Aside of crime in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the city has a rich history. It is the birthplace of PT Barnum. The first Subway restaurant was opened here, and the frisbee was invented here. Bridgeport native Edwin Land invented the Polaroid camera. This city is a coastal community with a wonderful history. In more recent times, Bridgeport has come across hard times. The decline of manufacturing in the final decades of the 20th Century has decimated Bridgeport’s economy. The city is now rated as one of the poorest in America. Crime in Bridgeport has been the latest battle with no end in sight.
Bridgeport, CT, Corner of Elm and Broad Street.
Increased poverty has caused an increase in crime. Bridgeport is one of the least safe cities in America, ranking in the bottom 15% for all crimes committed. The situation is worse when compared to cities of similar size, and it’s one of the most dangerous cities in Connecticut. That said, things did improve somewhat in 2019. Bridgeport climbed from 85th percentile of safest cities in the United States to 81st safest, a 5% improvement.
Crime in Bridgeport from the city’s website. Yearly crime statistics are shown on the city’s website here.
Here are all the violent crime numbers for Bridgeport in 2019
Murder – There were 11 murders in 2019, a significant decrease from the 21 committed in the city in 2018.
Rape – The good news wasn’t repeated when it comes to rape. In 2019, 83 rapes were committed, an increase of six over 2018.
Robbery – There was a huge decrease in robberies, 365, down from 565.
Assault – Here too, there was a significant decrease, 526 from 652, a 24% drop.
Overall, the violent crime rate 6.52 a big drop from 2018, when it was 8.97. Even with this improvement, Bridgeport’s crime rate compares unfavorably with the national rate of 4.0 and the rate in Connecticut overall, which is 2.07.
The numbers are brighter for property crime in Bridgeport
Bridgeport’s property crime rate
Burglaries – In 2019 burglaries were up, 588 compared to 548 the year before.
Theft – Notably, thefts were way down, 1647 from 2152, a 30.6% improvement year over year.
Motor vehicle theft – Another piece of good new. Motor vehicles thefts declined sharply from 716 in 2018 to 598 in 2019
Despite the higher than average crime rate, Bridgeport,CT has some things going for it. Its crime rate has seen a steady decrease since 2014. The population is one of the most diverse in the country, with many cultures adding to Bridgeport’s varied cuisine choices. Seaside Park is one of the most beautiful in New England, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed Central Park in New York City. Bridgeport is also home to the Discovery Museum, one of the most popular in the Connecticut.
