The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Rhode Island

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391 violent crimes /100k · 1,501 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Providence County, Rhode Island

Located in the northern part of Rhode Island, Woonsocket is known for its annual Autumnfest. Unfortunately, with the decline of manufacturing in the region, it’s also known for high unemployment and a high crime rate.

The city suffered 171 violent crimes in a year. With a population of 43,776, that equates to a per-capita violent-crime rate of 391/100k. That figure puts Woonsocket at highest in the state.

The city has a particular problem with rapes, with 26 such attacks in a year. On a per-capita basis, that puts the city as the second highest in Rhode Island for that horrendous crime.

Things are a little better when it comes to property crimes. Woonsocket saw 657 such events in a year. Putting that in terms of the city’s population, that figure amounts to the third highest pace for the state as a whole. Burglaries are a problem, however, with the state ranking second highest in Rhode Island in that category.

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Source: Wikipedia User Kenneth C. Zirkel | CC BY-SA 3.0

308 violent crimes /100k · 1,512 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Providence County, Rhode Island

Pawtucket gets its name from an Algonquian term meaning “river fall.” Home of the Red Sox’s minor-league affiliate, it represents the 4th most populous communities in the state, with 76,400 people living within its borders.

That may not sound like much in relation to megalopolises like nearby New York or Boston (or even its neighbor, Providence). But that number of people is enough to give Pawtucket a distinct crime problem. This is especially true when it comes to property crimes. With 1,155 such events in a year, the city ranked second highest in Rhode Island on a per-capita basis.

The city had 235 violent crimes during a year. That includes 43 rapes and 43 robberies. On a per-capita basis, Pawtucket ranked third highest for violent crime in the state.

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Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR 2 | CC BY 2.0

277 violent crimes /100k · 1,658 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Providence County, Rhode Island

Providence is at the top of a lot of lists, at least where Rhode Island is concerned. One of the oldest cities in the U.S. ,it’s the 1st largest city in Rhode Island in terms of population, as well as the state’s capital. Unfortunately, Providence sits at the top of a less illustrious list: it is the number 3 most dangerous city in Rhode Island for 2026.

With a population of 193,679, the city reported 536 violent crimes over the course of a year. These included 12 murders and 40 rapes. In addition to this violent streak, Providence has its share of property crimes, with 3,211 such events in a year. (Remember to lock your car if you visit the city – there were 408 car thefts in a year.)

Looking at things in terms of population, Providence suffers a per-capita property-crime rate of 1,658/100k, highest in the state. Meanwhile, the city showed a per-capita violent-crime rate of 277/100k, ranking it fourth highest in Rhode Island for that category.

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Source: Wikipedia User MVASCO | GFDL

176 violent crimes /100k · 1,491 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Newport County, Rhode Island

Nestled against Narragansett Bay, Newport has made its name as a renowned seaside resort, home of the famous Newport Jazz Festival. All those tourists must attract a criminal element, however, as the city also ranks as the number 4 most dangerous place in Rhode Island for 2026.

In terms of raw numbers, Newport might not seem too daunting. After all, the city reported just 44 violent crimes and 372 property crimes in a year. However, it’s important to remember that these figures came in an area with a population of only 24,957.

Referencing the crime wave in terms of population, Newport saw a per-capita pace of violent crime of 176/100k, putting it sixth highest in the state as a whole. This included 13 rapes, giving it the community the fifth highest per-capita rate in Rhode Island.

With all those rich folks coming in for summer holidays, it’s not surprising that property crime rates are high in Newport. On a per-capita basis, the area had the fourth highest pace in the state.

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Source: Wikipedia User John Phelan | CC BY-SA 3.0

323 violent crimes /100k · 1,005 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Providence County, Rhode Island

Named after a waterfall in the local Blackstone River, Central Falls, Rhode Island, is small but compact. The municipality has just 22,881, but those people are squeezed into an area of less than 1.3 square miles. The result? One of the most densely populated spots in the U.S. – more densely populated than places like Boston, Chicago, or Philadelphia.

Pack all those folks into a tiny area and you’re bound to have some issues. Central Falls provides ample evidence of that, ranking as the number 5 most dangerous spot in Rhode Island. True, the number of violent crimes only totaled 74 for the year and the tally of property crimes only reached 230. But given the small population, those represent significant numbers.

On a per-capita basis, the violent-crime rate in Central Falls is the second highest in the state.

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Rhode Island is a small state. In fact, it’s so small that it only supports one landfill. Where do you think you can find that lonely trash dump? That’s right: Johnston.

To be fair, the area has other, more culturally significant, landmarks. That includes the Clemence”Irons House, originally built in 1691. But it’s hard to talk about Johnston without mentioning the dump.

Or the crime. Johnston also serves as the number 6 most dangerous spot in Rhode Island. Property crime represents the main worry in the area, including a high rate of car thefts.

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Lincoln, Rhode Island, has a lot going for it. A suburb of the state capital of Providence and located within a short driving distance from Boston, it provides an excellent jump-off spot for the region’s biggest cities. One major problem, though: Lincoln has also imported some big-city issues. Namely, the area ranks as the number 7 most dangerous spots in Rhode Island.

During a year, Lincoln reported 259 property crimes. This included 18 burglaries and 27 car thefts. Those totals might not seem intimidating in terms of raw numbers. But, remember, Lincoln’s population only reaches 23,308. On a per-capita basis, the area sits at seventh highest on the list of highest property-crime spots in the state.

Luckily, violence isn’t as much of a problem. With only 20 violent crimes in a year, Lincoln has the 13th highest per-capita pace in Rhode Island.

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Source: Wikipedia User thisisbossi | CC BY-SA 2.0

93 violent crimes /100k · 1,052 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Providence County, Rhode Island

Part of the Providence metropolitan area, Cranston, Rhode Island, is more than just a simple suburb. With 83,815 people, the city ranks, on its own, as the 3rd most populous areas in the state. Unfortunately, this size comes with its share of problems. While relatively safe compared to its neighbor (and compared to most large cities), Cranston still ranks as the number 8 most dangerous place in Rhode Island.

This comes as the city reported 78 violent crimes during a year, a total that included 17 rapes. For property crimes, Cranston’s tally reached 882. Comparing those numbers to the city’s overall population, the per-capita rate of violent crime equaled 93/100k, putting it 12th highest in the state. The pace of property crime reached 1,052/100k, a figure which sits at eighth highest for Rhode Island as a whole.

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Source: Public domain

79 violent crimes /100k · 1,147 property crimes /100k · #15 most violent in Rhode Island

Located in Kent County, Rhode Island

One of a series of communities surrounding the capital of Providence, Warwick ranks as the number 2.0 most populous city in the state. It also boasts the state’s most important airport. (It’s Rhode Island, but still…)

Along with those benefits comes a share of challenges as well. The city saw 67 violent crimes and 967 property crimes in a year. In an area with a population of 84,297, that translates to a per-capita rate of 79/100k for violent crimes and a pace of 1,147/100k for the property variety.

All in all, this puts Warwick at the relatively tame 15th highest rate of violent crime in the state. Given this figure, you might feel comparatively safe walking the streets of Warwick. But don’t drop your guard entirely. You’ll need to keep an eye on your stuff, as the pace of property crime ranks fifth highest in Rhode Island.

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