What are Ten Most Dangerous Cities in the US?
As per FBI, between January 2016 and June 2017, the highest number of murders per 100,000 people, was recorded in St. Louis, followed by Baltimore and New Orleans, respectively.
The Top 10 cities with the highest murder rate per 100,000 people
- St. Louis: 57.9
- Baltimore: 55.5
- New Orleans: 49.7
- Detroit: 40.7
- Kansas City, MO: 30.3
- Memphis, TN: 28.1
- Cleveland: 27.9
- Chicago: 24.1
- Cincinnati: 23.1
- Philadelphia: 19.8
Between 1960 and 2017, the year 1980 recorded the highest rate of murders per 100,000 people.
Total number of violent crimes reported
New York registered the maximum number of violent crime incidents – murder, rape, aggravated assault, and robbery, between January 2016 and June 2017. The list is based on total number of crimes reported and does not consider the crime per 100,000 people. It also does not take into account crimes like arson, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and property crime.
The cities which recorded maximum percentage of increase in murders during this period include: Charlotte, NC (104%); New Orleans (46%); Kansan City (41%); Baltimore (26%); Philadelphia (20%).
The cities which recorded decrease in murders include: Wichita, KS (44%); Atlanta (40%); Newark, NJ (40%); New York (22%); Houston (20%).
Top 10 most dangerous cities in the US ( on the basis of highest number of violent crime)
New York
Population: 8,566,917
Violent Crime 2017: 22,369
The world’s most happening city is home to over eight million residents. New York is known to be a city that never sleeps, be it for work, entertainment, business, or events. However, the city has a darker side, as it is also a dangerous city. New York recorded the highest number of violent crimes in 2017, even though 1,177 lesser incidents are reported than in 2016. The city recorded maximum rape cases with the number being 1,126. Other than that, 6,607 cases of robbery, 14,509 cases of aggravated assault, 127 cases of murder have also been recorded. To make things worse, highest number of property crimes in the country have also been recorded here, with 57,559 cases till June 2017.
Los Angeles
Population: 4,007,905
Violent Crime 2017: 14,440
Prosperous with high celebrity visibility, Los Angeles is a popular city with a cosmopolitan mix of people living there. However, the city recorded the second highest number of violent crimes after New York between January 2016 to June 2017. Between June 2017- June 2018, 598 people were reportedly killed in L.A. County. Between January 2016 and June 2017, reported cases of rape was 1,212. Other crimes included 5,165 cases of robbery, 138 cases of murder, 7,925 cases of aggravated assault, 50,122 cases of property crime, and 32,363 cases of larceny-theft.
Chicago
Population: 2,725,153
Violent Crime 2017: 14,007
Chicago is where the dreaded mobster Al Capone made his home and unfortunately, Chicago continues to record high incidences of violent crime. The city has 32 percent less population registered, which is almost the same number of cases as L.A. Ranked third after L.A., Chicago recorded lesser number of rape cases than New York and L.A. but witnessed a higher number of murder cases – 328, than both New York and L.A. 808 cases of rape and 5385 cases of robbery were recorded, suggesting that robbery was marginally higher than L.A., but lower than New York. Chicago recorded 29,423 cases of property crimes, which is lesser than L.A. and significantly lower than New York. Street gangs continue to fight among themselves for control of narcotics and other crimes.
Philadelphia
Population: 1,570,826
Violent Crime 2017: 7,357
Philadelphia is among the cities recording the highest increase in murders in the US. After the big three, Philadelphia registered almost half the number of violent cases in Chicago. The city recorded 156 homicide, 585 rape, 2,878 robbery, and 3,738 aggravated assault cases, during the same period.
Memphis
Population: 656,434
Violent Crime 2017: 6,391
Memphis recorded an increase in violent crimes in 2017 over the previous year, ranking sixth in the Top 10 list of highest murder rates. In 2006, the number of criminal incidents reported was 9,728 per 100,000 people, but after touching a low of 7,361.20 in 2016, the crime rate has again risen to 7,907.70 per 100,000 people. The city of Memphis has stepped up recruitment and training of new Police officers with a sanction of $6.1 million in 2017, in the hope of arresting the rising crime graph.
Baltimore
Population: 618,385
Violent Crime 2017: 6,095
Baltimore has been witnessing high rates of violent crime for decades, and 2017 was no less. The year saw the number of homicides touch 343 and murder rate was 56 per 100,000. That makes Baltimore the second most dangerous city after St. Louis. Baltimore has seen its population come down over the years, but violent crime continues to strain the city. 2,780 cases of robbery, 2,969 cases of aggravated assault, and 176 cases of rape, were reported in 2017.
Las Vegas
Population: 1,592,178
Violent Crime 2017: 4,906
Las Vegas has a population size similar to Philadelphia, but its violent crime cases reported are 33% less. The city recorded a total of 4,906 cases of violent crime, which is a drop of 31 percent over 2016. It included 141 cases of homicide, and the number excludes the 58 people who were killed in the mass shoot-out at Mandalay Bay Hotel. Robbery cases witnessed the maximum decline (34 percent) over the previous year.
Milwaukee
Population: 600,193
Violent Crime 2017: 4,539
Homicide rates in Milwaukee have been climbing steadily since 2004. That year, 87 murder cases had been recorded but in 2015, the number touched 145, the highest in a decade, recording 24.1 murders per 100,000 people. Since 2002, rape cases were the highest in 2016. Rape and robbery cases registered a decline in 2017, but aggravated assault cases registered a marginal increase.
Kansas City, MO
Population: 478,364
Violent Crime 2017: 4,111
Violent crime has risen by 10 percent in 2017 over last year. 2006 was the worst year in Kansas City recording 45 murders per 100,000 people. 2017 recorded 30.3 murders per 100,000 people up from 26.4 in 2016. Robbery and aggravated assault cases have risen, but rape cases have dropped marginally from 199 in 2016 to 195 in 2017.
Washington, D.C.
Population: 681,170
Violent Crime 2017: 3,075
Washington ranks 10th in the number of violent cases reported, but the number is 21 percent lower than what was recorded in 2016. The murder rate per 100,000 people was 46.2 in 2002, that number has come down to 20.3 in 2016. In 2017, the city registered 55 murders, 227 rape, 1,102 robbery, and 1,691 cases of aggravated assault. However, rape cases per 100,000 have gone up significantly from 49.5 in 2002 to 77.4 in 2016. The rate was lower in 2017. Robberies were down 29% over the previous year.
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