If there’s anything the Sporanos taught me, some things are more dangerous in New Jersey than a slow driver on the Garden State Parkway.
New Jersey has its fair share of dangerous cities.
We’re not saying that there aren’t little pockets of goodness in these Jersey cities like Newark and Jersey City. There are neighborhoods and shopping centers in these cities that are safe. However, you should spend some time studying these cities before you make a move.
To compile our report, we used Saturday Night Science to compare violent and property crime rates in New Jersey cities with a population of 5,000. That left us with 305 cities to rank.
1,780 violent crimes /100k · 6,237 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Atlantic County, New Jersey
A resort city known for its casinos, beaches, and boardwalk, as well as inspiring the board of Monopoly, Atlantic City is also New Jersey’s most dangerous city.
If you watched Boardwalk Empire, you know that the Atlantic City we know today was founded on crime, and today it still has the highest overall crime rate in New Jersey.
People in Atlantic City had a 1 in 16 of being the victim of a property crime in 2024. And it isn’t all stolen poker winnings, either; the city also had the fourth highest murder rate in New Jersey.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
920 violent crimes /100k · 3,507 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Located an hour south of Philadelphia, Bridgeton takes the second place position on our list of New Jersey’s most dangerous places.
While there might be bears and tigers at Bridgeton’s local zoo, but the real scary stuff is going down on Bridgeton’s streets, where violent crimes are the fifth most common statewide.
It’s also probably a good idea to lock all your doors and Bridgeton because the city had the 19th highest burglary rate in New Jersey for 2024.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,381 violent crimes /100k · 3,040 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Camden County, New Jersey
Let’s be frank — Camden has a national reputation for violent crime and the numbers back up the stereotype in this case. Camden had the second most violent crime of anywhere in New Jersey for 2024 and the highest murder rate.
To balance out this narrative a little, we should mention that Camden had 67 murders in 2012 and only 19 in 2024, so things are improving here.
Other types of crime are down in recent years as well and many look to Camden as a model for model for police reform.
To quote the Camden County Police Department Chief of Police, “I would qualify the statistics as progress and not success.”
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
454 violent crimes /100k · 3,906 property crimes /100k · #13 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Millville is nowhere near as violent as Camden, but with a property crime rate that ranks as the seventh highest in the state, the smaller city actually has a higher total crime rate.
Make sure you’ve still got all your valuables spending time at one of Millville’s parks and make sure you keep your doors locked, or you’ll join the 1 in 25 residents who had their property stolen or damaged in 2024.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
391 violent crimes /100k · 4,885 property crimes /100k · #21 most violent in New Jersey
Wildwood, a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, is ranked as the fifth most dangerous place to live in the state for 2026. In terms of violent crime, Wildwood has reported 20 incidents, including 3 robberies and 14 aggravated assaults. Property crime is also prevalent, with 250 reported incidents, including 11 burglaries.
Wildwood is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area and the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden combined statistical area. As a popular Jersey Shore resort destination, the city experiences a significant increase in population during the summer months, reaching up to 250,000 people. This influx of tourists leads to higher-than-expected per capita crime rates for the city’s residents.
Data | Movers
699 violent crimes /100k · 2,627 property crimes /100k · #8 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Middlesex County, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is the county seat of Middlesex County, and the home of Rutgers University. The city is on the Northeast Corridor rail line, 27 miles southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of New Brunswick was 55,181, reflecting an increase of 6,608 from the 48,573 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 6,862 from the 41,711 counted in the 1990 Census. Due to the concentration of medical facilities in the area, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Saint Peter’s University Hospital, as well as Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick is known as “the Hub City.” The corporate headquarters and production facilities of several global pharmaceutical companies are situated in the city, including Johnson & Johnson and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
979 violent crimes /100k · 2,351 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Passaic County, New Jersey
We’re going north of Newark to reach New Jersey’s seventh most dangerous place, Paterson, a city of 158,903 known for it’s Great Falls.
If someone tells you to lock your doors in Paterson, listen to them — the city had the 11th highest burglary rate in New Jersey for 2024.
And property crime isn’t even the biggest issue in Paterson — residents had a 1 in 102 chance of being the victim of an attack, rape, or murder in 2024, representing the fourth highest violent crime rate in New Jersey.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
1,026 violent crimes /100k · 2,289 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Mercer County, New Jersey
Trenton, the capital city of New Jersey, ranks as the eighth most dangerous place to live in the state for 2026. With a population of 91,236, Trenton has unfortunately experienced high crime levels, contributing to its reputation as a dangerous location. The crime statistics for Trenton are concerning, with a total of 936 violent crimes, including 20 murder cases, 53 rapes, 334 robberies, and 529 aggravated assaults.
