Grafton County is in the beautiful state of New Hampshire. It has beautiful scenery and a country feel. It is home to Dartmouth College and a number of beautiful nature areas. Still, it is not safe from crime, just like any other town. The FBI Uniform Crime Report for 2023 says that 35 index crimes were recorded in Grafton County. These were made up of 3 serious crimes and 32 property crimes.
About Grafton County
Grafton County is the second biggest county in the state of New Hampshire. It has about 91,000 people living in it, and the typical income is $73,755. Many natural and cultural sites in the county are well-known, such as the Old Man of the Mountain, the White Mountain National Forest, and Dartmouth College.
Aside from that, the county’s general crime rate is lower than the state and national averages. However, some neighborhoods are more likely to be broken into than others. Based on how often and what kinds of crimes have been recorded in each area, these are the five most dangerous neighborhoods in Grafton County.
Lebanon
Although it is in Grafton County, Lebanon is the biggest city in the state, with about 13,500 people living there. As the county home, it is the center of business, education, and health care. But Lebanon has a problem: in 2023, there were two rapes and one theft there, making it the county with the most serious crimes.
The city also had 11 burglaries, 12 car thefts, and one auto theft, making it the second most crime-prone area in the county when it comes to property crimes. Lebanon had a crime rate of 2.59 per 1,000 people, which was higher than the county average of 0.39.
Plymouth
Plymouth is a town on the Pemigewasset River with about 6,800 people. It is famous for being home to Plymouth State University, a public school with more than 4,000 students. Even though Plymouth is a well-known academic city, it has a big problem with property crimes.
In 2023, there were 14 steals of small items and one theft of a car. The town has a crime rate of 2.21 per 1,000 people, which is higher than the county’s average of 0.39. Notably, there was one recorded rape in Plymouth in 2023. Along with Lebanon, it was the only town in the county to record a violent crime.
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Haverhill
There are about 4,600 people living in the town of Haverhill, which is close to the border with Vermont. It is the largest town in Grafton County, having been founded in 1763. Haverhill has a lot of history and a nice central area, but there are a lot of property crimes going on, which is a big problem. The town had seven robberies and two cases of larceny-theft in 2023.
The town had a crime rate of 1.96 per 1,000 people, which was higher than the county’s average of 0.39. Also, one car was stolen in Haverhill in 2023. Along with Lebanon and Plymouth, this made the town one of only three in the county to report this type of crime.
Canaan
The town of Canaan is in the Mascoma Valley and has about 3,900 people. It is a rural and agricultural area with many farms and orchards. Even though the town is a beautiful place, it has a big problem with property crimes. Not only were there six robberies but there were also three larceny thefts in 2023.
With 2.31 crimes per 1,000 people, the town’s crime rate is higher than the county’s average of 0.39. What makes Canaan stand out is that it was the only town in the county to report a burning case in 2023.
Enfield
Enfield is a town with about 4,600 people that sits on the shores of Mascoma Lake and is a popular place to camp, fish, and boat. Even though Enfield is a popular place for leisure, it has a big problem: it has the highest rate of property crimes in the county.
Ten break-ins and eleven thefts were recorded in the town in 2023. Enfield has a crime rate of 4.57 per 1,000 people, which is higher than the county average of 0.39. Also, one car was stolen in Enfield in 2023, making it one of four places in the county that reported this type of crime.
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Conclusion
The countryside in Grafton County is beautiful and peaceful, making it a great place to live, work, or visit. Still, there are parts of the county where crime and violence are more common. It has been found that the five neighborhoods we talked about earlier have the biggest number of reported crimes of all types.
It is important to remember that these areas have good things about them and interesting things to see, so they might not necessarily be dangerous for people who live there or visit. To lower your chances of becoming a target of crime, you should stay alert, take the right safety measures, and report any strange behavior right away to the police.