New Hampshire is one of the safest states in America.
Its overall crime rate is second only to its neighbor, Maine.
Its overall crime rate of 1,316 per 100,000 is less than half a person per 100,000 below Maine’s numbers.
The national average is 2100 per 100,000.
It has the lowest homicide rate in the nation at one per 100,000 people, while the national average is five.
It does have a higher than the average number of rapes, however.
Even so, several cities in New Hampshire have a crime rate of less than one in 100,000.
Some cities do not have violent crimes reported for more than a year.
Contents
10 Safest Cities in New Hampshire
Atkinson
Atkinson, a town of nearly 8,000, is just 40 miles north of Boston, and sits on the border with Massachusetts, near two larger cities.
With those logistics, its low crime rate is surprising, but Atkinson has not had a violent crime reported in nearly three years.
The property crime rate of 2.7 per 1,000 is below the state average, which is near the best in the nation.
Like many areas of New Hampshire, Atkinson is a township more than a formal city.
Kingston
Kingston, a town near Atkinson, also has a very low crime rate.
Kingston has had a less than one in 1000 crime rate for more than three years running.
Its property crime rate is minuscule even by New Hampshire standards, at 1.1 per 1,000, which is down from 3.0 in 2020, which was well below the state average then.
Kingston has 6,500 people and is surrounded by larger cities in a densely populated area.
Windham
Windham is a town of 15,000 and has a high median income of $148,000.
Low poverty and unemployment rates are contributing factors to its low crime rate.
In 2022, it has a .1 violent crime per 1,000, which is less than in previous years.
For the past few years, its violent crime rate has been around .3 per 1000.
Its property crime rate is a little higher at 3.5 per 1,000, which is about the state average and well below the national average.
Durham
Durham is a city of 16,000, and with its median income of $81,000, it is by far not the wealthiest city in the state.
It still has a very low crime rate, at less than one in 1,000 for at least the last three years.
Its property crime rate is also very low, and steady at about 2.5 per 1,000 for the last three years.
New Hampshire has the second safest crime rate in the nation, and Durham is 75 percent lower than that average.
Its rate of rapes per 1,000 is a little higher than the national average.
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is considered a medium-sized city in New Hampshire with 21,000 people.
Its crime rate is slightly above the state average but still 38 percent below the national average.
It has not had a homicide in a few years and had only one robbery last year.
It had nine rapes reported, which is above the state and national average.
It is below the state average in every other crime.
Portsmouth is safer than 64 percent of cities in the United States.
Londonderry
Londonderry is a town of 11,000 in the same county as Portsmouth, and also has a low crime rate.
Its overall crime rate is almost half the state average, and its violent crime rate is 86 percent below the national average.
There were 15 violent crimes last year and nine of those were assaults.
The theft was the most common property crime, and its property crime rate is also very low.
New Hampshire has a higher than average rate of rapes, but Londonderry is well below that average.
Epsom
Epsom is a town of 5,000 and has a median income of $78,000, which is below the state average.
It still manages a very low crime rate.
There has not been a violent crime reported in more than a year, and its violent crime rate is below one in 1,000 for at least the last three years.
Its property crime rate of four or five per 1,000 is a little high, but still below the state average.
Over the past three years, there have been nine violent crimes reported, seven assaults, and two rapes.
Hanover
Hanover has about 8,000 people and is home to an Ivy League school, and has an overall crime rate that is less than half the state average.
Its violent crime rate is 90 percent below the national average and the property crime rate is 74 percent less than the national average.
There were five violent crimes last year, and four of those were rapes.
There were no robberies or murders.
The theft was the most common property crime, and that was still less than half the state average.
Danville
Danville, a town of 5,000, has had a slight uptick in crime, but its crime rate is still very low.
It had a violent crime rate of .7 per 1,000 in 2022 and had no violent crime at all the previous two years.
Its property crime rate fell to below one in 1.000 and was at about two in the previous three years.
The town’s violent crime rate is an impressive 96 percent below the national average.
It had one violent crime reported in 2022 and none in the previous two years.
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city of 5500 people and has had a rather steady low crime rate for years.
It has had no violent crimes reported in 2022 and had less than one in 1,000 for the previous three years.
Its property crime rate has gone up in 2022, to 5.4 per 1,000, but was at about 1.5 per 1,000 the previous three years.
It has a low poverty rate and a median income of $95,000, which is near the state average.
Five safety tips for traveling in New Hampshire
- Keep it locked. New Hampshire has a low crime rate, but theft is still the No. 1 crime that is committed. Often, criminals look for an opportunity. They will not often break a lock to steal. Keeping your car locked and valuables out of sight will greatly reduce the already low chances of having property stolen in New Hampshire.
- Be mindful. New Hampshire is very safe, but avoid getting complacent. Similar to No. 1, criminals look for opportunities. Use common sense. Do not make it easy for the few criminals that are out there. If something does not feel right, heed that inner voice.
- Watch the weather. Roads can get icy in winter, and snow can come up fast. Keep an eye on the weather report and heed any warnings to stay safe. Be especially careful about snow if you are not used to driving in those conditions.
- Know before you go. Study the area before you visit to get a good idea of what the area will be like. Ask around to help avoid any areas that might not be safe. Even in a place with a low crime rate like New Hampshire, there will still be some bad areas.
- Off the beaten path. There are lots of great hiking areas in New Hampshire, and you are safe getting off the beaten path at times. Even so, respect nature and be prepared. Take plenty of water and food with you when you go hiking, and let someone know where you are and when you will return.
New Hampshire Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: New Hampshire Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is New Hampshire safe?
One reason is the size of cities, and larger cities do have a lot of crime.
There are only two cities with more than 50,000 people and only 13 with more than 20,000.
Most towns have less than 10,000 people.
In smaller towns, people generally know each other, and that also tends to lessen the amount of crime.
Should I be concerned about rape?
New Hampshire does have more rapes per 100,000 people than the national average, and many cities are above the state average.
It is a serious crime and you should always do due diligence.
Whether there are more, or whether there is just more reporting in New Hampshire, is an interesting question that could be debated.
Which city was most dangerous for women?
The town of Conway has only 3000 people and that contributes to its crimes per person rate.
Even so, it had 14 rapes last year, which is 135 per 100,000 people, which is four times the national rate of 38 per 100,000.
The state average is 39.
Many cities in the state are above the national average for rape cases.
What is the most dangerous city in New Hampshire?
Laconia has a total crime rate that is 32 percent higher than the national average and well above the state average.
Property crime is the major culprit, and even Laconia’s violent crime rate is well below the national average.
There were 436 thefts reported last year, more than double the national average.
Somersworth and Conway are also among the most dangerous cities in the state.
I visited a friend in one of the cities mentioned, and I was pleasantly surprised by how secure it felt. We went for a stroll in the evening, and the well-lit streets and friendly atmosphere made me understand why it’s considered one of the safest places in the state.