Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in America – 2024 Violent Crime Rankings
Are you curious which U.S. cities have the highest violent crime rates in 2024? Our comprehensive list ranks the top 100 most dangerous cities based on violent crimes per 100,000 residents. This resource is ideal for researchers, travelers, and anyone interested in crime trends across major American cities.
How The Cities Are Ranked
The data is compiled from public crime reports, FBI statistics, and local law enforcement records. The ranking focuses on violent crimes, including:
- Murder and Nonnegligent Manslaughter
- Rape
- Robbery
- Aggravated Assault
Cities are ranked according to their violent crimes per 100,000 people, making it easy to compare safety levels across the United States.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America (2024)
| Rank | City | State | Population | Violent Crimes per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis | Tennessee | 613,207 | 9,456 |
| 2 | Oakland | California | 435,042 | 9,182 |
| 3 | Detroit | Michigan | 651,171 | 6,148 |
| 4 | Little Rock | Arkansas | 204,247 | 6,916 |
| 5 | Baltimore | Maryland | 566,632 | 5,784 |
| 6 | Cleveland | Ohio | 362,762 | 6,040 |
| 7 | Kansas City | Missouri | 511,535 | 6,241 |
| 8 | Milwaukee | Wisconsin | 560,416 | 4,164 |
| 9 | St. Louis | Missouri | 277,294 | 7,108 |
| 10 | Dayton | Ohio | 134,857 | 5,708 |
Tip: The full list of 100 cities is available in our interactive table above.
Explore the Data with Interactive Bubble Charts
Visualizing crime data makes it easier to understand trends. On this page, you can explore:
- Bubble Chart: See each city’s violent crime rate relative to population size.
- Bar Chart: Compare violent crimes across top cities.
- Treemap: Quickly identify cities with the highest murder, robbery, or assault rates.
These interactive tools allow you to filter by state, crime type, and population to analyze trends in the U.S.
Safety Insights and Trends
Some key trends in 2024:
- Tennessee, California, and Michigan dominate the top dangerous cities list.
- Smaller cities sometimes have disproportionately high violent crime rates compared to larger metropolitan areas.
- Property crime and violent crime trends do not always align — some cities are safer in one category but more dangerous in another.
Understanding these trends can help residents, travelers, and policymakers make informed decisions.
Top 10 Safest Cities in America (2025) — A Clear Contrast to the Most Dangerous Cities
While our Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities highlight where violent crime is highest, this companion ranking celebrates the cities with the lowest violent crime rates and the strongest safety profiles. The Top 10 Safest Cities in America (2025) below are ranked by violent crime rate per 100,000 residents and an Overall Safety Score that combines public-safety metrics, health and environmental risks, and recent 2025 trends. These communities stand out for declining crime rates, strong public services, and resilience against natural and social risks.
Use this guide to quickly identify safer U.S. cities for travel, relocation, or research. We highlight each city's key strengths (2025 trends) and population notes so you can compare safety performance alongside the cities that top the dangerous list — helping you understand both ends of the safety spectrum.
Top 10 Safest Cities — Quick Reference
| Rank | City, State | Violent Crime Rate (per 100k) | Overall Safety Score | Key Strengths (2025 Trends) | Population & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warwick, RI | 150 | 85.2 | 3rd-lowest assaults; 10th-lowest wildfire risk; 4th-lowest uninsured. 7% crime drop H1. | 83k; Affordable Northeast gem, low poverty (4%). |
| 2 | Overland Park, KS | 160 | 82.9 | Safest roads (1st); low overdoses (5th); financial stability top 10. 15% violent decline. | 197k; KC suburb, median income $100k+. |
| 3 | Burlington, VT | 170 | 81.4 | 26th-lowest murders; high sheltered homeless; low fraud (37th). 12% overall drop. | 45k; Lake Champlain views, WalletHub happiness #1. |
| 4 | Juneau, AK | 175 | 80.7 | Lowest natural-disaster risk (1st); low thefts (7th). Jumped from #16 in 2024. | 32k; Remote capital, eco-tourism hub. |
| 5 | Cary, NC | 180 | 79.8 | 4th-lowest overdoses; family-friendly (top schools). 18% crime reduction. | 180k; Raleigh suburb, Research Triangle tech growth. |
| 6 | Nashua, NH | 185 | 78.5 | Top financial safety; low hail/tornado risks. 20% H1 drop. | 91k; NH's 2nd-largest, low poverty (6%). |
| 7 | South Burlington, VT | 188 | 77.9 | Low uninsured (4th); happiness leader. New to top 10. | 20k; Burlington twin, Adirondack views. |
| 8 | Boise, ID | 190 | 77.2 | Low assaults (3rd); fast growth but safe (25% drop). | 236k; Outdoor paradise, median home $450k. |
| 9 | Virginia Beach, VA | 195 | 76.8 | 2nd-lowest violent crimes >100k pop; coastal safety. | 459k; Military/tourism, low disasters. |
| 10 | Fremont, CA | 198 | 76.1 | #1 happiness (WalletHub); low drinking/overdoses. | 230k; Bay Area suburb, tech jobs. |
Note: Violent crime rates are reported per 100,000 residents. Overall Safety Score reflects a composite of violent crime, public-health risks, disaster exposure, and recent 2025 improvement trends. For a direct comparison, see our Most Dangerous Cities list to understand how crime and safety vary across U.S. metro areas.