In New Hampshire’s Belknap County, there is beautiful scenery, and about 64,000 people live there. This area includes Lake Winnipesaukee, a popular tourist spot, as well as a lot of old towns and villages.
Belknap County is in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, which is a little southeast of the state’s physical center. The whole thing is 469 square miles, with 400 square miles of land and 68 square miles (15%) of water. Over half of the water area in the county is connected to Lake Winnipesaukee.
Comparison of Belknap County’s Crime Rate With Other Counties in New Hampshire
According to ucr.fbi.gov, there were 1,035 crimes in Belknap County in 2019. This made it the sixth most crime-prone county in New Hampshire out of ten. Belknap County had a crime rate of 1,591.8% per 100,000 people, which was higher than the state average of 1,200.0.
There were 221.4 serious crimes, which is more than the state average of 137.1, and 1,370.4 property crimes, which is a little less than the state average of 1,062.9. There were 7,784 crimes in Hillsborough County in 2019, which made it the most crime-prone county in New Hampshire.
The rate of crimes per 100,000 people was 1,917.4. On the other hand, there were 262 reported crimes in Coos County, which had a rate of 579.5 crimes per 100,000 people. But in Belknap County, different neighborhoods have different amounts of safety. Crime maps and statistics show that violent and property crimes happen more often in some places than others. Based on crime rates per person from CrimeGrade.org, these are the five most dangerous areas in Belknap County.
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Laconia
Living in Belknap County, Laconia is the county seat and the county’s biggest city, with about 17,000 people living there. It is the area in the county with the highest crime rates, with a violent crime rate of 223.8 per 100,000 people and a property crime rate of 3,235.8 per 100,000 residents. CrimeGrade.org gives Laconia a C grade for property crime, a D grade for violent crime, and a total C grade for crime.
Tilton
The town of Tilton has about 3,600 people and is located near where Interstate 93 and Route 3 meet. It is known for having outlet stores and an old arch bridge. For every 100,000 people who live in the town, there are 337.4 serious crimes and 5,622.7 property crimes. CrimeGrade.org gives Tilton a D grade for property crime, a D grade for violent crime, and a D grade for total crime.
The Belmont
Along the Winnipesaukee River is the town of Belmont, which has about 7,000 residents. The town has a long history, and important sites like the Belmont Mill and the Province Road Meeting House are well known. But it also comes with risks, especially when it comes to serious crime.
There are 260.5 serious crimes and 1,755.1 property crimes for every 100,000 people living in Belmont. The general crime grade for Belmont is D on CrimeGrade.org. The grade for violent crime is also D, and the grade for property crime is C.
Gilmanton
Gilmanton is a town in the southern part of the county that is home to about 3,400 people. It has problems, especially when it comes to violent crime. The town is known for its rural charm and literary importance as the setting for Grace Metalious’s book Peyton Place.
CrimeGrade.org gives Gilmanton a D grade for overall crime, a D grade for violent crime, and a B grade for property crime. The violent crime rate is 186.5 per 100,000 people, and the property crime rate is 612.7 per 100,000 residents.
Sanbornton
The town of Sanbornton is in the northern part of the county and has about 3,000 people living there. It is known for its beautiful scenery and historic places, such as the Sanbornton Square Historic District and the Lane Tavern. It has both charm and history. But the town has problems for its people, especially when it comes to violent crime.
CrimeGrade.org says that Sanbornton has a D grade for overall crime, a D grade for violent crime, and a B grade for property crime. The violent crime rate is 134.5 per 100,000 people, and the property crime rate is 806.7 per 100,000 residents.
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Conclusion
Belknap County, New Hampshire, is a lovely and historic area with lots of natural and cultural draws. But there are also parts of it that are more likely to be broken into than others. There are more violent and property crimes in these areas than in the county and state as a whole.
CrimeGrade.org gives them low scores for overall crime, violent crime, and property crime. So, people who live or visit these places should be aware of the risks and take steps to keep themselves and their property safe.