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No.

According to annual crime data collected by the FBI, Waterbury’s violent crime rate tends to be lower in areas like robbery, rape and aggravated assaults. 

But Waterbury has trended slightly lower or the same as Bridgeport in the number of homicides, like in 2023 — the last year in which FBI data is available — when they both reported 18. 

In other years, the cities’ numbers can vary widely. In 2021, Waterbury recorded 9 homicides, while Bridgeport recorded 20.

New Haven, meanwhile, often records more homicides than both Waterbury and Bridgeport. In 2021 for example, it reported 26. In 2023, it reported 22.

But another city tops New Haven, and all other Connecticut cities, in the number of homicides — the capital city of Hartford. It had 37 homicides in 2023, 40 in 2022 and 41 in 2021.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

CT Mirror partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims.

Sources

Reginald David is the Community Engagement Reporter for CT Mirror. He builds relationships across Connecticut to elevate community voices and deepen public dialogue around local issues. Previously, he was a producer at KCUR 89.3, Kansas City’s NPR station, where he created community-centered programming, led live event coverage for major events like the NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Parade, and Royals Opening Day, and launched KC Soundcheck, a music series spotlighting local and national artists. Reginald has also hosted special segments, including an in-depth interview with civil rights leader Alvin Brooks and live community coverage on issues like racial segregation and neighborhood development. He began his public media career as an ‘Integrity in News’ intern at WNPR in Hartford.