Historic town where thousands once flocked for famous wine festival is named America's most dangerous suburb
A historic Southwestern town once known for its wine festival and dramatic sunsets has been named America's most dangerous suburb by a new study.
Bernalillo, New Mexico, established as a center for trade and agriculture during the Spanish colonial period, was given the unwanted title by SmartAsset as it grapples with sky high crime rates and excessive drinking.
The personal finance website ranked 360 satellite towns to help property hunters find the best neighborhood, with safety a key factor for many families seeking their dream suburban home.
Bernalillo, around 15 miles north of Albuquerque, scored particularly poorly on violent and property crime rates.
Using data from the FBI and neighborhoodscout.com, SmartAsset found that the town of around 9,000 residents has a violent crime rate more than triple that of any of the other 360 suburbs included in the study.
The town of Bernalillo, set against the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico, is the most dangerous suburb in the U.S., according to a new study by personal finance website SmartAsset
Its property crime rate per capita was also almost twice as bad as the next worst, Capitola in California.
The rankings also factored in road traffic deaths, excessive drinking among adults, and drug poisonings from County Health Rankings.
The report defined a suburb as a community within a 15 to 45-minute drive from one of America's 100 largest cities, and with a population of at least 5,000.
The safest suburbs were found primarily in the Mountain West, Midwest, and East Coast, while the most dangerous areas were predominantly in the South, according to SmartAsset's analysis.
Rounding out the five worst suburbs were: Lumberton, North Carolina; Scottsburg, Indiana; Petersburg, Virginia; and Asheboro, North Carolina.
New Mexico has long struggled with high crime. In 2022, the rate of violent crimes reported per 100,000 people was 781, compared to the U.S. average of 381, according to FBI data.
It is a similar story for property crimes, where the state averages almost 3,000, compared to a national average around 2,000.
The City of Albuquerque has recognized the problem, adding $13 million to its police department budget this year.
A recent report by the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee, however, found that city police were 'not effectively deterring or solving crime'.
The issue has seemingly spilled over into its suburbs, with neighborhoods such as Bernalillo blighted by rising crime.
Bernalillo is the historical center of New Mexico, with occupation reaching back almost a thousand years. Its Historic Railroad Depot is a standout cultural landmarks
It was named as one of the seven 'most charming river towns' in the state by WorldAtlas.com this year, which cited the 'iconic' Our Lady of Sorrows Church as a top attraction
House prices in Bernalillo have plunged by a quarter to below $300,000 in the last year. But its history and nature still attract wealthy homebuyers, with this luxury 3-bed property currently listed for close to $2million
But the town may feel it still has something to offer, given its history and dramatic surroundings.
Bernalillo is set at the northwest slope of the Sandia Mountains and hugs the bank of the state's major river, the Rio Grande.
It is the historical center of New Mexico, with occupation reaching back almost a thousand years.
It was named as one of the seven 'most charming river towns' in the state by WorldAtlas.com this year, which cited the 'iconic' Our Lady of Sorrows Church and the Historic Railroad Depot as standout cultural landmarks.
For 27 years, it hosted the celebrated New Mexico Wine Festival during Labor Day weekend.
But the event was corked in 2014 following dwindling attendances.
It continues to hold the annual Las Fiestas de San Lorenzo every August, a celebration of the Mexican Matachines Dance.
Despite its cultural attractions, high crime levels appear to have taken their toll on the local housing market.
The median sale price of a home dipping below $300,000 last month, down almost a quarter on the same time last year, according to property website RedFin.
The FBI crime data for Bernalillo only goes up to 2020, with SmartAsset relying on recent data from neighborhoodscout.com for its report.
Lumberton, NC, is the second most dangerous suburb in the U.S., according to SmartAsset
The rankings factored in violent and property crime rates as well as road traffic deaths and drug poisonings from County Health Rankings. Petersburg, Virginia, (pictured) was ranked fourth most dangerous
The website, which analyzes crime and security data in communities across the U.S., found that Bernalillo was in the top 10 percent most dangerous cities in the country.
It says the chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Bernalillo is 1 in 33 - one of the highest in the nation.
Even in crime-ridden New Mexico, it has a crime rate higher than 87 percent of the state's other cities and towns.
DailyMail.com contacted the town's mayor, Jack Torres, and its chief of police, Chris Stoyell, for comment.
SmartAsset declared Lehi, Utah, as the safest suburb in the U.S. Located roughly 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, it had the lowest rate of excessive drinking as well as low rates of violent and property crimes.
The other safest suburbs were: Bethesda, Maryland; Layton, Utah; Rockville, Maryland; and Great Falls, Virginia.
