The Most and Least Dangerous Cities in the U.S.

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The safety or danger of cities in the United States is influenced by a complex interplay of various socio-economic, demographic, and geographical factors. Cities that exhibit lower crime rates often boast strong community engagement, effective law enforcement, and well-established social services. Additionally, factors such as higher levels of education, stable employment opportunities, and access to healthcare contribute to an environment that fosters safety.

On the contrary, cities facing higher crime rates may grapple with issues such as poverty, unemployment, and inadequate educational resources. Socio-economic disparities, coupled with limited access to social services, can contribute to an environment conducive to criminal activities. Moreover, geographical considerations, including proximity to international borders or prevalent gang activity, can impact a city’s safety profile.

The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States

The overall violent crime rate across the United States stands at 5.6 incidents per 1,000 people. In contrast, the safest cities in the country report total crime rates of 8.6 per 1,000 people or lower.

Addressing the issue of violent crime in the U.S. invariably involves discussing gun violence. As of July 2023, the Gun Violence Archive records over 22,000 deaths attributed to gun violence in the country. This figure encompasses 371 mass shootings and the tragic loss of 150 children’s lives.

While the most recent FBI data indicates a decrease in overall violent crime between 2020 and 2021, the same period has seen an increase in murders.

Media headlines often portray a narrative of escalating crime, especially in major cities such as Chicago or San Francisco. However, recent per capita data from NeighborhoodScout reveals that some of the most perilous cities in the U.S. are, in fact, smaller or suburban areas.

The Visualcapitalist team created maps of the most dangerous and safest cities in the US.

Alabama has two of the top 10 cities with the highest violent crime rates in the U.S.: Bessemer (#1) and Birmingham (#7).

Rank	City	State	Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 Residents)	Chance of Being a Victim
1	Bessemer	Alabama	33.1	1 in 30
2	Monroe	Louisiana	26.3	1 in 38
3	Saginaw	Michigan	25.1	1 in 39
4	Memphis	Tennessee	25.1	1 in 39
5	Detroit	Michigan	23	1 in 43
6	Birmingham	Alabama	20.6	1 in 49
7	Pine Bluff	Arkansas	20.5	1 in 48
8	Little Rock	Arkansas	20.2	1 in 49
9	Alexandria	Louisiana	18.8	1 in 53
10	Cleveland	Ohio	17.1	1 in 58
11	Kalamazoo	Michigan	16.8	1 in 59
12	Milwaukee	Wisconsin	16.6	1 in 59
13	Albany	Georgia	16.1	1 in 61
14	Gadsden	Alabama	15.8	1 in 63
15	Danville	Illinois	15.8	1 in 63
16	Lansing	Michigan	15.7	1 in 63
17	Baltimore	Maryland	15.6	1 in 63
18	Springfield	Missouri	15.6	1 in 64
19	Spartanburg	South Carolina	15.2	1 in 65
20	Rockford	Illinois	15	1 in 66
21	Wilmington	Delaware	15	1 in 66
22	St. Louis	Missouri	14.9	1 in 66
23	San Bernardino	California	14.9	1 in 67
24	Kansas City	Missouri	14.5	1 in 68
25	Canton	Ohio	14.5	1 in 68
26	Chester	Pennsyvlania	14.5	1 in 68
27	South Bend	Indiana	14.4	1 in 69
28	Inkster	Michigan	14.1	1 in 70
29	Albuquerque	New Mexico	13.9	1 in 71
30	Chattanooga	Tennessee	13.9	1 in 71
31	Terre Haute	Indiana	13.9	1 in 71
32	New Orleans	Louisiana	13.8	1 in 72
33	Camden	New Jersey	13.7	1 in 72
34	East Point	Georgia	13.6	1 in 73
35	Minneapolis	Minnesota	13.4	1 in 74
36	Florence	South Carolina	13.1	1 in 75
37	Elkhart	Indiana	12.8	1 in 77
38	Pueblo	Colorado	12.6	1 in 79
39	Stockton	California	12.5	1 in 79
40	Oakland	California	12.5	1 in 79
41	Flint	Michigan	12.5	1 in 79
42	Houston	Texas	12.4	1 in 80
43	Jacksonville	Arkansas	12.1	1 in 82
44	Myrtle Beach	South Carolina	12.1	1 in 82
45	Paragould	Arkansas	12.1	1 in 82
46	Battle Creek	Michigan	12	1 in 82
47	Tacoma	Washington	11.9	1 in 83
48	Baton Rouge	Louisiana	11.9	1 in 83
49	Jackson	Michigan	11.8	1 in 84
50	North Little Rock	Arkansas	11.9	1 in 84

Memphis and Detroit, two cities with populations above 600,000, are also among the top 10. These cities have a 1-in-39 and 1-in-43 likelihood of individuals becoming victims of violent crime.

