Most Dangerous Cities in America 2024
Complete rankings of US cities by violent crime rate, based on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. These 333 cities all have populations over 100,000.
Key Insights
- →Memphis tops the list at 2,501 violent crimes per 100K — a rate more typical of a war zone than an American city.
- →8 of the 10 most dangerous cities are in the Midwest or South. None are in the West Coast's largest metros.
- →St. Louis has the highest murder rate (54.1 per 100K) despite not having the highest overall violent crime rate — a 'murder concentration' outlier.
- →Being on this list isn't permanent: cities like New York, which topped it in the 1990s, have transformed their safety profile.
Key Statistics
Understanding Dangerous City Rankings
A city's "danger" is measured by its violent crime rate — the number of murders, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents. The national average in 2024 was 359.1.
Cities at the top of this list have violent crime rates 4-7 times the national average. These rates are driven by complex factors including poverty, inequality, gang activity, drug markets, and historical disinvestment. A high crime rate does not mean every neighborhood in a city is dangerous — crime is often concentrated in specific areas.
Top 50 Most Dangerous Cities by Violent Crime Rate
| Rank | City | State | Violent Rate | Murder Rate | Robberies | Population | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis | Tennessee | 2501.3 | 40.6 | 15,338 | 613,207 | 7.0x |
| 2 | Oakland | California | 1925.3 | 18.6 | 8,376 | 435,042 | 5.4x |
| 3 | Detroit | Michigan | 1781.3 | 31.2 | 11,599 | 651,171 | 5.0x |
| 4 | Little Rock | Arkansas | 1672.0 | 17.6 | 3,415 | 204,247 | 4.7x |
| 5 | Baltimore | Maryland | 1606.2 | 34.8 | 9,101 | 566,632 | 4.5x |
| 6 | Cleveland | Ohio | 1561.1 | 30.1 | 5,663 | 362,762 | 4.3x |
| 7 | Kansas City | Missouri | 1547.1 | 27.6 | 7,914 | 511,535 | 4.3x |
| 8 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 1430.9 | 23.9 | 8,019 | 560,416 | 4.0x |
| 9 | Pueblo | Colorado | 1424.1 | 17.1 | 1,578 | 110,805 | 4.0x |
| 10 | St. Louis | Missouri | 1367.1 | 54.1 | 3,791 | 277,294 | 3.8x |
| 11 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 1361.1 | 53.0 | 4,957 | 364,197 | 3.8x |
| 12 | Lansing | Michigan | 1345.1 | 9.8 | 1,506 | 111,965 | 3.7x |
| 13 | Peoria | Illinois | 1344.9 | 12.8 | 1,475 | 109,677 | 3.7x |
| 14 | Dayton | Ohio | 1339.2 | 29.7 | 1,806 | 134,857 | 3.7x |
| 15 | Birmingham | Alabama | 1246.6 | 58.9 | 2,436 | 195,418 | 3.5x |
| 16 | Shreveport | Louisiana | 1228.5 | 26.8 | 2,151 | 175,092 | 3.4x |
| 17 | Evansville | Indiana | 1206.2 | 10.5 | 1,383 | 114,660 | 3.4x |
| 18 | Albuquerque | New Mexico | 1181.8 | 18.4 | 6,603 | 558,745 | 3.3x |
| 19 | Springfield | Missouri | 1178.1 | 5.9 | 2,009 | 170,527 | 3.3x |
| 20 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 1160.2 | 17.9 | 4,911 | 423,282 | 3.2x |
| 21 | Houston | Texas | 1148.2 | 13.8 | 26,628 | 2,319,160 | 3.2x |
| 22 | Stockton | California | 1145.8 | 16.0 | 3,656 | 319,069 | 3.2x |
| 23 | Beaumont | Texas | 1137.3 | 12.6 | 1,266 | 111,320 | 3.2x |
| 24 | Metropolitan Nashville Police Department | Tennessee | 1124.1 | 14.6 | 7,857 | 698,987 | 3.1x |
| 25 | Rockford | Illinois | 1080.0 | 13.1 | 1,569 | 145,280 | 3.0x |
| 26 | Lafayette | Louisiana | 1066.1 | 14.8 | 1,295 | 121,471 | 3.0x |
| 27 | Tacoma | Washington | 1063.0 | 9.8 | 2,381 | 223,980 | 3.0x |
| 28 | Kansas City | Kansas | 1047.2 | 12.4 | 1,606 | 153,363 | 2.9x |
| 29 | Toledo | Ohio | 1041.1 | 12.1 | 2,745 | 263,668 | 2.9x |
| 30 | Victorville | California | 1015.6 | 7.8 | 1,425 | 140,309 | 2.8x |
| 31 | Anchorage | Alaska | 1014.8 | 9.4 | 2,912 | 286,958 | 2.8x |
| 32 | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 1003.7 | 24.2 | 2,199 | 219,086 | 2.8x |
