Dorchester Safety Report
NEIGHBORHOOD • BOSTON, MASummary
Dorchester has a use caution overall safety rating, with notably higher crime than most of the 25 areas analyzed. The area has a median home value of $508K (-28.5% vs area average), median household income of $75K (-32.4% vs area average), population density of 16,894 people per square mile and occupancy rate of 92.27% (+4.7% vs area average).
Crime & Safety Analysis
Safety Overview for Dorchester
Based on comprehensive analysis of 5 distinct safety categories over the past year of data, Dorchester in Boston, MA receives a use caution overall safety rating. This means crime rates here are notably higher than most comparable areas. This neighborhood was compared against 25 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 #16 out of 25 neighborhoods analyzed.
4,737
Total Incidents
394.8
Monthly Average
#16 / 25
Safety Rank
Moderate
Safety Level
Time of Day Pattern
Crime incidents in Dorchester show distinct patterns throughout the day. The peak activity occurs during the afternoon hours, with the highest concentration at 13:00 (323 incidents). Conversely, the safest time of day is during the late night, particularly around 1:00 when incident rates drop to 49. 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 Dorchester reveals seasonal patterns and trends. The month with the highest incident count was 2025-05 with 450 incidents, while 2025-02 saw the lowest activity at 346 incidents. On average, this neighborhood in Boston experiences approximately 395 incidents per month. The data shows a increasing trend, with incident rates rising by approximately 15% over the analyzed period. These temporal patterns can help residents understand when crime rates in MA neighborhoods like Dorchester tend to fluctuate.
Top Crime Categories
The most common type of crime in Dorchester is Misc | Investigate Person, accounting for 38.9% of all incidents (1842 cases). This is followed by Assault | Assault - Simple at 13.5% (638 cases). The top three categories combined represent 62% 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
16,893.5
people per sq mi (average)
Ranks #15 of 25 neighborhoods
-24.9% vs area average
Occupancy Rate
92.3%
estimated units occupied
Ranks #11 of 25 neighborhoods
+4.7% vs area average
Median Home Value
$508,324.02
average estimate
Ranks #20 of 25 neighborhoods
-28.5% vs area average
Median Household Income
$74,747.76
average estimate
Ranks #20 of 25 neighborhoods
-32.4% vs area average
Age Distribution
Percentages are population-weighted averages across census tracts within this neighborhood. Hover or tap segments for detailed rankings.