Safety index · Boston · data through July 2026
Is Charlestown safe?
Charlestown sits at the safer end of Boston by reported crime. Its SafeRoute safety index is 77 out of 100 — 22 points above the citywide median of 55, ranking 4th of 25 Boston neighborhoods — based on 200 incidents reported to the Boston Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through July 2026).
Most of what's reported here is property-related — criminal damage & arson alone is 18% of reports — rather than violence against strangers, though the full mix below is worth a look.
Incidents spread across the day here — roughly 30% of severity-weighted reports come in the evening (6 p.m.–midnight) and 16% overnight.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Criminal damage & arson | 36 · 18% | |
| Violent crime | 24 · 12% | |
| Other theft | 47 · 24% | |
| Public order | 20 · 10% | |
| Vehicle crime | 30 · 15% | |
| Weapons possession | 7 · 4% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in Charlestown at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same live crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Pick the safer way, share your walk, and check in when you arrive. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- West End47/100 · Elevated
- North End52/100 · Moderate
- East Boston64/100 · Moderate
- Beacon Hill33/100 · Elevated
- Downtown32/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Charlestown safe at night?
Low risk overall (safety index 77/100). About 45% of severity-weighted incidents in Charlestown are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Reported crime is low for Boston, but stick to lit, busier streets late.
What is the most common crime in Charlestown?
Criminal damage & arson — 36 of 200 incidents (18%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the Charlestown safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each incident reported to the Boston Police Department by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighborhood center, and normalizes against citywide crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety.