Do You Live in a Dangerous City? The Most Dangerous City in Every State, Ranked

Big cities come with bigger crime. At least, that’s what some Americans assume. But is it true?

World Population Review ranked the most dangerous city in each state based on violent crime rates. You may or may not sleep easier knowing which city in each state makes the list. 

Crime Rates and Costs

To determine the most dangerous cities in every state, World Population Review looked at FBI data from 2021 to estimate crime rates and costs in the U.S. The price of crime was tracked alongside violent and property crime rates in 250 cities with populations over 100,000 people. 

For reference when looking at the following city statistics, the national average cost of crime per capita is $1,836. Few of the cities on this list fall below that number.

Since World Population Review only 44 states included in their list, we filled in the gaps with data from other sources, noting this when applicable. With this caveat under our belt, these are the most dangerous cities in each state.

1. Birmingham, Alabama

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,683
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,964
• Crime cost per capita: $7,900

2. Anchorage, Alaska

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,616
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,862
• Crime cost per capita: $1,680

3. Yuma, Arizona

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 465
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,917
• Crime cost per capita: $2,754

4. Little Rock, Arkansas

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,063
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,364
• Crime cost per capita: $5,374

5. Oakland, California

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,506
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,853
• Crime cost per capita: $5,329

6. Pueblo, Colorado

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,253
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,691
• Crime cost per capita: $4,396

7. Hartford, Connecticut

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 478
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,153
• Crime cost per capita: $3,569

8. Wilmington, Delaware

According to Area Vibes, Wilmington is the most dangerous city in Delaware. Based on their data, 1,201 violent crimes occur per 100,000 residents, which amounts to 3.29 violent crimes per day. The chance of being a victim in Wilmington is 1 in 83.

9. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 591
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,170
• Crime cost per capita: $2,577

10. Atlanta, Georgia

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 884
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,674
• Crime cost per capita: $4,215

11. Honolulu, Hawaii

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 227
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,750
• Crime cost per capita: $528

12. Nampa, Idaho

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 340
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,405
• Crime cost per capita: $761

13. Chicago, Illinois

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 629
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,101
• Crime cost per capita: $4,060

14. Indianapolis, Indiana

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 718
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,442
• Crime cost per capita: $3,860

15. Davenport, Iowa

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 657
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,580
• Crime cost per capita: $2,017

16. Wichita, Kansas

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 965
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,209
• Crime cost per capita: $2,719

17. Louisville, Kentucky

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 867
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,773
• Crime cost per capita: $4,162

18. New Orleans, Louisiana

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 186
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 96
• Crime cost per capita: $6,444

19. Augusta, Maine

Area Vibes places Augusta at the top of the most dangerous cities in Maine. Augusta’s violent crime rate is 447 per 100,000, and residents experience a total of 4,323 crimes per capita.

20. Baltimore, Maryland

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,456
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,692
• Crime cost per capita: $7,230

21. Springfield, Massachusetts

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 938
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,337
• Crime cost per capita: $2,191

22. Detroit, Michigan

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,154
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,356
• Crime cost per capita: $6,780

23. Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,281
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,189
• Crime cost per capita: $3,934

24. Cleveland, Mississippi

Not to be confused with Ohio’s capital (which also makes an appearance on this list), Property Club names Mississippi’s Cleveland as the most dangerous city in the Magnolia State. Residents in Cleveland have a 1 in 18 chance of falling victim to crime, and the city’s crime rate is 148% above the nation’s average.

25. St. Louis, Missouri

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,484
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,463
• Crime cost per capita: $8,457

26. Billings, Montana

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,054
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,776
• Crime cost per capita: $1,870

27. Omaha, Nebraska

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 581
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,272
• Crime cost per capita: $1,503

28. Las Vegas, Nevada

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,240
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 6,662
• Crime cost per capita: $4,470

29. Manchester, New Hampshire

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 452
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,291
• Crime cost per capita: $644

30. Newark, New Jersey

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 490
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,457
• Crime cost per capita: $2,736

31. Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,388
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,352
• Crime cost per capita: $3,872

32. Buffalo, New York

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 943
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,055
• Crime cost per capita: $3,820

33. Fayetteville, North Carolina

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 955
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,857
• Crime cost per capita: $3,293

34. Fargo, North Dakota

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 517
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,355
• Crime cost per capita: $1,514

35. Cleveland, Ohio

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,665
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 3,752
• Crime cost per capita: $6,491

36. Tulsa, Oklahoma

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,107
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,977
• Crime cost per capita: $2,992

37. Portland, Oregon

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 720
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,577
• Crime cost per capita: $2,461

38. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 953
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,302
• Crime cost per capita: $4,755

39. Providence, Rhode Island

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 401
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,525
• Crime cost per capita: $1,840

40. North Charleston, South Carolina

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,014
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,012
• Crime cost per capita: $4,315

41. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 538
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,895
• Crime cost per capita: $834

42. Memphis, Tennessee

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,431
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 5,279
• Crime cost per capita: $7,184

43. Houston, Texas

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,211
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,106
• Crime cost per capita: $3,503

44. Salt Lake City, Utah

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 969
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 6,841
• Crime cost per capita: $2,421

45. Bennington, Vermont

Bennington is Vermont’s most dangerous city, according to Area Vibes. A total of 3,712 crimes occur per 100,000 residents, with 1.67 violent crimes happening each day.

46. Richmond, Virginia

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 374
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 2,736
• Crime cost per capita: $4,585

47. Tacoma, Washington

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,182
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 6,732
• Crime cost per capita: $3,041

48. Beckley, West Virginia

According to Property Club, drug activity is the top factor creating high crime rates in Beckley. The West Virginia city has a crime rate that’s 263% higher than the national average, and there’s a 1 in 12 chance residents will find themselves a crime victim.

49. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Violent crime rate per 100,000 residents: 1,586
• Property crime rate per 100,000 residents: 4,188
• Crime cost per capita: $5,243

50. Riverton, Wyoming

Based on the most recent FBI data available, Riverton is the most dangerous city in Wyoming for severe crime. It has a violent crime rate of 612 incidents per 100,000 residents.

Memphis Crime Rates Soar

Memphis is considered the worst city in Tennessee based on violent crime rates, which have risen over the last few years. Reports from 2023 show Memphis saw its highest crime rate in history. However, there was a drop in car thefts which helped with a decline in overall crime during the final months of 2023 compared to the previous year. 

The credit for the car theft decline is partly attributed to the Memphis Police Department (MPD). The MPD gave away 10,000 car locks and arrested four people daily due to car thefts in 2023. One expert noted that steering wheel locks slow down and deter thieves. 

Violent City in Missouri

St. Louis not only ranks as the most violent city in Missouri but is also considered the city with the highest cost of crime per capita in the U.S. Although, representatives from St. Louis stated FBI Uniform Crime Reporting results misrepresented it as dangerous because the metrics comparing areas around the country are unfair to the unique geography of the city. 

St. Louis is taking steps to prevent crime, including real-time crime monitoring, high visibility cameras, and launching a new smartphone app that connects citizens with the St. Louis Police Department. Experts warn visitors to the city to lock their cars, store precious belongings away from view, and park in an authorized parking facility downtown that meets security standards. 

California’s Safest Cities

So, what’s the safest city in the U.S.? Thousand Oaks is considered the safest city in California and all of the U.S. according to a 2024 report. The average cost of crime per capita in the city is $241. When measuring cities with over a population of 300,000, Irvine, California is the safest, with a crime cost of $364 per capita. 

Where NYC Stands

New York City, thought by some folks as a dangerous large city, ranks as the fifth-safest large city in America. it has a crime cost of $863.

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