The U.S. violent crime rate — an annual, population-adjusted measure of cases of rаpe, robbery, aggravated assault, and homicide — climbed by 5% in 2020. The increase was driven by a rise in aggravated assault and, most notably, a historic 29% surge in homicides that made 2020 the deadliest year in the United States since the mid-1990s.
Despite the largest single-year increase in homicides on record, the overall violent crime rate in 2020 remains relatively low by historical standards. There were 1.3 million violent crimes reported in the U.S. in 2020, or 399 for every 100,000 people. For context, the violent crime rate ranged between 523 and 758 incidents per 100,000 throughout the 1990s.
Of course, crime is a local phenomenon influenced by a wide range of factors at the community and even household level. As a result, violent crime rates in the U.S. can vary considerably from place to place — and in some cities, rates of violence far exceed the nation-level highs recorded in decades past.
Using data from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 most dangerous cities in the United States. Cities are ranked by the violent crime rate — specifically, the number of violent crimes reported for every 100,000 residents. Only cities with populations of 25,000 or more were considered.
Explanations for the high levels of violence in these places are varied and complex. Major current events that have impacted the entire country — such as the COVID-19 pandemic and unrest fueled by the murder of George Floyd — have likely played a role in some places. Other factors, such as a lack of economic opportunity, are more endemic.
Low-income communities in the United States are disproportionately burdened by crime. One study found that individuals with family incomes of less than $15,000 annually are three times more likely to be victimized by crime than those with family incomes of $75,000 or more. In nearly every city on this list, the share of residents living on poverty-level income exceeds the 13.4% national poverty rate. Here is a look at the city hit hardest by extreme poverty in every state.
Click here to see America’s most dangerous cities
To determine the 50 most dangerous U.S. cities, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed violent crime figures from the FBI’s 2020 Uniform Crime Report. Violent crime includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rаpe, robbery, and aggravated assault. The rate of violent crimes per 100,000 people was calculated using population data from the FBI.
We included cities that have more than 25,000 people based on five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. Limited data were available in the 2020 UCR for areas in Alabama, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though cities in these states were not excluded from analysis.
Additional information on the number of murders are also from the 2020 FBI UCR. Poverty rates are five-year estimates from the 2019 ACS.
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50. North Charleston, South Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,144.7
> Number of violent crimes: 1,345 — 92nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 38 — 61st highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 21.0% — 206th highest of 1,287 cities
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49. Rocky Mount, North Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,149.1
> Number of violent crimes: 615 — 202nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 13 — 154th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 19.2% — 268th highest of 1,287 cities
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48. Minneapolis, Minnesota
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,154.9
> Number of violent crimes: 5,025 — 27th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 79 — 28th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 19.1% — 270th highest of 1,287 cities
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47. Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,155.6
> Number of violent crimes: 7,951 — 13th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 113 — 20th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 15.1% — 483rd highest of 1,287 cities
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46. Jacksonville, Arkansas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,158.9
> Number of violent crimes: 327 — 364th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Murders reported in 2020: 8 — 223rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 19.2% — 266th highest of 1,287 cities
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45. Goldsboro, North Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,165.9
> Number of violent crimes: 397 — 303rd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 2 — 529th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 26.1% — 92nd highest of 1,287 cities
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44. Trenton, New Jersey
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,168.8
> Number of violent crimes: 969 — 130th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 40 — 57th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 28.7% — 55th highest of 1,287 cities
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43. Fort Smith, Arkansas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,170.6
> Number of violent crimes: 1,031 — 122nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 7 — 244th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 21.0% — 203rd highest of 1,287 cities
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42. Compton, California
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,177.9
> Number of violent crimes: 1,125 — 106th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 18 — 115th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 20.5% — 220th highest of 1,287 cities
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41. Riviera Beach, Florida
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,195.6
> Number of violent crimes: 428 — 275th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Murders reported in 2020: 16 — 129th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 21.9% — 180th highest of 1,287 cities
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40. Farmington, New Mexico
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,197.1
> Number of violent crimes: 529 — 227th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 1 — 380th lowest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 17.4% — 353rd highest of 1,287 cities
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39. Muskogee, Oklahoma
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,209.2
> Number of violent crimes: 446 — 267th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Murders reported in 2020: 3 — 443rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 24.6% — 110th highest of 1,287 cities
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38. Anchorage, Alaska
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,212.3
> Number of violent crimes: 3,472 — 41st highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 18 — 115th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 9.0% — 420th lowest of 1,287 cities
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37. Beaumont, Texas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,225.5
> Number of violent crimes: 1,431 — 89th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 20 — 103rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 18.6% — 297th highest of 1,287 cities
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36. Sumter, South Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,241.7
> Number of violent crimes: 491 — 245th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 10 — 183rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 19.2% — 269th highest of 1,287 cities
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35. Newnan, Georgia
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,247.1
> Number of violent crimes: 532 — 226th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 6 — 283rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 15.7% — 441st highest of 1,287 cities
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34. Houston, Texas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,256.3
> Number of violent crimes: 29,474 — 2nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 400 — 3rd highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 20.1% — 236th highest of 1,287 cities
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33. Wheeling, West Virginia
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,258.5
> Number of violent crimes: 330 — 358th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Murders reported in 2020: 1 — 380th lowest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 13.8% — 558th highest of 1,287 cities
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32. Stockton, California
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,277.2
> Number of violent crimes: 4,023 — 35th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 56 — 40th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 17.9% — 331st highest of 1,287 cities
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31. Paragould, Arkansas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,290.6
> Number of violent crimes: 378 — 313th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 1 — 380th lowest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 18.3% — 309th highest of 1,287 cities
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30. Oakland, California