These crime rates indicate that safety is a significant concern for residents of Trenton. While the city’s crime rankings for violent crime and property crime highlight the severity of the issue, it’s important to remember that these numbers can be improved with dedicated efforts by law enforcement.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
437 violent crimes /100k · 2,685 property crimes /100k · #15 most violent in New Jersey
Located in
Cumberland County, New Jersey
In Cumberland County, Vineland is the ninth most dangerous place to live in New Jersey for 2026. The city boasts a population of 60,848, but it’s plagued with a relatively high crime rate. With 266 reported violent crimes and 1,634 property crimes, the city’s safety statistics are concerning.
Vineland ranks 15th highest in violent crimes with 2 murders and 16 rapes reported. Property crimes rank as the 16th highest in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
443 violent crimes /100k · 2,581 property crimes /100k · #14 most violent in New Jersey
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is New Jersey’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in New Jersey
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in New Jersey for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in New Jersey. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in New Jersey, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for New Jersey.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered New Jersey cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 305 cities in New Jersey.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 305 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in New Jersey — Atlantic City. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in New Jersey and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In New Jersey
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlantic City | 1.00 | 38,480 | 8,017 | 1,780 | 6,237 | 7 |
| 2 | Bridgeton | 7.50 | 26,634 | 4,427 | 920 | 3,507 | 6 |
| 3 | Camden | 8.00 | 72,435 | 4,421 | 1,381 | 3,040 | 19 |
| 4 | Millville | 10.00 | 27,340 | 4,360 | 454 | 3,906 | 4 |
| 5 | Wildwood | 12.50 | 5,118 | 5,275 | 391 | 4,885 | 0 |
| 6 | New Brunswick | 13.50 | 57,259 | 3,325 | 699 | 2,627 | 9 |
| 7 | Paterson | 13.50 | 158,903 | 3,330 | 979 | 2,351 | 10 |
| 8 | Trenton | 14.00 | 91,236 | 3,314 | 1,026 | 2,289 | 20 |
| 9 | Vineland | 15.50 | 60,848 | 3,123 | 437 | 2,685 | 2 |
| 10 | Irvington | 17.00 | 60,900 | 3,025 | 443 | 2,581 | 5 |
| 11 | Elizabeth | 17.50 | 138,500 | 3,066 | 409 | 2,658 | 5 |
| 12 | Burlington City | 19.50 | 10,125 | 3,042 | 375 | 2,667 | 0 |
| 13 | Pennsauken | 20.50 | 38,189 | 4,606 | 251 | 4,355 | 0 |
| 14 | Somerdale | 21.50 | 5,693 | 5,533 | 246 | 5,287 | 0 |
| 15 | Jersey City | 24.50 | 297,922 | 2,591 | 562 | 2,029 | 7 |
| 16 | Lindenwold | 26.00 | 22,184 | 2,515 | 401 | 2,114 | 1 |
| 17 | Newark | 26.00 | 309,708 | 2,539 | 581 | 1,957 | 39 |
| 18 | Maple Shade | 27.00 | 20,132 | 2,538 | 353 | 2,186 | 0 |
| 19 | Somers Point | 27.50 | 10,468 | 2,551 | 325 | 2,226 | 0 |
| 20 | East Orange | 27.50 | 71,138 | 2,439 | 486 | 1,953 | 5 |
| 21 | Ewing | 29.50 | 34,718 | 2,624 | 251 | 2,373 | 1 |
| 22 | Passaic | 30.00 | 69,938 | 2,557 | 719 | 1,837 | 1 |
