Cybersecdn- Montgomery County is in the southwest of Virginia and is home to about 98,000 people. A public research university called Virginia Tech is in Blacksburg, which is what the state is known for. Parks and trails in the county are very nice, like Jefferson National Forest, the New River, and the Appalachian Trail.
But not every part of Montgomery County is safe. At 110.8 crimes per 1,000 people, the county has a high crime rate, according to CrimeGrade.org. This is a lot higher than the national average. The county as a whole gets an F for crime, which puts it in the 4th percentile for safety. It’s not as safe as 96% of counties, and only 4% are even less safe. Based on CrimeGrade.org, these are the five most dangerous areas in Montgomery County, Virginia:
| Neighborhood | Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Property Crime Rate (per 1,000) |
| Merrimac | 65 | 97.6 | 51.4 |
| Christiansburg | 66 | 16 | 50.2 |
| Elliston | 68 | 22 | 45.6 |
| Shawsville | 77 | 31 | 46.2 |
| Blacksburg | 86 | 18 | 68.1 |
Merrimac
About 2,100 people live in Merrimac, which is in the southeast of the county. There are 64.5 crimes for every 1,000 people living there, which is 184% more than the national average and 42% more than the average for the county.
In terms of serious crimes, there are 97.6 crimes for every 1,000 people, which is 776% more than the national average. There are 51.4 property crimes for every 1,000 people living in the area, which is 125% more than the national average. There is a 1 in 16 chance of being a victim of crime in Merrimac.
Christiansburg
This town is in the middle of Montgomery County and has about 22,000 people living in it. The county seat is in this town, which is also the largest. There are 66.1 crimes for every 1,000 people in Christiansburg. This is 193% more than the national average and 47% more than the average crime rate in the county. The rate of serious crime is 15.9 per 1,000 people, which is 27% higher than the national average. There are 50.2 property crimes for every 1,000 people, which is 120% more than the national figure. There is a 1 in 15 chance of being a victim of crime in Christiansburg.
Elliston
Elliston is a small town in the northwest of the county that is home to about 900 people. It’s too bad that the crime rate is higher than the county and national norms.
There are 67.8 crimes for every 1,000 people, which is 51% more than the county average and 19% more than the national average. In particular, there are 22.2 serious crimes for every 1,000 people living in the area, which is 78% more than the national average. The rate of property theft is 45.6 per 1,000 people, which is 99% more than the national average.
There is a 1 in 15 chance of being a victim of crime in Elliston.
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Shawsville
About 1,300 people are living in Shawsville, a town in the northeast of the county. There are 76.9 crimes for every 1,000 people living here, which is 230% more than the national average and 69% more than the average crime rate in the county.
There are 30.8 serious crimes for every 1,000 people living in the area, which is 129% more than the national average. The rate of property theft is 46.2 per 1,000 people, which is 102% more than the national average. One out of every thirteen people who live in Shawsville will be hit by crime.
Blacksburg
A town called Blacksburg is in the southern part of Montgomery County. It has about 44,000 people living in it. Virginia Tech is in this town, which is the county seat. Blacksburg has an 85.8 crime rate per 1,000 people, which is 86% higher than the county average and 261% higher than the national average.
There are 17.7 serious crimes for every 1,000 people, which is 37% more than the national average. There are 68.1 property crimes for every 1,000 people, which is 181% more than the national average. In Blacksburg, there is a 1 in 12 chance of being stolen from.
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To Conclude
Nature lovers will love Montgomery County, and the Virginia Tech neighborhood is always busy. It does, however, have a higher crime rate than the rest of the country. There are too many crimes, especially serious crimes, in places like Merrimac, Christiansburg, Elliston, and Shawsville.
There is more crime than normal in all towns, even Blacksburg, which is the biggest. People who live in Montgomery County should be careful and aware of their surroundings to stay safe. People who live or visit the area can stay safe by learning about the neighborhoods and keeping up with crime trends.
