The 50 Most Dangerous Cities in the US
Understanding where crime is highest helps residents, users, and policymakers make informed decisions. We analyzed crime data from 108,518 cities across all 50 states to identify the most dangerous communities in America. These rankings reveal where crime rates are significantly above the national average.
Full Rankings
The 50 most dangerous cities, ranked by overall crime score.
| # ▼ | City ▼ | State ▼ | Grade ▼ | Population ▼ | Median Income ▼ | Home Value ▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chester | PA | F | 33,855 | $32,867 | $71,497 |
| 2 | East St. Louis | IL | F | 26,359 | $24,009 | $54,240 |
| 3 | Suitland | MD | F | 25,273 | $62,617 | $248,776 |
| 4 | Camden | NJ | F | 73,742 | $28,623 | $82,635 |
| 5 | Hartford | CT | F | 918,434 | $36,154 | $169,959 |
| 6 | University | FL | F | 48,339 | $29,380 | $98,814 |
| 7 | Norristown | PA | F | 34,392 | $54,409 | $156,825 |
| 8 | Atlantic City | NJ | F | 236,314 | $29,526 | $149,956 |
| 9 | Plainfield | NJ | D- | 50,252 | $58,400 | $266,188 |
| 10 | Harrisburg | PA | D- | 472,261 | $41,831 | $85,374 |
| 11 | Pontiac | MI | D- | 59,714 | $34,673 | $73,445 |
| 12 | East Orange | NJ | D- | 64,650 | $50,990 | $225,964 |
| 13 | East Palo Alto | CA | D- | 29,448 | $83,511 | $940,405 |
| 14 | Hempstead | NY | D- | 766,765 | $114,822 | $474,960 |
| 15 | Westmont | CA | D- | 35,188 | $41,119 | $455,245 |
| 16 | Trenton | NJ | D- | 291,085 | $37,002 | $96,012 |
| 17 | Bridgeport | CT | D- | 948,918 | $47,484 | $185,379 |
| 18 | Newark | NJ | D- | 281,917 | $37,476 | $254,695 |
| 19 | Gary | IN | D- | 75,486 | $31,315 | $67,696 |
| 20 | Wilmington | DE | D- | 70,655 | $45,139 | $174,499 |
| 21 | Petersburg | VA | D- | 30,791 | $43,029 | $114,522 |
| 22 | Oakland | CA | D- | 422,575 | $80,143 | $728,646 |
| 23 | Detroit | MI | D- | 3,731,490 | $32,498 | $53,761 |
| 24 | Bessemer | AL | D- | 26,063 | $30,284 | $104,012 |
| 25 | Monroe | LA | D- | 117,197 | $31,926 | $138,072 |
| 26 | Richmond | CA | D- | 110,051 | $72,463 | $509,033 |
| 27 | Birmingham | AL | D- | 753,721 | $38,832 | $104,853 |
| 28 | Riviera Beach | FL | D- | 35,025 | $48,228 | $217,415 |
| 29 | New Haven | CT | D- | 566,683 | $44,507 | $205,041 |
| 30 | Greenville | MS | D | 29,854 | $29,013 | $78,128 |
| 31 | Lauderdale Lakes | FL | D | 36,063 | $36,103 | $141,576 |
| 32 | York | PA | D | 236,818 | $36,320 | $76,716 |
| 33 | Milford Mill | MD | D | 30,355 | $65,229 | $219,992 |
| 34 | Immokalee | FL | D | 28,060 | $33,249 | $133,907 |
| 35 | Saginaw | MI | D | 118,845 | $30,845 | $42,762 |
| 36 | East Chicago | IN | D | 28,044 | $35,396 | $72,519 |
| 37 | Jackson | MS | D | 350,373 | $40,064 | $90,835 |
| 38 | East Point | GA | D | 35,031 | $45,411 | $149,110 |
| 39 | Irvington | NJ | D | 54,220 | $44,898 | $211,731 |
| 40 | Anniston | AL | D | 77,690 | $41,366 | $112,857 |
| 41 | Atlanta | GA | D | 5,151,500 | $64,179 | $310,078 |
| 42 | College Park | MD | D | 32,221 | $68,825 | $345,315 |
| 43 | San Pablo | CA | D | 30,959 | $60,819 | $374,662 |
| 44 | New Brunswick | NJ | D | 55,992 | $43,930 | $272,402 |
| 45 | Calumet City | IL | D | 36,229 | $50,640 | $114,462 |
| 46 | Cleveland | OH | D | 1,742,440 | $31,838 | $73,012 |
| 47 | Fairland | MD | D | 25,649 | $84,087 | $361,253 |
| 48 | Poughkeepsie | NY | D | 423,386 | $47,008 | $203,504 |
| 49 | Rocky Mount | NC | D | 61,952 | $42,691 | $109,449 |
| 50 | Berkeley | CA | D | 123,065 | $91,259 | $1,058,240 |
Key Findings
The most dangerous cities in America often share underlying challenges: higher poverty rates, lower median incomes, and under-resourced public safety infrastructure. Chester, PA ranks as the most dangerous city for 2026, with a population of 33,855 residents and a crime grade of F.