| 23 | Point Pleasant Beach | 32.00 | 5,062 | 2,351 | 277 | 2,074 | 0 |
| 24 | Hillside | 34.50 | 22,351 | 3,369 | 197 | 3,172 | 0 |
| 25 | Haddon | 36.50 | 15,817 | 3,680 | 177 | 3,503 | 0 |
| 26 | Orange City | 36.50 | 34,349 | 2,204 | 454 | 1,750 | 2 |
| 27 | Elmwood Park | 38.50 | 21,682 | 2,467 | 221 | 2,246 | 0 |
| 28 | Cherry Hill | 38.50 | 79,950 | 3,576 | 174 | 3,402 | 1 |
| 29 | Clementon | 39.00 | 5,629 | 2,327 | 231 | 2,096 | 0 |
| 30 | Belleville | 39.50 | 38,062 | 2,267 | 250 | 2,018 | 0 |
| 31 | Middle | 40.00 | 20,144 | 2,189 | 263 | 1,926 | 0 |
| 32 | Hackensack | 40.00 | 46,667 | 2,271 | 246 | 2,025 | 0 |
| 33 | Plainfield | 41.00 | 55,975 | 2,021 | 411 | 1,610 | 0 |
| 34 | Eatontown | 42.00 | 13,470 | 2,108 | 267 | 1,841 | 0 |
| 35 | Secaucus | 43.00 | 21,121 | 3,788 | 152 | 3,636 | 0 |
| 36 | Absecon | 43.50 | 9,135 | 2,365 | 197 | 2,167 | 0 |
| 37 | Paulsboro | 44.50 | 6,429 | 2,178 | 716 | 1,462 | 0 |
| 38 | Westampton | 44.50 | 9,224 | 2,060 | 260 | 1,800 | 0 |
| 39 | Mount Laurel | 47.00 | 46,978 | 2,241 | 196 | 2,046 | 0 |
| 40 | Clifton | 47.50 | 89,870 | 2,431 | 166 | 2,265 | 1 |
| 41 | Pleasantville | 48.50 | 20,619 | 1,877 | 403 | 1,474 | 1 |
| 42 | Harrison | 51.00 | 21,337 | 1,987 | 234 | 1,753 | 0 |
| 43 | Mount Holly | 51.50 | 10,213 | 1,851 | 255 | 1,596 | 0 |
| 44 | Woodbury | 53.50 | 10,317 | 1,997 | 213 | 1,783 | 0 |
| 45 | Long Branch | 53.50 | 33,113 | 1,869 | 242 | 1,628 | 1 |
| 46 | West New York | 54.00 | 51,260 | 1,760 | 297 | 1,463 | 0 |
| 47 | Perth Amboy | 56.00 | 56,409 | 1,760 | 392 | 1,369 | 3 |
| 48 | Garfield | 57.00 | 33,129 | 1,950 | 199 | 1,751 | 1 |
| 49 | Edison | 57.00 | 109,086 | 2,052 | 175 | 1,877 | 1 |
| 50 | Collingswood | 57.50 | 14,528 | 3,159 | 124 | 3,036 | 0 |
| 51 | Hoboken | 57.50 | 57,293 | 1,972 | 189 | 1,784 | 1 |
| 52 | Willingboro | 62.00 | 32,211 | 1,645 | 348 | 1,298 | 3 |
| 53 | Keyport | 63.50 | 7,072 | 1,782 | 184 | 1,598 | 1 |
| 54 | Phillipsburg | 65.00 | 15,363 | 1,933 | 156 | 1,777 | 0 |
| 55 | Carteret | 66.00 | 25,827 | 1,576 | 314 | 1,262 | 2 |
| 56 | Palmyra | 66.50 | 7,508 | 2,064 | 147 | 1,918 | 0 |
| 57 | Ventnor City | 67.00 | 9,236 | 2,414 | 108 | 2,306 | 0 |
| 58 | Freehold Borough | 69.00 | 12,403 | 1,532 | 274 | 1,258 | 0 |
| 59 | Pine Hill | 69.50 | 11,028 | 1,578 | 227 | 1,351 | 1 |
| 60 | Clark | 71.00 | 15,754 | 2,622 | 95 | 2,526 | 0 |
| 61 | Ocean City | 71.50 | 11,247 | 2,178 | 116 | 2,063 | 0 |
| 62 | Totowa | 72.50 | 10,941 | 2,047 | 128 | 1,919 | 0 |
| 63 | Freehold | 74.00 | 35,576 | 1,667 | 157 | 1,509 | 0 |
| 64 | Egg Harbor | 74.00 | 47,892 | 1,821 | 146 | 1,675 | 0 |
| 65 | Audubon | 75.50 | 8,911 | 3,703 | 79 | 3,625 | 0 |
| 66 | Cinnaminson | 75.50 | 17,639 | 2,132 | 102 | 2,030 | 0 |
| 67 | South Plainfield | 75.50 | 24,605 | 2,048 | 118 | 1,931 | 0 |
| 68 | Belmar | 77.00 | 5,792 | 1,985 | 121 | 1,865 | 0 |
| 69 | Weehawken | 77.50 | 17,617 | 1,584 | 159 | 1,425 | 1 |
| 70 | North Plainfield | 80.50 | 23,071 | 1,612 | 152 | 1,461 | 0 |
| 71 | Lodi | 82.00 | 26,296 | 1,510 | 160 | 1,350 | 0 |
| 72 | Keansburg | 84.00 | 9,617 | 1,456 | 177 | 1,279 | 0 |
| 73 | Red Bank | 84.00 | 12,737 | 1,366 | 204 | 1,162 | 1 |
| 74 | Pennsville | 85.50 | 12,794 | 2,353 | 78 | 2,275 | 0 |
| 75 | Riverside | 86.00 | 8,076 | 1,300 | 248 | 1,053 | 0 |
