Most Violent Cities in America

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)
Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)
1.St. Louis, MO2,082
2.Detroit, MI2,057
3.Baltimore, MD2,027
4.Memphis, TN2,003
5.Little Rock, AR1,634
6.Milwaukee, WI1,597
7.Rockford, IL1,588
8.Cleveland, OH1,557
9.Stockton, CA1,415
10.Albuquerque, NM1,369
11.Springfield, MO1,339
12.Indianapolis, IN1,334
13.Oakland, CA1,299
14.San Bernardino, CA1,291
15.Anchorage, AK1,203
16.Nashville, TN1,138
17.Lansing, MI1,136
18.New Orleans, LA1,121
19.Minneapolis, MN1,101
20.Chicago, IL1,099

Unveiling the Landscape of Urban Violence

America's diverse cities, each possessing its unique allure and challenges, hold an undeniable impact on the nation's broader social milieu. Among these challenges, violent crime, characterized by acts where offenders use or threaten to use force upon victims, pervades certain urban landscapes more intensely than others. Given that violent crime encompasses a range of offenses - from homicide to robbery, rape to assault - understanding which regions bear a heavier burden is crucial for devising effective crime-reduction strategies.

  • St. Louis, MO, Detroit, MI, and Baltimore, MD, top the list as the most violent cities in the United States with violent crime rates of 2,082, 2,057, and 2,027 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, an alarming contrast compared to the national average of 368.9.
  • The top 5 most violent cities display violent crime rates which are over 5 fold the national average, and even the city ranking at the 20th position, Chicago, IL, records a violent crime rate that's approximately thrice the national average, indicating a severe discrepancy.
  • Despite its infamous notoriety linked to violent crimes, Chicago's actual rank by reported incidents per 100,000 inhabitants is only 20th.
  • The Midwest and Southern United States emerge as the dominant regions on the list, suggesting that these areas warrant a specific focus in the design and implementation of anti-violence interventions.

By Region

Albuquerque, NM

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,369

#10

Anchorage, AK

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,203

#15

Baltimore, MD

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

2,027

#3

Chicago, IL

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,099

#20

Cleveland, OH

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,557

#8

Detroit, MI

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

2,057

#2

Indianapolis, IN

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,334

#12

Lansing, MI

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,136

#17

Little Rock, AR

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,634

#5

Memphis, TN

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

2,003

#4

Milwaukee, WI

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,597

#6

Minneapolis, MN

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,101

#19

Nashville, TN

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,138

#16

New Orleans, LA

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,121

#18

Oakland, CA

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,299

#13

Rockford, IL

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,588

#7

San Bernardino, CA

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,291

#14

Springfield, MO

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,339

#11

St. Louis, MO

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

2,082

#1

Stockton, CA

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Metric

Value

Rank

Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)

1,415

#9