Most Dangerous Cities in the US

Since the 1970s, crime has steadily decreased; however, that does not mean every place in America is safe to visit. The pandemic has spurred a new crime wave that law enforcement officials are struggling to keep up with.

However, if you are traveling these days, knowing the most dangerous parts of the country is essential to stay safe.

Be sure to leave your wallet, social security number, and credit cards at home when visiting the top 10 most dangerous cities in the US:

1. Detroit, Michigan

Detroit has topped the nation in crime rates for years now. Detroit’s violent crime rate is 2,007 per 100,000 residents, and the property crime rate chimes in at a rate of 4,304 per 100,000 residents. For 2020, Detroit saw 13,088 violent crimes. However, despite these figures, Detroit remains a popular tourist destination with Motown and its famous music history.

2. Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee, has earned the title of being the most dangerous city in the south due to 186 murders (using guns) in the last year. It is also the place where Martin Luther King was assassinated. The property crime rate is 1,943 per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate is 6,405 per 100,000 residents.

3. Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham, Alabama, is a highly populated city with one of the country’s highest violent crime rates. For 2020, Birmingham ranked third in terms of the most dangerous cities in the nation because it has one of the highest murder rates in America. Birmingham’s property crime rate is 1,911 per 100,000 residents, and the violent crime rate is 6,313 per 100,000 residents.

4. Baltimore, Maryland

Due to 309 homicides in 2020, Baltimore, Maryland, is ranked the number four dangerous city in the country. Since 2015, Baltimore has experienced an unusually high rate of violent crime. The property crime rate in Baltimore is 1,833 per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate (ranking it as one of the most dangerous cities in America) is 4,495 per 100,000 residents.

5. St. Louis, MO

Before 2020, Kansas City ranked the highest in Missouri for dangerous cities, but due to high unemployment, the city of St. Louis experienced a spike in violent crime. In 2018, St. Louis saw 187 murders. Politicians are working to enact stricter gun legislation to help the problem. St. Louis’ property crime rate is 1,800 per 100,000 residents, and its violent crime rate is 5,911 per 100,000 residents.

6. Monroe, Louisiana

Monroe, Louisiana, has a population of just over 47,000 residents. There is a fairly equal mix of blue and white-collar jobs. More people in Monroe, Louisiana, work in computer jobs than 95% of the rest of the country. The property crime rate in Monroe is 3,176 per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate is 847 per 100,000 residents.

7. Danville, Illinois

Danville, Illinois, is a medium-sized, historical city with most of its buildings pre-dating World War II. Danville is a very service-oriented community, with most of the population (30k+) working in blue and white-collar service positions. The property crime rate in Danville is 1,370 per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate is 536 per 100,000 people.

8. Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware, is a large city in the tiniest state and home to more than 70,000 people. There are 59 neighborhoods in Wilmington. The city is home to a lot of young, single, educated people on the rise career-wise. The community widely uses public transportation as the primary mode of transportation. Wilmington’s property crime rate is 3,690 per 100,000 residents, and the violent crime rate is 1,114 per 100,000 people.

9. Alexandria, Louisiana

Another city in Louisiana topping the charts of most dangerous is Alexandria, a medium-sized city with just over 46,000 residents. Even though this is a reasonably large city with a lot of people, traffic is light most days, and the average commute takes less than 20 minutes. Roughly 25% of residents are college graduates and live in upper to middle-class neighborhoods. The property crime rate in Alexandria is 4,180 per 100,000 residents, and the violent crime rate is 732 per 100,000 residents.

10. Camden, New Jersey

Another dangerous city to make the list this year is Camden, New Jersey. With a population of roughly 73.5k people living in 19 neighborhoods, Camden is considered one of the state’s older, more historic areas. Most of the population uses public transportation, and the per capita income is very low ($14,747). The property crime rate in Camden is 2,122 per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate in Camden is 1,161 per 100,000 people.

11. Scranton, Pennsylvania

The last entry on our list of the most dangerous cities in America is Scranton, Pennsylvania. Scranton houses 76.6k residents, and 21.84% have college degrees. Scranton is a very ethnically diverse city. The city’s property crime rate is 1,347 per 100,000 residents, and the violent crime rate is 1,206 per 100,000 people.

Some other places that are not the most dangerous cities in the US but may have dangerous areas include:

• Chicago
• Houston Texas
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Milwaukee
• Nashville
• Oakland California
• Anchorage Alaska
• Buffalo, New York
• Florida
• Georgia
• Springfield Massachusetts
• Baton Rouge Louisiana
• Little Rock Arkansas
• Indiana
• Minneapolis Minnesota
• New Orleans Louisiana
• Rockford Illinois
• Washington DC.
• San Bernardino California
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• North Carolina

You can check out the FBI Uniform Crime Report to learn more about crime data from US cities, gun violence, shootings, aggravated assault, and the national average of high crime areas around the world. You could also find out what the safest cities in the country are.