Safety index · Boston · data through July 2026
Is South Boston safe?
South Boston sits at the safer end of Boston by reported crime. Its SafeRoute safety index is 67 out of 100 — 12 points above the citywide median of 55, ranking 6th of 25 Boston neighborhoods — based on 313 incidents reported to the Boston Police within 1 km of the neighborhood center (data through July 2026).
The largest reported category here is violent crime (22% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Reported incidents here skew to daytime and evening hours — only about 12% of severity-weighted reports fall overnight (midnight–6 a.m.).
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 69 · 22% | |
| Public order | 41 · 13% | |
| Criminal damage & arson | 34 · 11% | |
| Other theft | 58 · 19% | |
| Burglary | 21 · 7% | |
| Shoplifting | 45 · 14% |
When it happens
Severity-weighted share of reported incidents by time of day, from police incident timestamps.
Walking in South Boston 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
- South Boston Waterfront87/100 · Low risk
- Leather District36/100 · Elevated
- Chinatown37/100 · Elevated
- South End31/100 · Elevated
- Downtown32/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is South Boston safe at night?
Moderate overall (safety index 67/100). About 43% of severity-weighted incidents in South Boston are reported between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a block or two of detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in South Boston?
Violent crime — 69 of 313 incidents (22%) reported within 1 km of the neighborhood center through July 2026.
How is the South Boston 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.