The Safest Cities in the United States

The “safest” cities, according to FBI data, are mostly in Northeastern states, making up 40% of the ranking.

Most of the safest cities, about 25%, are in Massachusetts, primarily around Boston.

Rank	City	State	Total Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents)	Chance of Being a Victim
1	Ridgefield	Connecticut	1.9	1 in 510
2	Franklin	Massachusetts	2.9	1 in 344
3	Lake in the Hills	Illinois	3.1	1 in 321
4	Marshfield	Massachusetts	3.3	1 in 300
5	Arlington	Massachusetts	3.4	1 in 292
6	Fulshear	Texas	3.6	1 in 276
7	Zionsville	Indiana	3.6	1 in 275
8	Lexington	Massachusetts	3.7	1 in 270
9	Muskego	Wisconsin	3.8	1 in 265
10	Rexburg	Idaho	3.9	1 in 253
11	Independence	Kentucky	3.9	1 in 253
12	Oswego	Illinois	4.1	1 in 238
13	Milton	Massachusetts	4.2	1 in 233
14	Needham	Massachusetts	4.2	1 in 233
15	White Lake	Michigan	4.2	1 in 233
16	Avon Lake	Ohio	4.3	1 in 232
17	Madison	Mississippi	4.5	1 in 221
18	Wakefield	Massachusetts	4.5	1 in 218
19	Windsor	Colorado	4.5	1 in 218
20	South Kingstown	Rhode Island	4.7	1 in 212
21	Colleyville	Texas	4.8	1 in 206
22	West Bloomfield	Michigan	4.9	1 in 204
23	Johns Creek	Georgia	4.9	1 in 202
24	Billerica	Massachusetts	5.1	1 in 195
25	Mason	Ohio	5.1	1 in 192
26	Reading	Massachusetts	5.1	1 in 192
27	North Andover	Massachusetts	5.2	1 in 190
28	Wellesley	Massachusetts	5.2	1 in 189
29	Mundelein	Illinois	5.3	1 in 187
30	Brandon	Mississippi	5.3	1 in 186
31	Cumberland	Rhode Island	5.4	1 in 184
32	Andover	Massachusetts	5.4	1 in 182
33	Edwardsville	Illinois	5.5	1 in 178
34	Little Elm	Texas	5.6	1 in 176
35	Merrimack	New Hampshire	5.7	1 in 172
36	Waltham	Massachusetts	5.8	1 in 169
37	Wylie	Texas	5.9	1 in 169
38	Commerce Township	Michigan	5.9	1 in 169
39	Milton	Georgia	5.9	1 in 167
40	Melrose	Massachusetts	6	1 in 164
41	Ballwin	Missouri	6.1	1 in 162
42	North Kingstown	Rhode Island	6.1	1 in 162
43	Beverly	Massachusetts	6.2	1 in 161
44	Rochester Hills	Michigan	6.2	1 in 160
45	Keller	Texas	6.3	1 in 158
46	Shrewsbury	Massachusetts	6.4	1 in 156
47	Dracut	Massachusetts	6.4	1 in 155
48	Prosper	Texas	6.4	1 in 155
49	Newton	Massachusetts	6.5	1 in 152
50	Friendswood	Texas	6.5	1 in 152

In Ridgefield, Connecticut, the safest ranked city in the U.S., the likelihood of becoming a crime victim is only 1-in-510. That’s an overall rate of fewer than two crimes committed per 1,000 residents.

Want to know more? Then read:

• United States of True Crime: Alabama: The Most Chilling Cases in All 50 States
• Crime in the United States (U.S. DataBook Series)
• The Rise and Fall of Violent Crime in America