10 Most Dangerous Cities in America | PropertyClub (2024)

Across many US cities, both violent and property crime is on the rise. The most dangerous cities in America in 2023 are Memphis, St. Louis, and Oakland. Read on to discover the ten worst cities in the USA for violent crime.

hash-markTop 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America (2023)

1. Memphis, Tennessee
2. St. Louis, Missouri
3. Oakland, California
4. Albuquerque, New Mexico
5. Baltimore, Maryland
6. New Orleans, Louisiana
7. Detroit, Michigan
8. Lubbock, Texas
9. Chicago, Illinois
10. Stockton, California

hash-mark1. Memphis, Tennessee

The most dangerous city in America is Memphis, Tennessee. With a population of 628,127, Memphis has an overall crime rate that is 237% higher than the national average. Memphis has 7,913 crimes per 100,000 people, with an exceptionally high violent crime rate. In 2022, there were 15,318 incidents of violent crime, including 289 counts of murder, 2,134 counts of robbery, and 12,484 incidents of assault. The violent crime rate is 652% higher than the national average, and residents have a 1 in 40 chance of falling victim to a violent crime.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Memphis are Downtown, Parkway Village-Oakhaven, and Berclair-Highland Heights.

hash-mark2. St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri, is also one of the worst cities in America due to its high crime rate. St. Louis has a population of 239,210 and a crime rate that is 234% higher than the national average. St. Louis has 7,847 crimes per 100,000 people, with 6,107 violent crimes and 17,399 property crimes reported in the 2020 year. Of the 6,107 violent crimes, there were 263 incidents of murder, 1,242 incidents of robbery, and 4,278 incidents of assault. Overall, residents have a 1 in 50 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in St. Louis are Peabody-Darst-Webbe, Hamilton Heights, Walnut Park West, and College Hill.

hash-mark3. Oakland, California

Located East of San Francisco, Oakland consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous cities in California and the country. Out of a population of 433,823, Oakland has a crime rate of 6,459 per 100,000, making Oakland 175% higher than the national average and 150% higher than California. In 2022 there were 5,714 violent incidents, including 103 murders, 2,515 robberies, and 2,730 assaults. Much of the violence in Oakland can be attributed to gang violence.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Oakland are Eastmont, Acorn, and Webster.

hash-mark4. Albuquerque, New Mexico

Another one of the worst cities in America is Albuquerque. With a population of 562,599, Albuquerque has a crime rate of 6,356 per 100,000 people making the city 171% more dangerous than the national average. In 2022 there were 7,552 violent crimes, including 80 murders, 1,439 robberies, and 5,592 assaults. Overall the chance of becoming the victim of a violent crime is 1 in 75. Property crime is also a problem in Albuquerque. In 2022 there were 5,075 burglaries, 18,131 incidents of theft, and 4,965 incidents of vehicle theft.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Albuquerque are Quigley Park, La Mesa, Jackson Area, and Crestview Bluff.

hash-mark5. Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is also one of the most dangerous cities in America. It has a population of 567,498 and a violent crime rate of 6,170 per 100,000 people. As of 2022, there were 9,498 incidents of violent crime and 18,370 incidents of property crime, making the overall chance of becoming a victim 1 in 17. Baltimore has a particularly high violent crime rate, with 177 homicides in the first six months of 2022. Much of the violent crime in Baltimore is gang and drug-related.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Baltimore are Middle East, Fairfield, West Baltimore, and East Monument Historic District.

hash-mark6. New Orleans, Louisiana

Another one of the most dangerous cities in the US is New Orleans. Out of a population of 376,971, New Orleans has a crime rate of 5,864 per 100,000 people making it 150% higher than the national average. In 2022, there were 5,208 violent crimes in New Orleans, making the chance of falling victim to a violent crime 1 in 74. Out of that number, there were 201 murders, 1,106 robberies, and 3,200 assaults. There were also 18,098 property crimes in 2020, with 2,039 counts of burglary and 3,526 counts of vehicular assault.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in New Orleans are Pines Village, Wake Lake Forest, Central City and Desire.

hash-mark7. Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is known for its high crime rates, which make it one of the deadliest cities in America. Out of a population of 632,464, Detroit has 5,389 crimes per 100,000. The crime rate in Detroit is 130% higher than the national average. The chance of being the victim of a violent crime is 1 in 44, with 14,430 violent crimes reported in 2022. Of that number, there were 330 counts of murder, 1,850 counts of robbery, and 11,565 counts of assault. In addition, there were 21,258 property crimes in 2022.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Detroit are Franklin Park, Fiskhorn, Warrendale, Von Steuben, and Greensbriar.

hash-mark8. Lubbock, Texas

Another one of the most dangerous cities in the US is Lubbock, Texas. With a population of 260,993, Lubbock has a crime rate that is 121% higher than the national average. In 2022, Lubbock had 5,263 crimes per 100,000 people, with 2,856 violent crimes. Of those violent crimes, there were 28 murders, 431 robberies, and 2,169 assaults. Overall the chances of becoming the victim of a violent crime were 1 in 90. There were also 13,858 incidents of property crime.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Lubbock were Jackson, Tech Terrace, Chatman Park, Maxey, and Dunbar.

hash-mark9. Stockton, California

Stockton is also one of the most dangerous places to live in America. With a population of 322,120, Stockton has a crime rate of 4,259 per 100,000 people, making the city 82% more dangerous than the US national average. In 2022 the chance of becoming the victim of violent crime was 1 in 79, with 4,047 incidents. Of that number, there were 56 murders, 918 robberies, and 2,883 assaults.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in Stockton are Civic Center, Park, Lakeview, and Seaport.

hash-mark10. Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is also one of the worst cities in the US. It constantly makes the news as one of America’s most dangerous and violent cities. With a population of 2,746,388, Chicago has a crime rate of 3,926 per 100,000 people, making it 67% more dangerous than the US average. In 2020, Chicago had 26,620 violent crimes, including 774 murders. Much of violent crime can be attributed to gang violence and conflict, which is closely tied to the drug trade.

Much of Chicago’s gang violence is based in neighborhoods in which gangs operate. In general, the South Side and West Side of Chicago are considered to be the most dangerous. The most dangerous neighborhoods in Chicago are Englewood, Austin, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, and Washington Park.

hash-markMost Dangerous Cities in America Methodology

To determine the most dangerous cities in the US, we looked at numerous factors, including violent crime rates as well as overall crimes per capita (population), to determine how dangerous each city is. We used data from the FBI's most recent crime report as well as local and state data from 2021, 2022, and 2023.

For our ranking of the worst cities in America, we only considered larger cities with at least 200,000 residents. Even with large populations, many of these cities have unusually high proportions of murders and other violent crimes.

hash-markMost Dangerous Cities in the US Bottom Line

These ten cities are the most dangerous in the United States due to their high crime rates and the level of danger posed to residents and tourists. These cities have disproportionately high violent and property crime rates. If you want to feel safe at home, it's best to avoid the places mentioned as they are some of the worst cities in America due to their high crime rates.

Although crime is high and many parts of these cities are dangerous, there are safe areas in each city. If you plan on visiting or relocating to one of these cities, knowing the area you intend to visit beforehand is crucial.