Is Back Bay Safe?
NEIGHBORHOOD • BOSTON, MALoading Map...
Summary
Back Bay has a high risk overall safety rating, with significantly elevated crime levels compared to 26 similar areas. The area has a median home value of $1.29M (+81.1% vs area average), median household income of $129K (+16.8% vs area average), population density of 32,878 people per square mile and occupancy rate of 79.07% (-10.3% vs area average).
Crime & Safety Analysis
Safety Overview for Back Bay
Based on comprehensive analysis of 5 distinct safety categories over the past year of data, Back Bay in Boston, MA receives a high risk overall safety rating. This means crime rates here are significantly higher than most comparable areas. This neighborhood was compared against 26 similar locations in the region. Each safety category below provides detailed crime statistics, temporal patterns, and comparative rankings to help you understand the specific safety profile of this neighborhood in Boston, MA.
Walking Safety
This area has somewhat higher walking safety related crime rates than average for neighborhoods in the region. This area ranks #23 out of 26 neighborhoods analyzed.
689
Total Incidents
57.4
Monthly Average
#23 / 26
Safety Rank
Moderate
Safety Level
Data Sources
Time of Day Pattern
Crime incidents in Back Bay show distinct patterns throughout the day. The peak activity occurs during the evening hours, with the highest concentration at 18:00 (63 incidents). Conversely, the safest time of day is during the morning, particularly around 6:00 when incident rates drop to 3. Understanding these hourly crime patterns in Boston, MA can help residents and visitors make informed decisions about when to travel through the area.
Monthly Trend
Monthly crime data for Back Bay reveals seasonal patterns and trends. The month with the highest incident count was 2026-03 with 71 incidents, while 2025-11 saw the lowest activity at 43 incidents. On average, this neighborhood in Boston experiences approximately 57 incidents per month. These temporal patterns can help residents understand when crime rates in MA neighborhoods like Back Bay tend to fluctuate.
Top Crime Categories
The most common type of crime in Back Bay is Misc | Investigate Person, accounting for 49.3% of all incidents (340 cases). This is followed by Assault | Assault - Simple at 23.1% (159 cases). The top three categories combined represent 79% of all crime in this area. Understanding the specific types of crimes that occur most frequently in Boston, MA helps residents assess relevant safety concerns for their neighborhood.
Demographics & Housing
Population Density
32,878.14
people per sq mi (average)
Ranks #5 of 25 neighborhoods
+46.2% vs area average
Occupancy Rate
79.1%
estimated units occupied
Ranks #23 of 25 neighborhoods
-10.3% vs area average
Median Home Value
$1,287,017.9
average estimate
Ranks #1 of 25 neighborhoods
+81.1% vs area average
Median Household Income
$129,161.02
average estimate
Ranks #7 of 25 neighborhoods
+16.8% vs area average
Age Distribution
Percentages are population-weighted averages across census tracts within this neighborhood. Hover or tap segments for detailed rankings.