Downtown Boston Residents Feel Unsafe as Crime Concerns Rise

More than half of downtown Boston residents feel unsafe in their neighborhoods and are asking for regular, visible police patrols to counteract rising crime. A survey released by the Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association found that 56% of respondents feel unsafe downtown and on Boston Common, marking a 22-percent increase from 34% last year.

Ninety percent of survey participants rated downtown public safety as an urgent issue, with 53% giving the concern the highest possible score on a 10-point scale. Drugs and needles remained the most frequently cited concern among residents, while violent crime rose considerably as a top issue over the past year.

Survey Results Show Sharp Increase in Safety Concerns

The Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association survey reveals a stark regression in resident sentiment following temporary improvements last year. The share of residents reporting they feel unsafe fell to 34% in 2025 from 71% in 2024, before climbing back to 56% this year. Only 6% of respondents reported feeling safer downtown compared to the beginning of the year.

When asked what changes they would make with a magic wand, 45% of respondents called for more visible police and patrols, specifically emphasizing foot patrols and sustained presence rather than short-term surges. The Boston Common and Park Street corridor drew the highest level of concern at 46%, followed by Tremont Street at 31%, Downtown Crossing at 27%, Washington Street at 22%, and Winter Street at 21%.

Drugs and Violence Drive Downtown Safety Concerns

Drugs and needles topped the list of safety concerns at 45%, followed by homelessness and loitering at 30%, violence at 20%, scooters, e-bikes, and traffic at 15%, and mental illness or erratic behavior at 13%. Violence nearly tripled as a top cited concern, climbing from 7% in 2025 to 20% in the latest survey.

The downtown safety concerns followed a summer spike in violent crime and public drug activity, highlighted by an incident where five people were shot over a 16-day span from June 29 to July 15. Additional reporting noted that five people were shot within a half-mile radius of the Tremont Street corridor and Boston Common last month, followed by stabbings in South Station and on Park Street near North Station.

Divergent Views on Downtown Safety and Police Staffing

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu maintained throughout the summer crime spike that downtown remains safe, standing by her claim that Boston is the safest major city in the country. Statistical data from the Boston Police Department covering the year through Sept. 27 shows a general decline in most crime rates compared to the five-year average, though officers in District A1 responded to more reports of domestic aggravated assaults and miscellaneous larceny.

Non-domestic aggravated assaults reached 163 year-to-date compared to 148 during the same period last year, and two homicides occurred downtown compared to one during the same period last year. Meanwhile, neighborhood business leaders saw a marked improvement after emergency meetings with the One Downtown Task Force led to increased police visibility and a recalibration of staffing by the Boston Police Department.

That increased enforcement has drawn pushback over officer workload from elected officials. City Councilor Ed Flynn stated that forcing officers to work 16-hour shifts is unhealthy and risks mistakes. Flynn recently demanded an emergency council hearing, writing to Council President Liz Breadon that the Boston Police Department is down roughly 600 officers and suffers from overstretched resources and forced overtime.

City Council Considers Hearings on Police Staffing

City officials and neighborhood stakeholders continue to evaluate downtown safety strategies as the Boston Police Department works to maintain patrol presence through October. Further developments are expected as the Boston City Council considers requests for emergency hearings regarding department staffing levels and resource allocation.