10 Most Dangerous Cities in Arizona in 2024 (with Pictures)

Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.

Arizona is a great place to settle down or simply head to on holiday. It has beautiful weather almost all year round, a handful of iconic national parks, renowned restaurants, and a ton of entertainment options from sports to concerts. Though, if you’re planning a holiday or even a move to Arizona in 2023, it’s a good idea to get an idea of crime statistics before taking the plunge.

Some cities in Arizona are safer than others, and it’s great to know which are the most dangerous ahead of time. We put together this list of the 10 most dangerous cities in Arizona according to the latest available crime statistics.

The 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Arizona: A Quick Look

1. Globe, AZ

Globe was founded as a mining camp in 1876, and due to its isolated location remained a frontier town for many years after it was founded. This led to a lot of “wild west” types of crime, a tradition that seems to have followed the town into modern days.

Globe is the most dangerous city in Arizona and has been at the top or near the top for many years running. In fact, crime rates in the city are actually rising and have been since 2017. There were 134 violent crimes in 2020, which is 399% above the national average, plus 525 property crimes, 239% above the national average. In Globe, you have a 1 in 54 chance of being a victim of violent crime.

2. Tolleson, AZ

Tolleson is located on the west side of the Phoenix metro area and is the second most dangerous city in Arizona. Tolleson may be second on this list, but it actually surpasses Globe in terms of property crime—1 in 11 residents are victims. The total crime rate in Tolleson is 4 times the national average, and the area has a pretty high violent crime rate too. That said, violent crime rates in Tolleson are actually declining despite the high property crime rate, and it has less than half of that of Globe.

One of every 4.3 residents in Tolleson lives in poverty, which likely accounts for the high incidence of property crime—plus the fact that more than 6% of the population is currently registered as unemployed.

3. Page, AZ

Page began as a temporary camp for construction workers and soon became a self-sufficient city due to the natural attractions in the area. Page ranks second among cities with the most violent crimes in Arizona, but is still a popular tourist destination due to the outdoor activities around the area. In fact, this passing in and out of people may also be a contributing factor to the violent crime rate in Page. The city also has the third-highest property crime rate in Arizona, consisting mostly of petty phone and wallet thefts.

Violent crime in Page has significantly dropped in the last few years, but there is still a dark side to the city. Page has the highest rate of rape cases in Arizona, and you still have a 1 in 60 chance of being a victim of violent crime in the city.

4. Winslow, AZ

Winslow was made famous thanks to the supergroup, “The Eagles”, and their hit song, “Take It Easy”. But since it’s the fourth most dangerous city to live in Arizona, it’s difficult for residents to follow the song’s advice. Winslow has the third highest crime rate in AZ, with 126 cases recorded in 2019—a high number for a population of just under 10,000. Property crime in Winslow is also very high, and in 2019, the city averaged one property crime per day.

Winslow has an unemployment rate of 8.7%, the fourth-highest in Arizona and is double that of the US national average. It’s not all bad news for Winslow, though, and the property crime rate has dropped by 35% in the last couple of years. Violent crime in this city is also gradually declining.

5. Holbrook, AZ

Holbrook is a somewhat small city with a population of just over 5,000, known for being extremely ethnically and economically diverse. In Holbrook, you have a 1 in 81 chance of being a victim of violent crime, and a 1 in 16 chance of being a victim of property crime. In fact, while Holbrook is only fifth on our list, it has one of the highest crime rates in the US compared to other communities of similar sizes.

Holbrook also has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle theft in AZ, and the chances of your car getting stolen are 1 in 94.

6. Phoenix, AZ

The sixth city on our list and the largest thus far, Phoenix’s crime rate has actually improved over the last few years, although there has been an increase in homicides and assaults. There were 34,000 crime cases reported in Phoenix in 2019, which dropped to 33,000 in 2020. But aggravated assaults have nearly doubled since 2016, with well over 3,500 reports in 2021. Homicides have also increased by an alarming 44% since 2019, averaging around 90 per year for the last 2 years.

Even though the overall crime rate in Phoenix has decreased recently, its rate of violent crime and property crime is still above the national rate—in Phoenix, you have a 1 in 30 chance of being a victim of property crime.

7. Tempe, AZ

Tempe is most well known for being the home of Arizona State University, and while it has a lower violent crime rate, it still has a very high property crime rate and the third-highest rate of rape cases in AZ in 2019. Both these rates have dropped consistently since 2000 though, and while the crime rate overall is still higher than the national average, it dropped to meet the Arizona average in 2021.

Tempe has a fairly high poverty rate, and 1 out of every 4.7 residents of Tempe lives in poverty. In some neighborhoods, your chance of being a victim of crime is 1 in 7, while it can be as low as 1 in 33 in other parts of the same city.

8. Tucson, AZ

Tucson is the second-largest city in Arizona and is known as “America’s biggest small town.” Tucson has the seventh-highest crime rate in Arizona, including the second-highest rape rate and seventh-highest murder rate. While it has a lower than average property crime rate, the city still had almost 2,500 burglaries and over 2,200 car thefts in 2019 alone.

Still, Tucson is a large city and its ranking at only eight may come as a surprise. Violent crime has been decreasing in recent years, falling by 31% since 2005, and you have a 1 in 27 chance of falling victim to property crime. 1 in every 4.2 residents of Tucson lives in poverty, though—and at 24.1%, it is still much higher than the 13.4% national average.

9. Coolidge, AZ

Coolidge is unique on this list in that a large proportion of the houses in Coolidge were recently built. This shows that there is an influx of new residents to the city, despite it being a fairly dangerous place to live. There is also a lot of work available, especially in the construction industry.

In Coolidge, you have a 1 in 187 chance of being a victim of violent crime, 45% above the national average. Property crime is high too, at over 40% of the national average, and 22% higher than the Arizona average.

10. Kingman, AZ

Kingman, Arizona is the last city on our list, and crime in this city has been gradually decreasing over the years by an overall average of 24%. You still have a 1 in 24 chance of being a victim of crime, but things are certainly looking up for the city. That said, property crime is still a massive problem in Kingman at a staggering 107% above the national average, and you have a 1 in 22 chance of being a victim.

The violent crime rate is looking better in Kingman, though, and is 10% below the national average, and 28% below the average in Arizona.

Arizona vs the Rest of the United States

In general, violent crime in the United States has been on a downward trend, and the US violent crime rate now stands at 381 incidents per 100,000 people—way down from 758 per 100,000 in 1991. This type of crime is far more likely to occur in cities, and many cities in the US have crime rates that far exceed the national average.

Surprisingly, Alaska is the most dangerous state in the US and has the highest violent crime rate in the country. By comparison, Arizona comes in tenth, with Maine being the safest state in the US. Alaska had a violent crime rate of 837.8 in 2020 (per 100,000 people), while Arizona scored 654.8 and Maine scored 108.6. The US national average was 398.5, far below the average of Arizona.

• See Also: 15 Most Dangerous Cities In Europe

How to Stay Safe in Arizona

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Conclusion: Most Dangerous Cities in Arizona

The crime rate in Arizona is far higher than the average crime rate across the United States, both for violent crimes and property crimes. Still, it’s only the tenth most dangerous state to live in the US, and there are plenty of safe cities to visit too. If you’re planning on visiting Arizona soon, it’s best to avoid the above-mentioned areas altogether—or at least be very aware of your surroundings while visiting—and stick to standard safety practices.

It’s not all doom and gloom though, and in many areas in Arizona, crime rates are gradually improving.

Featured Image Credit: Hans, Pixabay