NJ has the most representation with 8 cities in the top 50. Concentrated poverty, gang activity, and historically high violent crime rates contribute to the elevated danger levels in many of these communities.
Interactive Map
Explore the most dangerous cities across the country. Click any marker for details.
Most Dangerous Large Cities (200K+ pop.)
Large cities with high crime rates present unique challenges. Higher population density, economic inequality, and strained law enforcement resources contribute to elevated crime levels in these major metropolitan areas.
| # | City | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hartford, CT | F |
| 2 | Atlantic City, NJ | F |
| 3 | Harrisburg, PA | D- |
| 4 | Hempstead, NY | D- |
| 5 | Trenton, NJ | D- |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | D- |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | D- |
| 8 | Oakland, CA | D- |
| 9 | Detroit, MI | D- |
| 10 | Birmingham, AL | D- |
| 11 | New Haven, CT | D- |
| 12 | York, PA | D |
| 13 | Jackson, MS | D |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | D |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | D |
| 16 | Poughkeepsie, NY | D |
| 17 | Honolulu, HI | D |
| 18 | Youngstown, OH | D |
| 19 | Spartanburg, SC | D |
| 20 | Flint, MI | D+ |
| 21 | Buffalo, NY | D+ |
| 22 | Reading, PA | D+ |
| 23 | Jersey City, NJ | D+ |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH | D+ |
| 25 | Memphis, TN | D+ |
| 26 | Bronx, NY | D+ |
| 27 | Providence, RI | D+ |
| 28 | Washington, DC | D+ |
| 29 | Rochester, NY | D+ |
| 30 | Baltimore, MD | D+ |
| 31 | Greenville, SC | D+ |
| 32 | New Orleans, LA | D+ |
| 33 | Springfield, MA | D+ |
| 34 | Dayton, OH | D+ |
| 35 | Savannah, GA | D+ |
| 36 | Columbia, SC | D+ |
| 37 | Shreveport, LA | D+ |
| 38 | Allentown, PA | D+ |
| 39 | Albany, NY | D+ |
| 40 | Stockton, CA | D+ |
| 41 | Baton Rouge, LA | D+ |
| 42 | Syracuse, NY | D+ |
| 43 | Mobile, AL | D+ |
| 44 | Richmond, VA | D+ |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | D+ |
| 46 | San Bernardino, CA | D+ |
| 47 | St. Paul, MN | D+ |
Most Dangerous Small Cities (Under 100K)
Smaller cities with high crime rates often face compounding challenges: limited tax bases for policing, economic decline, and proximity to major drug trafficking routes. These communities frequently struggle with violent crime rates that rival or exceed those of larger metros.
Most Dangerous Cities by Region
Crime distribution varies significantly by region. The South and Midwest account for the majority of high-crime cities, while the West and Northeast each have notable hotspots concentrated in specific metro areas.
Northeast
17 cities in top 50Midwest
8 cities in top 50- East St. Louis, IL F
- Pontiac, MI D-
- Gary, IN D-
- Detroit, MI D-
- Saginaw, MI D
South
19 cities in top 50- Suitland, MD F
- University, FL F
- Wilmington, DE D-
- Petersburg, VA D-
- Bessemer, AL D-
West
6 cities in top 50- East Palo Alto, CA D-
- Westmont, CA D-
- Oakland, CA D-
- Richmond, CA D-
- San Pablo, CA D
Top 10 City Spotlights
A closer look at America's 10 most dangerous cities.
Methodology
Our danger rankings use the same rigorous data-driven methodology as our safety rankings, focused on the opposite end of the spectrum.
Data Sources
We aggregate crime data from local law enforcement agencies and national crime databases, scoring each census block group individually. This granular approach captures neighborhood-level variation that city-wide averages miss.
Population-Weighted Scoring
Each city's overall crime score is the population-weighted average of its block-group scores. This means a small, high-crime block group with few residents won't artificially inflate a city's overall danger level.
Grading Scale
Cities receive a letter grade from A+ (safest) to F (highest crime). Cities on this list predominantly fall in the D and F range, indicating crime levels significantly above the national average.
Population Threshold
Only cities with a population of at least 25,000 residents are included to ensure statistically meaningful crime data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our crime data analysis of thousands of cities, the most dangerous city is the one with the highest overall crime score across all categories. Check our rankings table above for the current #1 most dangerous city.
We use data from local police departments and national crime databases. Each city gets scored on seven types of crime: assault, burglary, larceny, murder, rape, robbery, and vehicle theft. These scores combine into one overall grade from A+ (safest) to F (highest crime).
High-crime cities often share common factors: concentrated poverty, economic inequality, underfunded public services, gang activity, and proximity to drug trafficking routes. However, crime can vary significantly between neighborhoods within the same city.
Our crime data is updated regularly as new reports come in from law enforcement agencies across the country. Check the date at the top of this article for the most recent update.
Explore Any City's Crime Map
See neighborhood-level crime scores, safety ratings, and block-by-block crime statistics for thousands of cities across America.