Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in the U.S.
Our research reveals the 100 most dangerous cities in America with 25,000 or more people, based on the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes include murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. Data used for this research are 1) the number of violent crimes reported to have occurred in each city, and 2) the population of each city.
This year’s most dangerous city is in Alabama. Last year’s most dangerous city, Monroe, LA, makes the list again this year for the sixth time in the last seven years, coming in as America’s 3rd most dangerous city. Chelsea, Massachusetts, after being on the NeighborhoodScout most dangerous cities list for years, has fallen off the list. High real estate prices in neighboring Boston are partly to blame, driving prices up in Chelsea, and crime down. The community has been revitalizing rapidly.
Newark, NJ is also getting safer. Like Chelsea is close to Boston, Newark is close to New York City. Newark has gone from 30th most dangerous city in the U.S. in 2015, to 51st in 2016, 55th in 2017, 85th in 2018, to 96th this year. If this trend continues, Newark could be off the list completely by next year.
See the complete dangerous U.S. cities list below. Click on any city name for a complete crime report and neighborhood crime map.
For more information, see our FAQ on how we rank the most dangerous cities in America
1. Bessemer, AL
- Bessemer Violent Crime Rate: 29.8
- Your chance of being a victim: 1 in 34
2. East St. Louis, IL
- East St. Louis Violent Crime Rate: 27.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 36
3. Monroe, LA
- Monroe Violent Crime Rate: 22.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 44
4. St. Louis, MO
- St. Louis Violent Crime Rate: 20.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 48
5. Detroit, MI
- Detroit Violent Crime Rate: 20.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 49
6. Baltimore, MD
- Baltimore Violent Crime Rate: 20.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 49
7. Memphis, TN
- Memphis Violent Crime Rate: 20.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 50
8. Camden, NJ
- Camden Violent Crime Rate: 19.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 51
9. Flint, MI
- Flint Violent Crime Rate: 19.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 51
10. Pine Bluff, AR
- Pine Bluff Violent Crime Rate: 18.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 54
11. Danville, IL
- Danville Violent Crime Rate: 17.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 58
12. Gadsden, AL
- Gadsden Violent Crime Rate: 17.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 58
13. Kansas City, MO
- Kansas City Violent Crime Rate: 17.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 58
14. Wilmington, DE
- Wilmington Violent Crime Rate: 17.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 59
15. Little Rock, AR
- Little Rock Violent Crime Rate: 16.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 61
16. Rockford, IL
- Rockford Violent Crime Rate: 16.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 62
17. Saginaw, MI
- Saginaw Violent Crime Rate: 16.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 62
18. Chester, PA
- Chester Violent Crime Rate: 16.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 62
19. Milwaukee, WI
- Milwaukee Violent Crime Rate: 16.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 62
20. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Myrtle Beach Violent Crime Rate: 16.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 63
21. San Bernardino, CA
- San Bernardino Violent Crime Rate: 15.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 64
22. Cleveland, OH
- Cleveland Violent Crime Rate: 15.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 64
23. Alexandria, LA
- Alexandria Violent Crime Rate: 14.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 69
24. Stockton, CA
- Stockton Violent Crime Rate: 14.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 70
25. Albuquerque, NM
- Albuquerque Violent Crime Rate: 13.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 72
26. Riviera Beach, FL
- Riviera Beach Violent Crime Rate: 13.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 73
27. Indianapolis, IN
- Indianapolis Violent Crime Rate: 13.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 74
28. Springfield, MO
- Springfield Violent Crime Rate: 13.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 74
29. East Point, GA
- East Point Violent Crime Rate: 13.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 74
30. Oakland, CA
- Oakland Violent Crime Rate: 13.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 76
31. Lake Worth, FL
- Lake Worth Violent Crime Rate: 13.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 77
32. Florence, SC
- Florence Violent Crime Rate: 12.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 77
33. Trenton, NJ
- Trenton Violent Crime Rate: 12.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 78
34. Texarkana, TX
- Texarkana Violent Crime Rate: 12.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 78
35. Shawnee, OK
- Shawnee Violent Crime Rate: 12.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 79
36. Newburgh, NY
- Newburgh Violent Crime Rate: 12.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 79
37. Muskogee, OK
- Muskogee Violent Crime Rate: 12.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 80
38. Wheeling, WV
- Wheeling Violent Crime Rate: 12.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 81
39. Charleston, WV
- Charleston Violent Crime Rate: 12.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 81
40. Kalamazoo, MI
- Kalamazoo Violent Crime Rate: 12.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 81
41. Anchorage, AK
- Anchorage Violent Crime Rate: 12.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 82
42. Compton, CA
- Compton Violent Crime Rate: 12.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 84
43. Jackson, MI
- Jackson Violent Crime Rate: 11.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 85
44. Canton, OH
- Canton Violent Crime Rate: 11.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 85
45. Nashville, TN
- Nashville Violent Crime Rate: 11.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 86
46. Clinton, IA
- Clinton Violent Crime Rate: 11.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 86
47. Harrisburg, PA
- Harrisburg Violent Crime Rate: 11.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 87
