50 Most Violent Towns In New Jersey, According To FBI Data

Even as crime has declined in New Jersey, there are still a number of communities that continue to deal with high rates of murder, aggravated assault and other forms of violence.

Patch put together a list of 50 communities that have the highest violent crime rates in the state, along with the 50 communities that had the biggest increases in violent crime between 2011 and 2016 (see lists below).

The numbers come from the latest FBI Uniform Crime Report released this week, using statistics from the most recent year available (2016).

The FBI defines the most serious forms of "violent crime" as murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. But the FBI also counts property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft in the category.

The FBI Uniform Crime Report shows that violent crimes in New Jersey dropped 4.2 percent in from 2015 to 2016, while the number of murders dropped 4.3 percent. The number of violent crimes between 2011 and 2016, however, increased by 1.39 percent.

Here is the list of 50 communities with the highest violent crime rates, showing the number of incidents per 1,000 people:

1. Asbury Park 14.1
2. Trenton 13.4
3. Wildwood 13.09
4. Orange 11.2
5. Salem 10.9
6. Brooklawn 10.4
7. Newark 9.36
8. Irvington 9.35
9. Seaside Heights 9.009
10. Bridgeton 9.006
11. Penns Grove 8.3
12. Beverly 8.2
13. Elizabeth 8.1
14. Millville 7.9
15. Paterson 7.6
16. New Brunswick 6.8
17. Plainfield 6.7
18. East Orange 6.7
19. Lawnside 6.5
20. Lindenwold 6.4
21. Hi-Nella 5.8
22. Neptune Township 5.7
23. Passaic 5.6
24. Pleasantville 5.4
25. Burlington City 5.3
26. Chesilhurst 4.9
27. Vineland 4.8
28. Jersey City 4.79
29. Wildwood Crest 4.74
30. Mount Holly Township 4.6
31. Buena 4.2
32. South Hackensack Township 4.05
33. Perth Amboy 3.9
34. Paulsboro 3.7
35. Hillside Township 3.59
36. West Wildwood 3.53
37. Woodbury 3.52
38. Pemberton Township 3.49
39. Carney's Point Township 3.457
40. Long Branch 3.456
41. Haledon 3.4
42. Morristown 3.34
43. Somers Point 3.28
44. Willingboro Township 3.237
45. Linden 3.230
46. Keyport 3.22
47. South Toms River 3.21
48. Eatontown 3.18
49. Woodlynne 3.08
50. Egg Harbor City 3.06

Here are the communities that had the biggest increases in violent crime between 2011 and 2016:

• Trenton 1,108
• Vineland 288
• Union City 202
• Lakewood 77
• Teaneck 72
• Toms River 50
• Pemberton Township 30
• West Orange 29
• Secaucus 25
• Linden 24
• Elmwood Park 23
• Berkeley Township 20
• Fort Lee 18
• East Orange 17
• Orange 17
• Stratford 15
• Westampton Township 14
• Carney's Point Township 13
• Haledon 13
• Beverly 12
• Ventnor City 12
• Nutley Township 11
• Voorhees Township 11
• Manalapan 10
• Manchester 10
• Maple Shade 10
• Newton 10
• Stafford Township 10
• Burlington City 9
• Butler 9
• Cinnaminson 9
• Edgewater Park 9
• Margate City 9
• North Brunswick 9
• Freehold Township 8
• Garfield 8
• Medford 8
• Chesilhurst 7
• Manville 7
• Monmouth Beach 7
• Penns Grove 7
• Berlin 6
• Mount Holly 6
• Oakland 6
• Parsippany-Troy Hills 6
• Springfield 6
• Tinton Falls 6
• Washington Township, Morris County 6
• Woodbury 6
• Andover Township 5
• Boonton Township 5
• Carlstadt 5
• Eatontown 5
• Galloway Township 5
• Hillsborough 5
• Plainsboro 5

Patch file photo