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America’s Most Dangerous Cities and States

Burglar peering through windowWhether you have spent your life in one place or have moved repeatedly from city to city, the safety of your family has always been a major concern. No one wants to feel unsafe or become the victim of a violent crime so information on the most dangerous US cities and the most dangerous state in US can be very useful. If you are considering moving from (or to) one of these cities and/or states, the crime rate should be a major concern.

FBI Crime Report

Every year, the FBI publishes a report detailing different types of crimes at the city, county, state and national levels. Although the national crime rate has been declining in recent years there are still many cities and states with high rates of violent crimes, including murder, rape, aggravated assault and armed robbery.

The Most Dangerous US Cities

The highest crime cities in the US (limited to cities with populations over 200,000) include both expected and unexpected places. It is no surprise that Detroit tops the list of the ten highest crime cities followed by Oakland (2), St. Louis (3) and Memphis (4); however, the appearance of Birmingham, AL (6) and Milwaukee (10) may be a surprise. Rounding out the top ten most dangerous cities are Stockton, CA (5), Baltimore (7), Cleveland (8) and Atlanta (9). It is worth noting that Washington, DC also has a very high crime rate; however, because it is not considered a city, DC is not listed here.

There is a strong correlation between a city’s crime rate and its poverty rate: Detroit is the most dangerous city in the US and it also has the highest poverty rate. Cleveland, St. Louis and Baltimore also have among the highest poverty rates in the country.

The Most Dangerous States in US

Review of the crime data at the state level shows that the highest crime states fall into two categories: those that have a high-crime city within its borders or have a small population with a high poverty rate (so that comparatively few crimes create a high crime rate). The state with the highest crime rate is Tennessee, where Memphis is located, followed by the sparsely populated, high-poverty states of Nevada, Alaska and New Mexico. On the other hand, the states with the lowest crime rates are the New England states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Another sign that a state is one of the most dangerous state in US is the number of criminal justice related businesses such as criminal defense lawyers and bail bondsmen. In the highest crime states, these businesses are everywhere.

Crime rate information is valuable if you are considering a move to new location. Although national crime trends are down in recent years, there are still many cities and states with high rates of violent crime. If safety is important to you, think twice before relocating to one of these areas.

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