NY · 6 cities
Dangerous neighborhoods in New York State
New York State recorded 368 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 12% above the national rate and down 15% since 2022. Of the 6 cities we cover, Albany, Buffalo and New York have the highest rates and Yonkers the lowest. Each guide breaks down the specific blocks, transit points and hours where a little more attention pays off.
New York
Buffalo
Rochester
Albany
Syracuse
YonkersFBI data · 2025
Most dangerous cities in New York State, ranked
The 6 New York State cities we cover, ordered by their official violent crime rate: murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents. 5 of 6 run above the state average of 368. A high citywide rate doesn't make a whole city unsafe: crime clusters in a few areas, and each guide above shows where.
- 1
Albany
832 violent crimes per 100k
2.3× the state average
- 2
Buffalo
729 violent crimes per 100k
2.0× the state average
- 3
New York
660 violent crimes per 100k
1.8× the state average
| # | City | Violent per 100k | Property per 100k | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany | 832 | 2,715 | 102,009 |
| 2 | Buffalo | 729 | 3,449 | 276,384 |
| 3 | New York | 660 | 2,301 | 8,496,850 |
| 4 | Syracuse | 612 | 3,218 | 145,890 |
| 5 | Rochester | 572 | 2,818 | 206,391 |
| 6 | Yonkers | 263 | 879 | 211,056 |
| New York State average | 368 | 1,566 | ||
| US average | 330 |
Safest cities in New York State we cover
At the other end of the list, these have the lowest violent crime rates of the 6 cities in this ranking.
- Yonkers263 per 100k · 28% below the state average
- Rochester572 per 100k · 1.6× the state average
- Syracuse612 per 100k · 1.7× the state average
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported by each city's police department per 100,000 residents; most cities use 2025 data, and a small year next to a name marks a different latest complete year. Only cities with a neighborhood guide are included, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. How we rank cities.
New York State crime: frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous city in New York State?
Of the 6 New York State cities in our ranking, Albany has the highest violent crime rate: 832 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2025, 2.3 times the state average. Buffalo and New York come next. Even in Albany, crime is concentrated in a few areas, and our Albany guide shows which ones.
What is the safest city in New York State?
Among the cities we rank, Yonkers has the lowest violent crime rate, at 263 per 100,000 residents in 2025, 28% below the state average. Rochester follows with 572. A low citywide rate doesn't mean every block is the same, but day-to-day risk is lower.
Is New York State safe to visit?
For most visitors, yes, with ordinary precautions. New York State recorded 368 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 12% above the national rate of 330. Crime is concentrated in specific neighborhoods and hours rather than spread evenly, so knowing where those areas are matters more than the statewide figure; our 6 city guides cover them block by block.
Which New York State cities have above-average crime?
5 of the 6 cities we rank have a violent crime rate above the New York State average of 368 per 100,000 residents: Albany, Buffalo, New York, Syracuse and Rochester. The other 1 are below it.
Is crime going up or down in New York State?
Violent crime in New York State went from 434 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2022 to 368 in 2025, down 15%. Property crime went from 1,736 to 1,566 over 2022–2025, down 10%.
Where do these crime figures come from?
From the FBI Crime Data Explorer, which collects the offenses reported by each police department. Rates are offenses per 100,000 residents, so cities of different sizes can be compared, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. Our methodology explains the details.