Strafford County, New Hampshire, has beautiful scenery and a lot of history. It also has a lot of things to do and places to stay for both residents and tourists. Still, it has its share of crime and violence, just like any other town.
Strafford County has an area of 384 square miles (990 km2), with 369 square miles (960 km2) of land and 15 square miles (39 km2) of water. It is the smallest county in New Hampshire. It is surrounded by the counties of Carroll, York, Rockingham, Merrimack, and Belknap.
Rochester
More than 30,000 people live in Rochester, which is the most popular city in Strafford County. In 2019, 298.2 violent crimes and 3,095.8 property crimes were committed against every 1,000 people, making it the most crime-ridden city in the country.
Perhaps the higher number of stores in the city is one reason for the rise in crime. 786 cases are reported every year in the southeast part of Rochester, making that area especially vulnerable.
Somersworth
Somersworth is a small city with about 11,000 people living in it. It is close to the border with Maine. In 2019, 125.2 violent crimes were reported for every 1,000 residents, which was a pretty low number.
On the other hand, property crime rose sharply in the city, with 2,946.8 incidents per 1,000 people that same year. The city’s history of social problems and economic downturn may have something to do with its higher property crime rate.
Read More: Discover the 5 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Elmore County, Idaho!
Barrington
There are about 8,600 people living in the country town of Barrington, which is in the western part of the county. The town had a low rate of violent crime in 2019—only 64.8 cases per 1,000 people living there.
Barrington, on the other hand, had an incredibly high rate of property crime that same year, with 388.6 incidents per 1,000 people. The high rate of property crime may be because the town has a lot of forests, which could make it easier for thieves and burglars to get in.
Rollinsford
Along the Salmon Falls River is the cute town of Rollinsford, which is home to about 2,700 people. With 115.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in 2019, it had a moderate amount of violent crime.
On the other hand, there were 656.1 property crimes per 1,000 residents in the town that same year, which is a very high number. Rollinsford has both residential and industrial places, which could make it more appealing to different types of criminals.
Madbury
There are only 1,800 people living in the tiny town of Madbury in Strafford County, which is both the smallest and the most dangerous. It says there have been no violent crimes, but there has been a worrying rise in property crimes, with 107.1 crimes per 1,000 people in 2019. Because there are so many open areas and farms in the town, thieves may be able to target homes that are far away from others.
Read More: Discover the 5 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Bingham County, Idaho!
Comparison of Strafford County With Other Counties in New Hampshire
CrimeGrade.org gave Strafford County a D- grade for total crime, which means it is much higher than the average US county. With 1.682 violent crimes per 1,000 people, the county also got a bad score for that. The general crime rate in Strafford County is 10th out of 10 in New Hampshire, and the violent crime rate is 9th out of 10.
Grafton County is the safest county in New Hampshire. It has an A+ grade for overall crime and a B+ score for violent crime. But Coos County, which got an F grade for general crime and a D grade for violent crime, is the most dangerous county in New Hampshire.
Which areas in Strafford County, though, are the most dangerous? Based on CrimeGrade.org’s crime map and data, these are the five areas you might want to stay away from or be careful when going near.
Summary
In conclusion, Strafford County, New Hampshire, is known for its beautiful scenery and important historical sites. However, it meets a big problem with a lot of crime and violence. For both total and violent crime, CrimeGrade.org says that the county is one of the worst in the state.
It is known that Rochester, Somersworth, Barrington, Rollinsford, and Madbury are some of the risky areas in the county. These places have high rates of property crime, and some of them also have high rates of serious crime. Whether you’re planning to live or just visit Strafford County, you should know about the crime rate there and take the right steps to keep yourself and your things safe.