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VTVermont rankings

Safest towns in Vermont

Ranked by crime reported to police per 1,000 residents, averaged over 2023–2025, with violent crimes counted four times as heavily as property crimes. Lower is safer. 36 towns with 2,500+ residents whose police reported every year.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Castleton 1 Castleton Rutland County 0.4 Violent 0.1 per 1,000 Chester 2 Chester Windsor County 2.1 Violent 0.3 per 1,000 Norwich 3 Norwich Windsor County 2.4 Violent 0.2 per 1,000
#TownWeighted crime rateViolentProperty
1 Castleton CastletonRutland County · 4,453 people 0.4 0.1 per 1,000 0.2 per 1,000
2 Chester ChesterWindsor County · 2,992 people 2.1 0.3 per 1,000 0.8 per 1,000
3 Norwich NorwichWindsor County · 3,640 people 2.4 0.2 per 1,000 1.6 per 1,000
4 Weathersfield WeathersfieldWindsor County · 2,856 people 4.3 0.7 per 1,000 1.5 per 1,000
5 Northfield NorthfieldWashington County · 5,920 people 4.7 1.0 per 1,000 0.8 per 1,000
6 Bristol BristolAddison County · 3,778 people 5.4 0.5 per 1,000 3.3 per 1,000
7 Swanton2,670 people 11.8 1.4 per 1,000 6.2 per 1,000
8 Hinesburg HinesburgChittenden County · 4,718 people 12.3 1.3 per 1,000 6.9 per 1,000
9 Stowe StoweLamoille County · 5,285 people 12.8 0.6 per 1,000 10.6 per 1,000
10 Windsor WindsorWindsor County · 3,554 people 13.8 1.8 per 1,000 6.7 per 1,000
11 Milton MiltonChittenden County · 10,769 people 15.0 1.7 per 1,000 8.0 per 1,000
12 Middlebury MiddleburyAddison County · 9,175 people 16.5 1.3 per 1,000 11.4 per 1,000
13 Vergennes Vergennes2,565 people 16.8 1.2 per 1,000 12.2 per 1,000
14 Shelburne ShelburneChittenden County · 7,969 people 17.0 0.6 per 1,000 14.5 per 1,000
15 Bellows Falls Bellows Falls2,891 people 18.5 2.4 per 1,000 8.9 per 1,000
16 Brandon BrandonRutland County · 4,120 people 18.8 2.0 per 1,000 10.6 per 1,000
17 Springfield SpringfieldWindsor County · 9,084 people 20.6 2.2 per 1,000 11.7 per 1,000
18 Essex EssexChittenden County · 11,516 people 20.6 1.3 per 1,000 15.4 per 1,000
19 Morristown MorristownLamoille County · 5,722 people 22.2 1.8 per 1,000 15.1 per 1,000
20 Hartford HartfordWindsor County · 10,736 people 23.0 2.6 per 1,000 12.6 per 1,000
21 Fair Haven Fair HavenRutland County · 2,724 people 23.7 2.1 per 1,000 15.4 per 1,000
22 Hardwick HardwickCaledonia County · 2,965 people 24.1 1.5 per 1,000 18.3 per 1,000
23 Colchester ColchesterChittenden County · 17,648 people 24.8 2.0 per 1,000 16.9 per 1,000
24 Montpelier Montpelier8,014 people 34.6 2.9 per 1,000 23.2 per 1,000
25 St. Johnsbury St. JohnsburyCaledonia County · 7,368 people 35.4 3.2 per 1,000 22.8 per 1,000
26 Newport4,394 people 37.9 5.1 per 1,000 17.6 per 1,000
27 Map of Winooski Winooski8,293 people 40.0 3.3 per 1,000 26.8 per 1,000
28 Bennington BenningtonBennington County · 15,249 people 40.2 4.6 per 1,000 21.8 per 1,000
29 Map of Williston WillistonChittenden County · 10,144 people 49.9 1.4 per 1,000 44.3 per 1,000
30 Rutland15,712 people 54.5 4.5 per 1,000 36.5 per 1,000
31 Barre8,412 people 54.7 5.5 per 1,000 32.8 per 1,000
32 Map of South Burlington South Burlington20,756 people 57.7 2.4 per 1,000 48.1 per 1,000
33 Brattleboro BrattleboroWindham County · 12,122 people 63.2 6.0 per 1,000 39.3 per 1,000
34 Burlington Burlington44,675 people 68.1 4.6 per 1,000 49.8 per 1,000
35 St. Albans6,954 people 115.8 8.3 per 1,000 82.4 per 1,000
36 Berlin BerlinWashington County · 2,880 people 133.3 7.4 per 1,000 103.9 per 1,000

How this ranking works

For each town we add up the violent and property crimes its police reported to the FBI over 2023–2025 and divide by the population they served, giving a rate per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) count four times as much as property crimes (burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson), because they weigh more on how safe a place feels. The lowest weighted rate ranks #1.

These are crimes reported to police, not convictions, and towns with a campus, highway, beach or shopping center also count incidents involving visitors. A town is ranked only if its police department reported a full year in every one of these years; towns patrolled by a county sheriff or state police don't have their own figures. There is no “most dangerous” list, on purpose.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, offenses known to law enforcement by city. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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