the north-central part of the state, comes with unique features — its gold-domed State House offering a hint of grandeur. However, this only represents one layer of the Montpelier experience. With only 7,995 residents, the area still generally exudes the vibe of a small New England town.

Meanwhile, there’s yet another side to Montpelier. It also has its seamy underworld, one obscured by postcard presentation. The town endures high rates of car theft and larceny. Violence comes into play as well. The community has the number 10 highest pace of violent crimes in the state.

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