25 Most Dangerous Cities in the US (2024 Update)

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

Even though the United States is far from being one of the most dangerous countries, this nation has dangerous cities. Whether you are moving, traveling, or are just curious, it can be helpful to know which American cities are dangerous to protect yourself.

In this article, we will learn about the 25 most dangerous cities in America. We begin by looking at the top ten most dangerous cities before moving on to the next 15. Keep reading to learn more.

The Top 25 Most Dangerous Cities in the US: A Quick Look

1. Monroe, Louisiana

No matter what list you look at, Monroe is almost always ranked the most dangerous city in the United States. If not, it always ranks in the top five. With the highest number of violent crimes in the nation, Monroe is an incredibly dangerous city to live in. Over the years, Monroe crimes have been increasing. Just since 2020, violent crimes have increased by 5%. In fact, homicides increased by 29% in 2020 alone.

Although this is a lot of violent crime compared to other American cities today, the violent crime rates of Monroe are low if you compare it to historical crime rates around the nation.

2. Memphis, Tennessee

The only other city that comes close to beating out Monroe for the title of most dangerous US city is Memphis. Unfortunately, Memphis and Munro are typically neck and neck in terms of crime. Like Monroe, Memphis has been one of the more dangerous cities for a while. Over the last 5 years, crime has been increasing dramatically. Today, there is a 1 in 41 chance of you being a victim of a violent crime in Memphis. Likewise, there is a 1 in 17 chance of being a victim of a property crime.

3. Detroit, Michigan

In comparison to Monroe, Detroit is a much more famous city. For years, Detroit has been one of the most violent cities in the nation. As a result, there has been a lot of effort to make Detroit safer over the years, but the effort has not been successful yet. Hopefully, safety efforts will become effective and make Detroit a safer city to live.

4. Saginaw, Michigan

Fourth on our list is Saginaw. Saginaw is much smaller than Detroit, but its crime statistics are not much lower. Saginaw is only safer than 6% of other US cities, notably the top three on our list. This makes Saginaw a relatively dangerous area to live in. Your chances of being a victim of a violent crime in the city are 1 in 42. To put that in perspective, the chances of being a victim of a violent crime in Michigan at large is only 1 in 212.

5. St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is consistently ranked as one of the more dangerous cities in the country. However, the number of violent crimes in St. Louis has consistently been decreasing over the years. Especially since the local government started the downtown safety initiative, crime in St. Louis has decreased slowly but surely. Today, your chances of being the victim of a violent crime in St. Louis is 1 in 50. In comparison, the chances of being made the victim of a property crime are 1 in 17.

6. Little Rock, Arkansas

The crime rate in Little Rock is much higher than the national average. Shockingly, Little Rock’s crime rates are about 186% higher than the nation’s average. Violent crime specifically is 377% higher. Still, you’re much more likely to become the victim of a property crime than a violent crime in Little Rock. This is the same no matter where you are in the country.

7. Alexandria, Louisiana

Much like Saginaw, Alexandria proves that a lot of violent crime can happen in small cities, not just large cities. The most dangerous part of Alexandria is in the metro area. This makes sense, given that there are more people in the metro. In Alexandria, both violent and property crime is high. The US average violent crime is 22.7, but it is 83.8 in Alexandria. Likewise, the US average for property crime is 35.4, but it is 95.4 in this city.

Related Read: 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Louisiana

8. Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Even though Pine Bluff is not the first small town on our list, it is consistently referred to as the “Most Dangerous Small Town” in the United States. This little farming community is often compared to Detroit for its high crime rate. Generally speaking, the southwest area of Pine Bluff, Arkansas is considered the most dangerous. Just like every other city on this list, the property crime rating is much higher in Pine Bluff than in violent crime.

9. South Bend, Indiana

Even though South Bend is not one of our top five most dangerous cities, it is considered one of the most dangerous cities in terms of homicides. That’s because this city has one of the highest murder rates in the country. The national average for homicide is 6.5 for every 100,000 people. In this Indiana town, there are about 27.4 murders for every 100,000 people. This shows just how dangerous South Bend is.