| 33 | Denver | Colorado | 993.0 | 9.8 | 7,170 | 722,031 | 2.8x |
| 34 | Paterson | New Jersey | 978.6 | 6.3 | 1,555 | 158,903 | 2.7x |
| 35 | South Bend | Indiana | 965.0 | 2.9 | 998 | 103,415 | 2.7x |
| 36 | Aurora | Colorado | 947.8 | 10.3 | 3,771 | 397,852 | 2.6x |
| 37 | Tulsa | Oklahoma | 941.9 | 9.5 | 3,874 | 411,310 | 2.6x |
| 38 | Washington | District of Columbia | 925.9 | 25.5 | 6,502 | 702,250 | 2.6x |
| 39 | Greensboro | North Carolina | 923.7 | 14.1 | 2,811 | 304,306 | 2.6x |
| 40 | Richmond | California | 923.1 | 7.9 | 1,047 | 113,418 | 2.6x |
| 41 | Grand Rapids | Michigan | 910.1 | 6.1 | 1,783 | 195,913 | 2.5x |
| 42 | Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | 908.7 | 16.9 | 14,078 | 1,549,259 | 2.5x |
| 43 | Springfield | Illinois | 901.2 | 8.0 | 1,009 | 111,965 | 2.5x |
| 44 | San Bernardino | California | 897.1 | 11.2 | 2,012 | 224,283 | 2.5x |
| 45 | Springfield | Massachusetts | 891.4 | 10.9 | 1,386 | 155,491 | 2.5x |
| 46 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 877.9 | 20.0 | 7,819 | 890,685 | 2.4x |
| 47 | Salt Lake City | Utah | 864.2 | 5.2 | 1,838 | 212,675 | 2.4x |
| 48 | Corpus Christi | Texas | 863.6 | 8.5 | 2,730 | 316,108 | 2.4x |
| 49 | Topeka | Kansas | 856.5 | 16.0 | 1,072 | 125,156 | 2.4x |
| 50 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 845.6 | 21.8 | 2,635 | 311,599 | 2.4x |
Top 25 by Murder Rate
| Rank | City | State | Murder Rate | Total Murders | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | Alabama | 58.9 | 115 | 195,418 |
| 2 | St. Louis | Missouri | 54.1 | 150 | 277,294 |
| 3 | New Orleans | Louisiana | 53.0 | 193 | 364,197 |
| 4 | Memphis | Tennessee | 40.6 | 249 | 613,207 |
| 5 | Baltimore | Maryland | 34.8 | 197 | 566,632 |
| 6 | Detroit | Michigan | 31.2 | 203 | 651,171 |
| 7 | Cleveland | Ohio | 30.1 | 109 | 362,762 |
| 8 | Dayton | Ohio | 29.7 | 40 | 134,857 |
| 9 | Kansas City | Missouri | 27.6 | 141 | 511,535 |
| 10 | Shreveport | Louisiana | 26.8 | 47 | 175,092 |
| 11 | Atlanta | Georgia | 26.4 | 132 | 500,212 |
| 12 | Washington | District of Columbia | 25.5 | 179 | 702,250 |
| 13 | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 24.2 | 53 | 219,086 |
| 14 | Richmond | Virginia | 24.2 | 56 | 231,805 |
| 15 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 23.9 | 134 | 560,416 |
| 16 | South Fulton | Georgia | 22.2 | 25 | 112,441 |
| 17 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 21.8 | 68 | 311,599 |
| 18 | Louisville Metro | Kentucky | 21.7 | 147 | 676,843 |
| 19 | Fort Lauderdale | Florida | 20.1 | 37 | 184,347 |
| 20 | Indianapolis | Indiana | 20.0 | 178 | 890,685 |
| 21 | Oakland | California | 18.6 | 81 | 435,042 |
| 22 | Albuquerque | New Mexico | 18.4 | 103 | 558,745 |
| 23 | Montgomery | Alabama | 18.1 | 35 | 193,728 |
| 24 | Minneapolis | Minnesota | 17.9 | 76 | 423,282 |
| 25 | Lancaster | California | 17.7 | 29 | 164,012 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most dangerous city in America?
Based on 2024 FBI violent crime data, Memphis, Tennessee has the highest violent crime rate at 2501.3 per 100,000 residents — 7.0x the national average.
Which city has the highest murder rate?
Birmingham, Alabama has the highest murder rate at 58.9 per 100,000 residents.
Is crime getting worse in America?
No. Violent crime in 2024 dropped 5.4% from 2023 and is down 52.6% from the 1991 peak. The current violent crime rate of 359.1 per 100K is historically low — comparable to the late 1960s.
Who Gets Arrested for Violent Crime?
Arrest data reflects policing patterns, not the distribution of criminal behavior. Full demographics | Racial disparities | Who commits crime?
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2024. The FBI cautions against using data to rank communities. Crime rates reflect reported offenses and may be affected by reporting practices.