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,290.9
> Number of violent crimes: 5,653 — 22nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 102 — 22nd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 16.7% — 387th highest of 1,287 cities
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29. New Orleans, Louisiana
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,324.3
> Number of violent crimes: 5,215 — 24th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 201 — 10th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 23.7% — 135th highest of 1,287 cities
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28. Albuquerque, New Mexico
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,343.6
> Number of violent crimes: 7,552 — 16th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 80 — 27th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 16.9% — 377th highest of 1,287 cities
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27. Chattanooga, Tennessee
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,359.3
> Number of violent crimes: 2,504 — 55th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 33 — 70th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 17.6% — 341st highest of 1,287 cities
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26. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,379.8
> Number of violent crimes: 492 — 244th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 6 — 283rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 21.6% — 193rd highest of 1,287 cities
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25. Terre Haute, Indiana
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,381.1
> Number of violent crimes: 837 — 148th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Murders reported in 2020: 6 — 283rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 26.4% — 85th highest of 1,287 cities
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24. San Bernardino, California
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,401.8
> Number of violent crimes: 3,033 — 43rd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 68 — 32nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 26.0% — 94th highest of 1,287 cities
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23. Pontiac, Michigan
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,413.9
> Number of violent crimes: 840 — 147th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 13 — 154th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 30.7% — 31st highest of 1,287 cities
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22. Canton, Ohio
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,428.9
> Number of violent crimes: 1,002 — 126th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 14 — 143rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 30.8% — 30th highest of 1,287 cities
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21. Spartanburg, South Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,430.5
> Number of violent crimes: 536 — 224th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 4 — 364th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 23.3% — 145th highest of 1,287 cities
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20. Kalamazoo, Michigan
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,431.7
> Number of violent crimes: 1,094 — 113th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 14 — 143rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 28.4% — 60th highest of 1,287 cities
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19. Lansing, Michigan
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,431.9
> Number of violent crimes: 1,699 — 74th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 16 — 129th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 24.6% — 111th highest of 1,287 cities
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18. Rockford, Illinois
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,451.0
> Number of violent crimes: 2,101 — 62nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 30 — 75th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 22.3% — 175th highest of 1,287 cities
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17. Florence, South Carolina
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,456.1
> Number of violent crimes: 562 — 210th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 12 — 166th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 19.1% — 272nd highest of 1,287 cities
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16. Springfield, Missouri
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,507.2
> Number of violent crimes: 2,545 — 53rd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 22 — 98th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 22.9% — 158th highest of 1,287 cities
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15. Kansas City, Missouri
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,585.9
> Number of violent crimes: 7,919 — 14th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 176 — 14th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 16.1% — 426th highest of 1,287 cities
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14. Wilmington, Delaware
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,590.6
> Number of violent crimes: 1,115 — 111th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 31 — 73rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 26.0% — 93rd highest of 1,287 cities
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13. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,596.8
> Number of violent crimes: 9,407 — 10th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 191 — 12th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 25.4% — 98th highest of 1,287 cities
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12. Cleveland, Ohio
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,656.7
> Number of violent crimes: 6,281 — 20th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 160 — 16th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 32.7% — 18th highest of 1,287 cities
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11. Danville, Illinois
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,671.7
> Number of violent crimes: 505 — 238th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 8 — 223rd highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 29.4% — 45th highest of 1,287 cities
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10. Albany, Georgia
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,724.3
> Number of violent crimes: 1,234 — 96th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 19 — 107th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 30.8% — 29th highest of 1,287 cities
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9. South Bend, Indiana
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,728.4
> Number of violent crimes: 1,765 — 72nd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 28 — 78th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 23.6% — 139th highest of 1,287 cities
8. Pine Bluff, Arkansas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,832.1
> Number of violent crimes: 746 — 167th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 23 — 94th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 26.8% — 74th highest of 1,287 cities
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7. Alexandria, Louisiana
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,848.4
> Number of violent crimes: 850 — 145th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 19 — 107th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 24.4% — 115th highest of 1,287 cities
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6. Little Rock, Arkansas
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 1,849.9
> Number of violent crimes: 3,657 — 37th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 49 — 46th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 16.6% — 392nd highest of 1,287 cities
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5. St. Louis, Missouri
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 2,016.3
> Number of violent crimes: 6,017 — 21st highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 263 — 7th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 21.8% — 181st highest of 1,287 cities
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4. Saginaw, Michigan
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 2,154.2
> Number of violent crimes: 1,029 — 123rd highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 24 — 88th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 34.8% — 12th highest of 1,287 cities
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3. Detroit, Michigan
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 2,178.5
> Number of violent crimes: 14,370 — 6th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 328 — 5th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 35.0% — 10th highest of 1,287 cities
Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images
2. Memphis, Tennessee
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 2,352.0
> Number of violent crimes: 15,310 — 5th highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 289 — 6th highest of 1,287 cities
> Poverty rate: 25.1% — 105th highest of 1,287 cities
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1. Monroe, Louisiana
> Violent crimes per 100k people: 2,969.1
> Number of violent crimes: 1,399 — 91st highest of 1,287 cities
> Murders reported in 2020: 19 — 107th highest of 1,287 cities (tied)
> Poverty rate: 36.8% — 7th highest of 1,287 cities
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