The Most Dangerous Cities in America

It’s impossible to ignore the issue of violent crime in the United States. Every year, there are countless stories of senseless violence in cities and towns across the country. And while crime rates have been decreasing nationwide, there are still plenty of dangerous cities in the United States that struggle with violent crime.

Violent Crime in the United States

Violent crime—including murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault—gets the bulk of the media attention. As a result, it often feels like an out-of-control epidemic.

The reality, though, is that the violent crime rate is nearly half what it was 30 years ago. There were 7.6 crimes per 1,000 residents in 1991 and 4.0 crimes per 1,000 in 2021. But that’s still too high.

Source: Statista

Initiatives to address the issue took hold in the late 80s and early 90s, around the time the rate started to fall. However, we’re seeing some alarming upticks over the past few years. In fact, on the Global Peace Index’s annual list of safest countries, the United States has fallen every year since 2016. It’s currently ranked 129th (down from 121st the year prior).

Of course, that’s not to suggest that the U.S. is inherently unsafe. Certainly, some locations within the United States experience more crime than others. And for obvious reasons, it’s good to know where those are.

So, where are the most dangerous places in the United States?

A Quick Caveat on Crime Data

If you’re looking for information about the most dangerous cities, the answer will depend on who you ask.

Several government agencies and independent organizations compile statistics using voluntarily submitted data from law enforcement groups. You might find discrepancies based on the criteria used, such as estimated vs. actual population and crime classifications. While they may not match exactly, you won’t find a ton of difference from one to another.

The FBI and several other authorities caution against ranking cities based on crime data with no further context. Crime is a complex sociological issue with many contributing factors. In addition, statistics can easily be skewed by tourist traffic, unreported crimes, a single catastrophic incident, and so on.

But to understand violent crime across the United States, you must start somewhere. For our purposes, we’re using the most recent and complete crime data available for cities of 50,000 people or more.

With that set, let’s look at the 10 most dangerous cities in the country.

The Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America

As part of its annual Crime in the United States report, the FBI released violent crime data for 2022. These are the most dangerous cities in the United States right now:

1. Memphis, Tennessee
2. Detroit, Michigan
3. Little Rock, Arkansas
4. Birmingham, Alabama
5. Pueblo, Colorado
6. Cleveland, Ohio
7. Tacoma, Washington
8. Baltimore, Maryland
9. Oakland, California
10. Kalamazoo, Michigan

These cities range from 15 to more than 24 violent crimes per 1,000 residents. For the sake of comparison, the national violent crime rate is about 4 per 1,000.

Let’s dig deeper.

#1: Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a big city with a big personality and an even bigger crime problem. Gang activity is a large contributing factor. The city is on pace for a record-high number of homicides this year.

• Violent Crime Rate: 24.2 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 15,129
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 41

Related resource: Memphis Crime Rate and Safest Neighborhoods

#2: Detroit, Michigan

Home to the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings, Detroit has plenty to do, but very high crime. The city has one of the highest murder rates in the country, though this has declined considerably since its peak in the 1980s.

• Violent Crime Rate: 20.3 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 12,710
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 49

Related resource: Detroit Crime Rate and Safest Neighborhoods

#3: Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock is the capital and largest city of Arkansas. It has historically struggled with high homicide rates and hit a record high of 81 homicides in 2022.

• Violent Crime Rate: 18.3 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 3,694
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 55

#4: Birmingham, Alabama

Alabama’s largest city is bursting with culture and history, but Birmingham also unfortunately has a growing crime problem. Violent crime has spiked over the last decade. Data for 2023 reveals that the number of homicides has decreased, but robberies are up 18% year over year.

• Violent Crime Rate: 16.8 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 3,280
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 59

#5: Pueblo, Colorado

Located east of the tallest mountains and south of Denver, Pueblo is Colorado’s ninth-largest city. Among other troubling trends, the city has noticed a recent uptick in violent crimes perpetrated by youth offenders.

• Violent Crime Rate: 16.2 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 1,825
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 62

#6: Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland has one of the highest murder rates—as well as motor vehicle theft rate—among cities of all sizes. It’s considered safer than less than 1% of communities within Ohio.

• Violent Crime Rate: 16.1 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 5,870
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 62

#7: Tacoma, Washington

Tacoma experiences nearly as many murders as nearby Seattle, despite being less than one-third its size. The city has seen mixed success with a “Hot Spot” police program to reduce crime, which started rising in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Violent Crime Rate: 16.1 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 3,526
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 62

#8: Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore has earned a notorious reputation for its high homicide rates. Economic downturns, riots, and gang violence have all played a role. The city’s crime data has come under scrutiny several times for notable discrepancies and out-of-date reporting standards.

• Violent Crime Rate: 15.5 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 8,861
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 64

Related resource: Baltimore Crime Statistics and Safest Neighborhoods

#9: Oakland, California

Concerns about rising crime in Oakland, particularly robbery, have spurred rallies. The city has a low clearance rate for murders, indicating that many go unsolved.

• Violent Crime Rate: 15.2 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 6,516
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 66

Related resource: Oakland Home Security & Crime Prevention Tips

#10: Kalamazoo, Michigan

By far the smallest city on this list, Kalamazoo nevertheless struggles with a big-time crime problem. The assault rate is nearly five times the national average.

• Violent Crime Rate: 15.1 per 1,000 residents
• Violent Crimes in 2022: 1,104
• Chances of Being a Victim of Violent Crime: 1 in 66

Staying Safe in Dangerous Cities

It is important to note that there is no single source to the problem of crime, nor is there a single solution. It will take a concerted effort from all levels of government, the private sector, and the community to make these cities safer.

While the issue of violent crime is complex and multifaceted, some steps can be taken to create safer communities. These include addressing the root causes of violence, implementing community outreach programs, and investing in education, job training programs…

And better security.

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Whether you live in one of the most dangerous cities in America or somewhere with much less crime, Deep Sentinel security camera monitoring can help you keep your home, business, and family safe.

To learn more about how Deep Sentinel can protect your property, call 833.983.6006 for your free security consultation