If you are thinking about visiting Trenton and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.
We are going to deep dive into the statistics, look at some maps, graphs and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe Trenton really is.
Is Trenton, New Jersey Safe To Visit?
Statistically speaking, Trenton is a slightly unsafe place to visit. In 2020, Trenton had a violent crime rate of 1,066.35 per 100,000 people. It’s violent crime rate is 2.7x greater than the national average and is one of the highest in the state.
Trenton’s murder rate of 44.02 per 100,000 people is also one of the highest in the nation.
Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Trenton’s violent crime rate:
Trenton, NJ Crime Stats
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 compared to 2019:
|
2019 |
2020 |
Percent Change |
Homicide |
15 |
40 |
167% |
Rape |
70 |
50 |
-29% |
Robbery |
300 |
262 |
-13% |
Aggravated Assault |
552 |
617 |
12% |
Burglary |
360 |
412 |
14% |
Larceny/Theft |
1,142 |
1,038 |
-9% |
Motor Vehicle Theft |
246 |
283 |
15% |
Arson |
11 |
23 |
109% |
TOTALS |
2,696 |
2,725 |
1% |
**All data is from the FBI UCR**
Trenton, NJ Crime Rates
Trenton’s Violent Crime Rate
In 2020 Trenton reported 969 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 1,066.35 per 100,000 people.
- The national average for violent crime is 398.5 per 100,000 residents. Trenton’s violent crime rate is 2.7x greater than the national average.
- Trenton’s violent crime rate is 5.5x greater than the state average.
- Year over year violent crime has increased by 3%.
- It’s violent crime rate is on par with cities like Compton, Chicago and Indianapolis.
Here’s a map showing you how violent crime has trended in Trenton over a 30 year period.
*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults and the violent crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
Trenton’s Murder Rate
In 2020, Trenton reported 40 homicides and had a homicide rate of 44.02 per 100,000 people.
- Trenton’s homicide rate is 6.8x greater than the national average and 12x greater than the state average.
- Year over year muder has increased by 167%.
- Trenton has a similar homicide rate to cities like Detroit, Baton Rouge and Cleveland.
Here’s a map showing you how homicides has trended in Trenton over a 30 year period.
Trenton’s Property Crime Rate
In 2020 Trenton reported 1,733 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 1,907.10 per 100,000 people.
- The national average for property crime is 1958.2 per 100,000 residents. Trenton’s property crime rate is 3% less than the national average.
- Trenton’s property crime rate is roughly 1.7x greater than the state average.
- Year over year property crime in Trenton has decreased by 1%.
- Trenton property crime rate is similar to Boston, Virginia Beach and San Diego.
- Property crime is at its lowest level in 30 years.
Here’s a map showing you how property crime has trended in Trenton over a 30 year period.
*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson and property crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.
Trenton vs Other Cities In New Jersey
Here’s a graph showing you the violent crime rates of the 11 most populous cities in New Jersey. Trenton had the 2nd highest violent crime rate of all cities.
City |
Population |
Violent Crimes 2019 |
Violent Crime Rate 2019 |
Camden | 74,002 | 1,159 | 1566.17 |
Trenton |
83,412 |
937 |
1,123.34 |
281,054 |
2,520 |
896.62 |
|
Paterson |
145,710 |
1,219 |
836.59 |
Elizabeth |
128,333 |
926 |
721.56 |
Jersey City |
261,940 |
1,393 |
531.80 |
Hamilton township |
87,065 |
122 |
140.13 |
Clifton |
85,204 |
95 |
111.50 |
Woodbridge |
100,145 |
111 |
110.84 |
Edison |
100,477 |
84 |
83.60 |
Toms River |
91,785 |
72 |
78.44 |
Trenton, New Jersey vs The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States
Here’s a list of the top 18 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Trenton’s violent crime rate is 2.8x less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.
City |
Number of violent crimes in 2020 |
Violent Crime Rate 2020 |
15,310 |
2,418.24 |
|
14,370 |
2,248.44 |
|
6,017 |
1,995.17 |
|
3,657 |
1,805.11 |
|
South Bend |
1,765 |
1,706.09 |
6,294 |
1,689.10 |
|
9,407 |
1,629.70 |
|
3,166 |
1,577.22 |
|
7,919 |
1,558.58 |
|
Lansing |
1,699 |
1,508.29 |
Springfield |
2,545 |
1,504.35 |
8,552 |
1,404.20 |
|
3,033 |
1,365.59 |
|
5,215 |
1,358.08 |
|
7,552 |
1,337.68 |
|
5,653 |
1,282.89 |
|
4,023 |
1,254.04 |
Is Downtown Trenton, New Jersey Safe?