| 76 | Maywood | 86.00 | 10,230 | 1,544 | 147 | 1,398 | 0 |
| 77 | Edgewater Park | 87.00 | 9,005 | 1,688 | 122 | 1,566 | 0 |
| 78 | Englewood | 87.00 | 30,405 | 1,309 | 230 | 1,079 | 0 |
| 79 | West Orange | 87.50 | 48,638 | 1,556 | 140 | 1,417 | 1 |
| 80 | Wayne | 87.50 | 53,295 | 1,955 | 94 | 1,861 | 0 |
| 81 | Pemberton | 89.50 | 27,062 | 1,223 | 296 | 927 | 0 |
| 82 | North Brunswick | 89.50 | 45,184 | 1,540 | 137 | 1,403 | 0 |
| 83 | Rochelle Park | 90.00 | 5,970 | 1,441 | 151 | 1,290 | 0 |
| 84 | South Amboy | 90.00 | 10,781 | 1,530 | 139 | 1,391 | 1 |
| 85 | Roselle | 90.50 | 22,740 | 1,310 | 193 | 1,117 | 0 |
| 86 | Runnemede | 91.00 | 8,528 | 2,017 | 82 | 1,935 | 1 |
| 87 | Bloomfield | 92.00 | 55,161 | 1,584 | 123 | 1,461 | 0 |
| 88 | Highland Park | 95.00 | 15,260 | 1,370 | 151 | 1,219 | 0 |
| 89 | Union | 95.00 | 62,290 | 1,724 | 90 | 1,634 | 4 |
| 90 | Galloway | 96.00 | 37,910 | 1,477 | 129 | 1,348 | 1 |
| 91 | Guttenberg | 98.50 | 11,426 | 1,164 | 210 | 954 | 1 |
| 92 | Morristown | 100.50 | 21,172 | 1,063 | 265 | 798 | 0 |
| 93 | Dover | 101.00 | 18,844 | 1,093 | 223 | 870 | 0 |
| 94 | Lumberton | 102.50 | 12,917 | 1,610 | 85 | 1,525 | 0 |
| 95 | Mantua | 102.50 | 15,851 | 2,063 | 63 | 2,000 | 1 |
| 96 | Glassboro | 103.00 | 24,793 | 1,230 | 153 | 1,077 | 1 |
| 97 | Hammonton | 104.50 | 14,832 | 1,315 | 128 | 1,187 | 0 |
| 98 | Delran | 104.50 | 18,437 | 1,671 | 81 | 1,589 | 0 |
| 99 | East Brunswick | 106.00 | 50,487 | 1,297 | 127 | 1,171 | 0 |
| 100 | Burlington | 107.00 | 24,155 | 1,118 | 170 | 948 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 305 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In New Jersey
So what is the most dangerous city in New Jersey? After analyzing 305 cities in New Jersey, Atlantic City takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in New Jersey based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Atlantic City ranks as the most dangerous city in New Jersey for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in New Jersey are Atlantic City, Bridgeton, Camden, Millville, Wildwood, New Brunswick, Paterson, Trenton, Vineland, and Irvington.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Atlantic City and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Not sold on New Jersey? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In New Jersey FAQs
Is New Jersey a dangerous state?
No, New Jersey is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #4 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in New Jersey ranks 46th most dangerous in the United States — 47.17% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Garden State ranks 46th most dangerous in the United States — 40.74% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Newark, NJ a dangerous city?
No, Newark is not a dangerous city. Newark ranks as the #104 safest out of 328 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Newark might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, South Ironbound is the safest in Newark, while Springfield-Belmont is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Newark ranks 149th highest in America — 6.08% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 239th highest in the United States — 33.3% better than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