48. Albany, GA
- Albany Violent Crime Rate: 11.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 87
49. Niagara Falls, NY
- Niagara Falls Violent Crime Rate: 11.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 87
50. Farmington, NM
- Farmington Violent Crime Rate: 11.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 88
51. Lansing, MI
- Lansing Violent Crime Rate: 11.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 88
52. New Orleans, LA
- New Orleans Violent Crime Rate: 11.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 88
53. Houston, TX
- Houston Violent Crime Rate: 11.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 89
54. Atlantic City, NJ
- Atlantic City Violent Crime Rate: 11.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 90
55. Daytona Beach, FL
- Daytona Beach Violent Crime Rate: 11.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 91
56. Minneapolis, MN
- Minneapolis Violent Crime Rate: 11.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 91
57. Chicago, IL
- Chicago Violent Crime Rate: 11.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 91
58. Hartford, CT
- Hartford Violent Crime Rate: 10.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 92
59. Holyoke, MA
- Holyoke Violent Crime Rate: 10.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 92
60. Pontiac, MI
- Pontiac Violent Crime Rate: 10.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 92
61. Springfield, IL
- Springfield Violent Crime Rate: 10.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 92
62. York, PA
- York Violent Crime Rate: 10.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 94
63. Chattanooga, TN
- Chattanooga Violent Crime Rate: 10.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 94
64. Beaumont, TX
- Beaumont Violent Crime Rate: 10.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 94
65. Salisbury, MD
- Salisbury Violent Crime Rate: 10.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 95
66. Pueblo, CO
- Pueblo Violent Crime Rate: 10.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 95
67. Tulsa, OK
- Tulsa Violent Crime Rate: 10.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 95
68. Baton Rouge, LA
- Baton Rouge Violent Crime Rate: 10.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 96
69. South Bend, IN
- South Bend Violent Crime Rate: 10.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 96
70. Wichita, KS
- Wichita Violent Crime Rate: 10.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 98
71. North Las Vegas, NV
- North Las Vegas Violent Crime Rate: 10.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 98
72. Buffalo, NY
- Buffalo Violent Crime Rate: 10.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 98
73. Desert Hot Springs, CA
- Desert Hot Springs Violent Crime Rate: 10.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 98
74. Washington, DC
- Washington, DC Violent Crime Rate: 10.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 100
75. Battle Creek, MI
- Battle Creek Violent Crime Rate: 10.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 100
76. Jackson, TN
- Jackson Violent Crime Rate: 9.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 101
77. Fall River, MA
- Fall River Violent Crime Rate: 9.9
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 102
78. Huntington, WV
- Huntington Violent Crime Rate: 9.8
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 102
79. Modesto, CA
- Modesto Violent Crime Rate: 9.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 103
80. Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta Violent Crime Rate: 9.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 103
81. Shreveport, LA
- Shreveport Violent Crime Rate: 9.7
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 104
82. Homestead, FL
- Homestead Violent Crime Rate: 9.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 104
83. Miami Beach, FL
- Miami Beach Violent Crime Rate: 9.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 104
84. Brockton, MA
- Brockton Violent Crime Rate: 9.6
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 104
85. Cincinnati, OH
- Cincinnati Violent Crime Rate: 9.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 105
86. Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Myers Violent Crime Rate: 9.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 105
87. Chicago Heights, IL
- Chicago Heights Violent Crime Rate: 9.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 106
88. Philadelphia, PA
- Philadelphia Violent Crime Rate: 9.5
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 106
89. Juneau, AK
- Juneau Violent Crime Rate: 9.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 106
90. Burlington, IA
- Burlington Violent Crime Rate: 9.4
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 107
91. Richmond, CA
- Richmond Violent Crime Rate: 9.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 108
92. North Charleston, SC
- North Charleston Violent Crime Rate: 9.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 108
93. Lauderhill, FL
- Lauderhill Violent Crime Rate: 9.3
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 108
94. Port Huron, MI
- Port Huron Violent Crime Rate: 9.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 108
95. Jacksonville, AR
- Jacksonville Violent Crime Rate: 9.2
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 109
96. Newark, NJ
- Newark Violent Crime Rate: 9.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 110
97. Huntsville, AL
- Huntsville Violent Crime Rate: 9.1
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 110
98. Rochester, NY
- Rochester Violent Crime Rate: 9.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 111
99. Knoxville, TN
- Knoxville Violent Crime Rate: 9.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 111
100. Albany, NY
- Albany Violent Crime Rate: 9.0
- Chance of being a victim: 1 in 111
- See this year’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2021’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2020’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2018’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2017’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2016’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2015’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2014’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2013’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities
- See 2012’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities