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

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

Colorado is known for its mountains, vast forests, and arid deserts and is a massive and diverse state. With so much beauty, it may be hard to imagine dangers lurking about. But Colorado is no different than any other place in the world because there are places where danger seems to thrive.

We will see that smaller isn’t necessarily safer in the list below. Only three of the cities on our list have more than 15,000 people. We will look at the violent crime rate (VCR), murders, and property crime rate (PCR) in relation to population size. Keep in mind that according to the latest report from City Data, the average national crime rates are 205.8 and 178.6 for VCR and PCR, respectively.

The 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Colorado: A Quick Look

1. Glendale, CO

According to data gathered by a crime grading organization, a crime occurs every 50 hours on average in Glendale (Crime Grade). This data makes sense when you consider the property crime rate is almost ten times the national average and the violent crime rate is more than double. It’s no wonder this town makes it to the top of the list regardless of its size.

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2. Alamosa, CO

Over the last few years, property crime has decreased in Alamosa. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about violent crime. Over the last several years, violent crime has increased by over 100 points; this is a drastic jump in crime per capita, especially for a town as small as Alamosa.

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3. Canon City, CO

Like the cities before it in the list, Canon City’s violent and property crimes are incredibly high compared to the national average; property crime is more so. An additional concern is the number of murders. Three murders may not seem high by comparison to a large city, but for a city of its size, this equals 17.9 per capita, which is three times the national average of 5.8 (CDC)

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4. Sheridan, CO

Sheridan’s violent crime rate is above the national average, and property crime is almost three times the average. Compared to others on the list, it may not seem overly dangerous. This is mainly due to a 30% decrease in its crime rate compared to the previous report by City-Data. It has been a steady decline over the last 5 years, which is great to see.

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5. La Junta, CO

Both crime rates in La Junta are sitting uncomfortably high compared to the national average. Fortunately, the number of murders has not increased over the last 5 years, and property crime has gone down. On the other hand, violent crimes have almost doubled in 5 years. Its overall crime rate of 521 also keeps it in the top 10% of the most dangerous cities in the United States.

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6. Denver, CO

Denver is one of two huge cities on the list. At first glance, its statistics don’t seem much higher than the other cities we’ve seen so far. However, remember that they account for a much higher actual number even though the stats are low. For example, instead of the average of one per year, we’ve seen so far, Denver had 67 homicides, according to the latest report. Their homicide rate is almost double the national average. This—coupled with significant violent and property crimes—earns Denver its place on this list.

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7. Trinidad, CO

Another city whose stats don’t immediately set off alarms is Trinidad. Property crime is double the national average, but violent crime is almost on par. The scary part is the drastic and sudden jump in violent crime over the last 5 years. Between the previous two reports from City Data, there was a 14% increase in violent crime. One positive note is the downward trend in property crime over the last 5 years.

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8. Sterling, CO

Homicides have been sitting at one per year for the last 5 years in Sterling, but the same cannot be said about its violent crime. Violent crime was already double the national average, and then it doubled again in the last 5 years. The increase in property crime has not been quite as drastic. Nonetheless, it is going up as well. According to the latest data, Sterling is currently ranking in the top 5% of the most dangerous cities in the United States. One can only assume this is mainly due to this significant increase in violent crime.

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9. Colorado Springs, CO

In the latest report, Colorado Springs saw a slight increase in crime. Unfortunately, there has been a steady increase in violent and property crime rates over the last 5 years. On the other hand, homicides have been on a downward trend over the previous several years. In the latest report, they were sitting at 4.8 per capita, which puts them slightly below the national average.

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10. Lone Tree, CO

We included Lone Tree on this list for two main reasons. First, the property crime rate is more than double the national average and has risen over the last 5 years. The other is the steadily growing violent crime rate over the previous 5 years. If it weren’t for these two factors, Lone Tree might not have made it onto the list. If local law enforcement can curb the rise in crime, it probably won’t make the list next year.

Has Crime Gone Up in Colorado?

According to a recent report, the average monthly crime rate in the state has gone up 28% in the last 10 years, and 15% of that rise took place in the last 2 years. There’s no question that pandemic-related restrictions resulted in increased societal stress, causing this spike. Crime has been on an upward trend and shows no real sign of stopping, even as the nation begins to recover.

Property crime, on the other hand, is absolutely out of control. While property crime has been falling at a national level—even with the pandemic happening—it has been on a steady incline in Colorado. For example, the only place in the United States with more auto theft than Colorado is Washington, DC. This theft is costing Colorado almost $1 billion dollars annually. Shockingly, auto theft was lower than the national average only 10 years ago. (Common Sense Institute)

How to Stay Safe in Colorado

There are always ways to protect yourself. Even if you find yourself living in or visiting a city on this list, check out a few practical ways that you can minimize your chances of becoming a victim

• See Also: 10 Most Dangerous Cities in California
• You might also like: 4 Types of Ticks in Colorado (With Pictures)

Conclusion

After reading a list like this, your anxiety might go through the roof, but there is no need. As we discussed, there are ways to protect yourself should the need arise to be in a dangerous city. And keep in mind the ten cities listed are not the only dangerous cities. In reality, each city will pose dangers that are somewhat unique to it. However, with a bit of common sense and preparation, there is no reason that you can’t enjoy the beautiful state of Colorado.

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Featured Image Credit:  Town of Alamosa Colorado (Image Credit: Jeffrey Beall, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0)