10. Albany, Georgia

The tenth most dangerous city in the United States is Albany, Georgia. In 2020 alone, almost 1,500 violent crimes were reported in the metro area. As a result, the crime rate in this city is 161% higher than the national average. In Albany, you have a 1 in 22 chance of being a victim of a property crime. In comparison, you have a 1 in 56 chance of being the victim of a violent crime in the same area.

11. Danville, Illinois

One of the smaller cities on our list is Danville, Illinois. Even though this town is very small, it has quite a lot of crime and unsafe areas. Danville is so dangerous that it is considered the most dangerous metro in the state, being the second most dangerous metro in the entire Midwest. As of 2021, your chances of being the victim of a violent crime in Danville is about 1 in 58. In comparison, the chance of being the victim of a property crime is about 1 in 25.

12. Cleveland, Ohio

Over the last few years, Cleveland has seen a pretty steady decrease in inhabitants. The relatively high crime rate might be to blame. Cleveland has had a long history of crime that dates back all the way to some of the first settlers. Today, your chance of being made the victim of a violent crime is about 1 in 59 in Cleveland, whereas the chance of being made the victim of a property crime is about 1 in 24.

13. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Most of the dangerous cities we have looked at are relatively small, with the exception of Detroit and Memphis. Milwaukee is another big city that has some pretty shocking crime statistics.

The violent crime rate in Milwaukee is almost five times higher than the state average. Similarly, it is slightly over four times higher than the national average. Interestingly, the Milwaukee’s property crime is only about two times higher than the state average and one time higher than the national average.

14.Wilmington, Delaware

When most people imagine crime, Delaware is not one of the top states that come to mind. Regardless of that fact, Wilmington is one of the more dangerous cities in the nation. The rate of crime in Wilmington is about 41 out of 1000 residents. Wilmington’s violent crime is about 80.1, with the US average being 22.7. As for property crime, the Wilmington rate is 68.7, with the national average being 35.4.

15. Kansas City, Missouri

Although 15th place isn’t great news, it is good compared to past years. In the past, Kansas City has ranked in the top ten more than once, thanks to the likes of Pretty Boy Floyd. Nevertheless, homicide is still at a huge high in Kansas City. 2021 has been the second-worst year for homicides in the city, second only to 2020. At least crime as a whole is decreasing.

16. Springfield, Missouri

Right behind Kansas City is Springfield. This makes the third Missouri City on our list. Needless to say, Missouri does seem to have a crime problem, much like Michigan. Compared to the national average, crime rates are 261% higher in Springfield. Your chances of being a victim of a violent crime in Springfield are relatively low, with the chances being 1 in 66. However, your chances of being the victim of a property crime are much higher at 1 in 14.

17. Florence, South Carolina

In all of South Carolina, Florence is considered the most dangerous metro. Even though it is not the most dangerous metro in the United States, it certainly is very high, especially considering its population number. The chances of becoming a victim of violent crime in Florence is 1 in 69. However, you are much more likely to be the victim of a property crime.

18. Rockford, Illinois

Placed in the 18th spot, Rockford has a serious gang and gun problem. Even though Rockford is not the top city associated with gang violence, gang violence is responsible for the majority of its violent crimes. Unfortunately, crime in Rockford is only increasing. Violent crime specifically is on the rise due to its association with gang violence and gun violence in the area.

19. Lansing, Michigan

Over the last couple of years, crime in Lansing has increased. From property violence to the infamous Smiley Face Killers theory, Lansing is at the heart of a lot of crime. Still, crime rates seem to drop off a lot at this point in comparison to the last 18 cities. In Lansing, the violent crime rate is about 55.7, whereas the national average is 22.7. Meanwhile, the property crime rate in Lansing is 45, only about 10 points higher than the US average.