Downtown Trenton is generally a safe area to visit during the day time. At night, streets and squares that are perfectly safe in the day can be questionable and sketchy at night. It doesn’t help that the downtown area clears out after business hours and the area get deserted.
We recommend that you take extra precautions at night and to stay in well populated places, don’t stray off the beaten path and don’t walk by yourself at night.
Is the public transportation in Trenton safe?
The public transportation system in Trenton is handled by NJ Transit and it offers a plethora of routes that interweave throughout the entire city and its surrounding neighborhoods and is safe
It is generally safe during commuting hours (8am – 6pm), however we do not recommend that you take public transportation night. You should opt for a taxi or ride sharing service instead.
What do residents of Trenton say about it’s safety?
- “I have lived in Trenton for a few years and It is a rough town. But I have met some of the best people there."
- " Trenton is not the safest city, but it’s certainly not the worst."
- "Trenton is not dangerous. There is crime and is poverty, but there is also great hardworking people, some of the most hospitable people I have ever met."
- "It’s a pretty dangerous place to live, Ewing or Hamilton is way safer."
- "Trenton is an urban area populated by lower income people and with that comes all the issues associated with poverty stricken cities."
- "I have worked in Trenton for many years and it’s the kind of place that is legit scary as soon as night comes. There are shootings all the time, mentally unstable and violent homeless people everywhere and vacant burned out buildings left and right."
- "New Jersey has truly mastered the art of isolating poverty and crime into certain areas of the state and Trenton is one of those areas."
- "Yes. It’s that bad."
Is Trenton safe for women?
Trenton is generally safe for female solo travelers as long as you learn the layout of the city, avoid problem areas, stay in well lit/well populated areas and avoid walking by yourself at night.
Is Trenton safe at night?
Trenton is not a safe place to wander around at night. You should always know where your destination is, how to get there and how to get back. In addition, you should always drive, get a taxi or take an Uber to get to your destination. The public transportation at night can get sketchy.
Tips to stay safe while visiting Trenton, New Jersey
- Avoid walking by yourself at night. There is power in numbers.
- Trenton is not a place you want to get lost in. Always plan out you destinations and your return before you leave.
- Walk confidently and with purpose. Stand up straight, walk decisively. Looking timid or unsure and you will make yourself a target.
- Do not engage with strangers/homeless people on the street. Just keep walking and say nothing if someone approaches you.
- Keep situational awareness at all times. Don’t wear headphones and listen to music or stare at your phone while walking.
- Don’t use the public transportation system at night. Opt for a ride sharing service or a taxi.
- Trust your intuition, if something feels off, it probably is. Remove yourself from the situation.
- Save the sight seeing for the day time. It is not safe to wander the city at night.
- Don’t leave valuables in your car.
How safe is Trenton, New Jersey?
Trenton has one of the highest poverty rates in the nation and with poverty comes crime. And that is most evident in its high violent crime rate and even higher murder rate.
Trenton is not a city that you can throw caution to the wind. It is a city that needs your situational awareness at all times. While Trenton is generally safe to visit during the day time, Trenton at night is not safe.
Quick Facts About Trenton, New Jersey
Fact |
Trenton, New Jersey |
United States |
Population, Census, April 1, 2020 |
90,871 |
331,449,281 |
Population, Census, April 1, 2010 |
84,913 |
308,745,538 |
Persons under 5 years, percent |
7.2% |
6.0% |
Persons under 18 years, percent |
26.4% |
22.3% |
Persons 65 years and over, percent |
10.1% |
16.5% |
Black or African American alone, percent |
49.5% |
13.4% |
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent |
0.4% |
1.3% |
Asian alone, percent |
1.4% |
5.9% |
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent |
0.0% |
0.2% |
Two or More Races, percent |
1.4% |
2.8% |
Hispanic or Latino, percent |
38.1% |
18.5% |
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent |
12.1% |
60.1% |
Foreign born persons, percent, 2015-2019 |
24.1% |
13.6% |
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2015-2019 |
$95,800.00 |
$217,500.00 |
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2015-2019 |
$1,519.00 |
$1,595.00 |
Median gross rent, 2015-2019 |
$1,026.00 |
$1,062.00 |
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2015-2019 |
63.6% |
82.7% |
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019 |
71.4% |
88.0% |
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2015-2019 |
12.2% |
32.1% |
Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent |
19.4% |
10.2% |
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019 |
58.7% |
63.0% |
Median household income (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 |
$35,402.00 |
$62,843.00 |
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2019 dollars), 2015-2019 |
$19,281.00 |
$34,103.00 |
Persons in poverty, percent |
28.7% |
11.4% |
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