New Jersey is a cosmopolitan state with borders to Pennsylvania and New York and stretches along the Atlantic coast.
Though the state is well-known for its beaches, mountains, tomatoes, and well-known musicians like Springsteen and Bon Jovi, it also has a reputation for being linked to organized crime. Though with 9.3 million people, New Jersey boasts a low general crime rate.
Before choosing where to live, it’s advisable to know which NJ towns pose the most risk as well as the reasons behind it. After all, you want to be sure your family and you are safe and comfortable. So scroll down to learn the five most dangerous cities in New Jersey.
Atlantic City
Atlantic City barely boasts 38,500 residents year-round, but is well-known worldwide as a hub for high-stakes gaming and partying. Outside the busy coastline and its little, glitzy districts, there are deteriorated areas with high crime rates.
The median income is about $26,900; just 23% of the population is considered to be poor. Atlantic City police receive an amazing 150,000 calls annually. Atlantic City logged 1,199 reported crimes in 2016.
There were 1,101 property offenses (or roughly 24 per 1,000 people) and 257 violent crimes out of 1,101 overall crimes—about 6 per 1,000 persons. Just 10% of American towns have a per capita crime rate higher than Atlantic City.
Camden
Camden is the most dangerous city in New Jersey based on its shockingly high rates of murder and violence. Sadly, negative tales about the city often feature in news headlines.
Camden struggles given some of the worst rates of crime in the country. The funding cuts and urban decay of the local police department only exacerbate the situation.
For every 100,000 people living here, this city boasts 1,603 violent crimes right now. The city is nevertheless unsafe since, despite the officers’ proactive attempts to bring some kind of order, the number of murders and assaults remains rather high. Given its high crime rates, Camden is surely among the worst places in New Jersey to live.
Trenton
Mercer County in west-central New Jersey has Trenton, the state capital. With 12,000 people every square mile, it boasts a quite dense population.
The city maintained its place as one of the US Murder Capitals even though crime overall dropped between 2021 and 2022. Given Trenton’s small population, the 40 murders projected for 2022 are shockingly high.
Two months devoid of a homicide had the city celebrating in August 2022. Recorded over the year were 818 violent crimes and 1,652 property crimes.
One in 111 persons living in Trenton is probably going to be the victim of a violent crime; one in 55 is probably the victim of a property crime.
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Irvington
Once thought of as a beautiful Newark suburb, Irvington is now so dangerous to drive through that both residents and visitors avoid it.
Despite Newark’s conscientious attempts to lower crime, Irvington, his neighbor, has not been as lucky. Along with abnormally high drug addiction rates, Irvington has seen increasing gang activity.
There are roughly 500,000 violent crimes carried out for every 100,000 residents here. Still, robberies and auto theft happen far more often than most people would want to admit. If at all possible, avoid this aggressive New Jersey city.
Paterson
Like other cities on our list, Paterson, New Jersey, is a dangerous town with a terrible record for violent crime. Addiction to heroin and gang activity generate much of the crime in this region.
With 1,168 incidences of violent crime (7.4 per 1,000 people) and 1,969 cases of property-related offenses (12.4% per 1,000 people), the total recorded crimes in the last year were 3,137.
One in eighty Paterson citizens will become victims of property crime and one in 135 of violent crimes this year.
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Conclusion
With 137,012 registered offenses in the last year, New Jersey boasts the highest crime rate among the 50 states. Of these crimes, the bulk (85%) are theft; burglaries, larceny, and vehicle theft make up the great majority of these offenses.
With 13% of all violent crimes, the Garden State boasts above average crime rate. Although some cities may have high crime rates, the state boasts among the lowest rates of crime in the country. You could be sure that moving here was a wise one. As long as you choose a suitable area, you will be good.