20. Kalamazoo, Michigan

The fourth Michigan City on our list is Kalamazoo. Although Kalamazoo is number 20 on our list, it has one of the highest property crime rates. Your chances of being the victim of a property crime in Kalamazoo is just 1 in 20. Luckily, violent crime is not as common in Kalamazoo. The chances of you becoming the victim of a violent crime are 1 in 67. This is a large gap between the violent and property crime rates.

21. Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spartanburg is another city with a huge disparity between violent and property crimes. The chances of being the victim of a violent crime in Spartanburg is 1 in 72. Although this is still higher than the national average, it is much lower than some of the other cities we’ve looked at. In comparison, the chances of being the victim of a property crime are high in Spartanburg, even when you look at cities ranking higher on this list. Your chances of being the victim of a property crime in Spartanburg is 1 in 17.

22. Canton, Ohio

The crime rate in Canton is almost three times greater than the national average. As with any other dangerous city, property crime is much more prevalent in Canton than violent crimes, but both are still common. The violent crime rate of Canton is 51.7, whereas the property crime rate is 74.5. To put that in perspective, the US average crime rate is 22.7 for violent crime and 35.4 for property crime.

23. Pontiac, Michigan

Pontiac is another Michigan city to make the top 25 most dangerous cities in the US list. The crime rate in Pontiac is nearly identical to the crime rate in Canton, especially when it comes to violent crime. Interestingly, there is a pretty big dropout in terms of the property crime when you get to Pontiac. The property crime rate is just 37.1, less than two points higher than the national average of 35.4.

24. San Bernardino, California

San Bernardino is considered an incredibly violent area. The crime rate in the city is 79% higher than the national average and 43% higher than the national average for property crime. What is scary is the fact that violent crime is incredibly high in San Bernardino, California. Its crime rate is 261% higher than the national average.

25. Terre Haute, Indiana

Finally, the last city we are going to look at is Terre Haute, Indiana. Terre Haute proves that where you are in the city can dramatically impact your risk of being made the victim of a crime. The most dangerous part of this city is in western neighborhoods. There, your chance of being the victim of any crime is 1 in 16. In comparison, the safest part of the city is in the southeast. There, the chances of being the victim of a crime are 1 in 78.

How Does the US Compare to Other Countries?

In comparison to many countries, the United States is incredibly safe. The United States does not fare very well in comparison to other majorly developed countries, such as those in Europe. According to the world population review, The United States is considered the 36th most dangerous country. On the peace index, it gets a 2.401. In comparison, Iceland is considered one of the most peaceful countries, with a peace rating of 1.072. It is the 161^st most dangerous country.

These ratings tell us that the United States is much safer compared to developing nations like Afghanistan and Syria. However, the United States does not fare as well compared to other developed Western nations.

How to Stay Safe in the US

The best way to stay safe in the United States is to be smart about where you are and who you communicate with. The United States is well policed so that tourists and residents can be relatively safe. Whenever you are staying in your home or at a hotel, make sure that all doors and windows are completely secured and locked. Likewise, be aware of your surroundings when entering the home or venturing out.

Try to avoid strangers as well. If you need to ask for directions, try to communicate with individuals in the community you can trust, such as police officers or business owners. These individuals will get you the help you need without risking your safety. When out on the town, don’t go out by yourself, stick to well-populated areas, and don’t flash a lot of money, electronics, or other high-ticket items. Just by being with others and by being smart, you are much less likely to be the victim of a crime.

Conclusion

As we learned above, some cities in the United States are not very safe. Monroe, Louisiana, and Memphis, Tennessee, are often neck and neck as being the most dangerous cities. Detroit, Michigan, follows close in third. Because of the crime rates in these cities, it’s important that you are safe when out on the town. By practicing smart decisions, you will decrease the chances of being made the victim of a crime. Regardless, be safe and take care of yourself!

See Also:

• 10 Most Dangerous Cities in the UK
• 25 Most Dangerous Cities in the World

Featured Image Credit: albertoadan, Pixabay