Is Your City Safe? The Most Dangerous Places in Vermont

Vermont, which is frequently praised for its serene surroundings and beautiful scenery, yet has problems with safety and crime. It is important for citizens, tourists, and legislators to be aware of the Vermont cities with the highest incidence of criminal activity.

In addition to offering insights into crime patterns, causes of higher rates, and potential remedies to these issues, this article seeks to throw light on Vermont’s most hazardous cities.

Barre (Washington County)

Population – 8,457 (2021).
Violent Crime Rate – 6.74 per 1,000 residents.
Property Crime Rate – 19.63 per 1,000 residents.

Barre is a tiny community in central Vermont, close to Montpelier, the state capital. As the self-proclaimed “Granite Center of the World,” the city

Barre has 50% higher violent crime rates than the national average and nearly four times the state average. In comparison to the entire state, Barre residents have a tenfold higher likelihood of becoming victims of crime (per square mile).

St. Albans (Franklin County)

Population – 6,940 (2021).
Violent Crime Rate – 4.90 per 1,000 residents.
Property Crime Rate – 31.99 per 1,000 residents.

A little village called St. Albans is located in northern Vermont, where St. Albans Bay meets Lake Champlain. Water covers about 38% of the area in St. Albans.

The rate of violent crime among residents of St. Albans is three times higher than the state average for Vermont. St. Albans has a high rate of property crime as well—2.5 times higher than the state average. St. Alban’s crime per square mile number is 25 times higher than the state average due to the high crime rates.

Winooski (Chittenden County)

Population –8,330 (2021).
Violent Crime Rate – 3.48 per 1,000 residents.
Property Crime Rate – 24.49 per 1,000 residents.

Known as “Onion City,” Winooski is a small city on the Winooski River. Of the ten cities inside the borders of Vermont, Winooski is the smallest, at about 1.5 square miles.

In Winooski, the region between Route 89 and Route 27 is the riskiest. The state average for violent crime in Vermont is around 60% lower than that in Winooski, where the crime rate per square mile is 30 times higher at 154.

Rutland (Rutland County)

Population – 15,851 (2021).
Violent Crime Rate – 4.73 per 1,000 residents.
Property Crime Rate – 35.39 per 1,000 residents.

Founded in the 1760s, Rutland is a city located in the south central region of the Green Mountain State. Its whole downtown area is protected as a national historic district.

With over 80 crimes per square mile as opposed to Vermont’s 5 crimes per square mile, Rutland has much more violent and property crimes than the state average.

When traversing these inner-city neighborhoods, exercise caution as downtown Rutland is one of the least safe places to be.’

Burlington (Chittenden County)

Population – 44,781 (2021).
Violent Crime Rate – 3.44 per 1,000 residents.
Property Crime Rate – 36.38 per 1,000 residents.

The biggest airport in the state is located in Burlington, the largest city in Vermont. Situated along Lake Champlain, approximately 40 miles from the Canadian border and 90 miles from Montreal, it is the home of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Although it is still lower than the national average, violent crime in Burlington is slightly less than twice as high as it is across the state.

Residents of Burlington face a more serious issue with property crime rates, which are over three times higher than the state average for Vermont. Compared to the rest of the state, Burlington has a 22-fold higher crime rate per square mile.

To Conclude

Despite its reputation for serene surroundings and stunning scenery, Vermont has problems with crime and safety in several of its larger communities.

Based on data evaluating violent and property crime rates, Barre, St. Albans, Winooski, Rutland, and Burlington have emerged as Vermont’s most hazardous cities.

These cities struggle with a number of difficulties that lead to greater crime rates, such as underlying social concerns, resource constraints, and socioeconomic inequality.

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