Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in the US

Exposure to crime has become more prevalent as populations grow in urban environments, and increasing media outlets broadcast violent crime and property crime constantly. As a result, crime prevention is a topic that just about everyone has visited thoroughly, and most likely, recently. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, crime has declined since the 1990s and is now approximately the same as it was in the 1960s. That’s the good news. However, the reality is that it’s always wise to do your research and use caution before venturing to new places to evaluate your risk of exposure to crime. You have concerns; we have the data and the answers you need to assess your need for caution as you move from state to state.

Safest Cities in the US

RankCityStateDanger IndexViolent Crime per 1000Property Crime per 1000
1ZionsvilleIN0.11102.21
2RidgefieldCT0.1240.042.53
3FranklinMA0.1260.152.56
4BergenfieldNJ0.1390.042.75
5Mount Olive TownshipNJ0.1420.212.66
6ShrewsburyMA0.150.113.03
7Bernards TownshipNJ0.150.073.24
8Rocky RiverOH0.1520.153.21
9Harrison TownNY0.15303.51
10Buckingham TownshipPA0.1530.053.45
11MiltonMA0.1570.432.17
12NapervilleIL0.1580.690
13Monroe TownshipNJ0.1610.113.47
14North RidgevilleOH0.1640.262.85
15WestfordMA0.1710.492.60
16LexingtonMA0.1720.233.32
17Long BeachNY0.1740.862.37
18Mahwah TownshipNJ0.1770.113.70
19HuntleyIL0.180.333.58
20HuttoTX0.1850.413.23
21Hamburg TownshipMI0.1880.453.04
22Glen CoveNY0.1950.154.03
23Jefferson TownshipNJ0.1990.243.99
24Vernon TownshipNJ0.2020.054.53
25Upper Allen TownshipPA0.20.353.38

Most Dangerous Cities in the US

RankCityStateDanger IndexViolent Crime per 1000Property Crime per 1000
1TukwilaWA87.29167.64
2East PointGA6.5112.43120.05
3AnnistonAL6.2629.9278.55
4HammondLA6.2314.55103.36
5Myrtle BeachSC6.0414.04105.47
6AlexandriaLA5.214.584.11
7MemphisTN4.7619.4364.06
8BirminghamAL4.7419.1263.14
9Saint LouisMO4.541859.12
10GallupNM4.5315.3868.93
11GreenwoodSC4.5316.8568.51
12SpringfieldMO4.4113.1670.19
13MonroeLA4.3814.0267.88
14West MemphisAR4.2919.751.16
15Little RockAR4.2314.4665.48
16South Salt LakeUT4.239.6271.38
17Miami BeachFL4.189.3774.76
18BaltimoreMD4.1318.3344.95
19Pine BluffAR4.116.0953.99
20AlbuquerqueNM4.0913.6561.79
21GadsdenAL4.0710.5770.87
22DanvilleIL4.0517.9148.33
23DetroitMI3.9920.0843.05
24SpokaneWA3.937.9870.75
25KinstonNC3.92064.16

Top Cities by Crime

Ask the Experts

Criminal defense attorney Matthew Meyer

Meyer Van Severen, S.C.

Matthew Meyer

As a criminal defense attorney, I’m in the unique position of being able to advise victims of crime exactly how to respond.

The first step a crime victim must take is to stop. Look at your surroundings. Listen to the voice of the person committing the crime. Pay attention to the details of what they’re wearing, from the type of shoes to any unique clothes. Frequently when police investigate a crime, they’ll execute a search warrant on the home of the suspect. If the victim has previously identified items of clothing found within the home of the perpetrator, that’s a very strong piece of evidence for the prosecution.

Second, ensure you cooperate with law enforcement and prosecutors. The cops are the individuals who are going to find the person who committed the crime against you. The prosecutors are the lawyers who will file charges and pursue penalties against the defendant. You, as the victim, should be the last thing that either of these parties needs to worry about. Answer questions from law enforcement. Show up to meetings with the prosecutor. And make sure that they’re all aware that you are looking to prosecute the person who committed crimes against you.

And finally, when the case goes to court: show up. Defendants have the right to confront their accusers. It’s a constitution guarantee that the system must adhere to. If you don’t show up, frequently prosecutors are forced to dismiss the case against the defendant.

Criminal defense attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez

The Rodriguez Law Group

Ambrosio Rodriguez

 

As the target or victim of a crime, it’s important to make sure that you report the incident as soon as you can. The sooner the police are notified, the sooner they can begin to investigate and identify possible perpetrators. This can be critical in ensuring that the right party is arrested. As time goes on, evidence pertinent to the crime is more likely to get lost and your memory will fade. This can increase the likelihood that the wrong person is placed under arrest. Not only does that mean that someone could be falsely accused of a crime, but also that the person who is actually responsible for hurting you isn’t held accountable. So, after you’re attacked, robbed, or otherwise targeted by a criminal, call the police immediately and provide as much information as you can.

Methodology

For LawnStarter to determine both the most dangerous and the safest states to live, we used FBI crime statistics, and then weighted them for individual states and cities. The FBI collects crime statistics from both state and city police departments. The FBI collects data on eight crimes:

  • Arson.
  • Aggravated assault.
  • Burglary.
  • Larceny.
  • Motor vehicle theft.
  • Murder.
  • Rape.
  • Robbery.

Using those eight metrics, we weighted each crime based on the average amount of jail time per crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s most current “Time Served in State Prison” report, found here: https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/tssp16.pdf. The longer the average sentence, the greater the weight given the crime. We separated the crimes into two categories: violent crime and property crime. We then determined each state’s and city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall “Danger Index” score.