New York State notched a slight uptick in overall crime in 2020. According to the state’s Division of Criminal Justice Services, violent crime inched up 1% from 2019 while property crime edged up a bit more, by 1.9%. In the longer term, though, the state’s crime rate is trending downward. Between 2011 and 2020, the Empire State saw a 8.9% drop in violent crimes and a nearly 27% decrease in property offenses. (The FBI classifies burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson as property crimes. Violent crimes include murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rаpe, robbery, and aggravated assault.)
As with most states, cities within New York’s borders had wildly divergent crime statistics, however. To determine the 25 most dangerous cities in New York, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on violent crimes from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer. Cities and towns with a population of at least 2,500 were ranked based on the number of violent crimes reported in 2020 per 100,000 residents. Data on population and property crimes also came from the FBI. Supplemental data on median household income and poverty rate came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates.
If you’re thinking New York City was the state’s most crime-plagued city, you’d be wrong. On this list, the Big Apple registered at No. 13. With a population of more than eight million, the city recorded about 48,000 violent crimes, for a ratio of 577.8 per 100,000 residents. Property crimes hit 129,361, equating to 1,558.5 per 100,000 residents. Not ideal, but a safer place statistically than much of the state. (Nationwide, these are America’s 50 most dangerous cities.)
The New York City Police Department assembled different statistics, but its numbers indicate an overall decline in violent and property crimes overall. In 2020, 95,552 incidents were reported to the NYPD, a drop of 681 fewer victims than the previous year. Despite that drop, the department did note an increase in homicides, shootings, burglaries, and car thefts. (These are 25 cities where murders are on the rise.)
Click here to see the 25 most dangerous cities in New York
So which city booked the highest crime rate? The northern metropolis of Buffalo, which has a population of about 255,000. There, property crimes numbered 7,844 for a ratio of 3,080.6 per 100,000 residents. Violent crime totaled 2,592, factoring out to 1,018 per 100,000 residents.
25. Salamanca
> Violent crimes in 2020: 335.8 per 100,000 (18 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 783.6 per 100,000 (42 total)
> Median household income: $31,934
> Poverty rate: 4.6%
> Population: 5,360
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24. Canandaigua
> Violent crimes in 2020: 365.9 per 100,000 (37 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,165.7 per 100,000 (219 total)
> Median household income: $49,130
> Poverty rate: 5%
> Population: 10,112
23. Hudson
> Violent crimes in 2020: 366.4 per 100,000 (22 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,565 per 100,000 (154 total)
> Median household income: $39,346
> Poverty rate: 7%
> Population: 6,004
22. Kingston
> Violent crimes in 2020: 374.7 per 100,000 (85 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,006 per 100,000 (455 total)
> Median household income: $51,299
> Poverty rate: 4.1%
> Population: 22,682
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21. Endicott
> Violent crimes in 2020: 417.9 per 100,000 (52 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 3,190.5 per 100,000 (397 total)
> Median household income: $41,339
> Poverty rate: 4.7%
> Population: 12,443
20. Norwich
> Violent crimes in 2020: 432.5 per 100,000 (28 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,610.4 per 100,000 (169 total)
> Median household income: $39,047
> Poverty rate: 8.7%
> Population: 6,474
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19. Batavia
> Violent crimes in 2020: 448.2 per 100,000 (64 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,416.3 per 100,000 (345 total)
> Median household income: $47,712
> Poverty rate: 5%
> Population: 14,278
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18. Utica
> Violent crimes in 2020: 501 per 100,000 (298 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 3,390.9 per 100,000 (2,017 total)
> Median household income: $37,760
> Poverty rate: 3.1%
> Population: 59,483
17. Gloversville
> Violent crimes in 2020: 539 per 100,000 (79 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,729.3 per 100,000 (400 total)
> Median household income: $38,896
> Poverty rate: 4.9%
> Population: 14,656
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16. Lackawanna
> Violent crimes in 2020: 565.8 per 100,000 (100 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 1,963.3 per 100,000 (347 total)
> Median household income: $38,289
> Poverty rate: 5.2%
> Population: 17,674
15. Mount Vernon
> Violent crimes in 2020: 567.3 per 100,000 (382 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 1,305.3 per 100,000 (879 total)
> Median household income: $59,907
> Poverty rate: 3.9%
> Population: 67,339
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14. Lockport
> Violent crimes in 2020: 573.9 per 100,000 (116 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,424.3 per 100,000 (490 total)
> Median household income: $45,018
> Poverty rate: 4.7%
> Population: 20,212
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13. New York City
> Violent crimes in 2020: 577.8 per 100,000 (47,959 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 1,558.5 per 100,000 (129,361 total)
> Median household income: $63,998
> Poverty rate: 0.3%
> Population: 8,300,377
12. Oneida
> Violent crimes in 2020: 617.6 per 100,000 (67 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 4,415.2 per 100,000 (479 total)
> Median household income: $50,746
> Poverty rate: 7.8%
> Population: 10,849
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11. Hempstead
> Violent crimes in 2020: 646.4 per 100,000 (357 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 1,028.4 per 100,000 (568 total)
> Median household income: $62,569
> Poverty rate: 2.8%
> Population: 55,230
10. Troy
> Violent crimes in 2020: 672.8 per 100,000 (330 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,876.5 per 100,000 (1,411 total)
> Median household income: $45,728
> Poverty rate: 2.7%
> Population: 49,052
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9. Schenectady
> Violent crimes in 2020: 718.1 per 100,000 (468 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,488.6 per 100,000 (1,622 total)
> Median household income: $45,438
> Poverty rate: 2.6%
> Population: 65,176
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8. Watertown
> Violent crimes in 2020: 735.1 per 100,000 (181 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 3,927.1 per 100,000 (967 total)
> Median household income: $40,253
> Poverty rate: 4.7%
> Population: 24,624
7. Poughkeepsie
> Violent crimes in 2020: 797.2 per 100,000 (243 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 1,735.6 per 100,000 (529 total)
> Median household income: $43,794
> Poverty rate: 5%
> Population: 30,480
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6. Rochester
> Violent crimes in 2020: 818.7 per 100,000 (1,680 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 3,356.3 per 100,000 (6,887 total)
> Median household income: $35,590
> Poverty rate: 1.8%
> Population: 205,199
5. Syracuse
> Violent crimes in 2020: 839.4 per 100,000 (1,192 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,823 per 100,000 (4,009 total)
> Median household income: $38,276
> Poverty rate: 1.4%
> Population: 142,011
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4. Binghamton
> Violent crimes in 2020: 843.9 per 100,000 (372 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 4,026.5 per 100,000 (1,775 total)
> Median household income: $34,487
> Poverty rate: 4.6%
> Population: 44,083
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3. Albany
> Violent crimes in 2020: 902.2 per 100,000 (869 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,751.3 per 100,000 (2,650 total)
> Median household income: $45,825
> Poverty rate: 2.6%
> Population: 96,318
2. Newburgh
> Violent crimes in 2020: 1,014.4 per 100,000 (285 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 2,562.7 per 100,000 (720 total)
> Median household income: $41,769
> Poverty rate: 3.8%
> Population: 28,095
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1. Buffalo
> Violent crimes in 2020: 1,018 per 100,000 (2,592 total)
> Property crimes in 2020: 3,080.6 per 100,000 (7,844 total)
> Median household income: $37,354
> Poverty rate: 1.9%
> Population: 254,627
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