The 10 most dangerous cities in America

10. Birmingham, Ala.

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,345
Population: 212,001
2013 murders: 63
Poverty rate: 30.7%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 84%
More than 1,300 violent crimes per 100,000 residents were reported in Birmingham in 2013, the 10th highest rate in the country. Still, this was an improvement from 2012, when more than 1,500 violent crimes per 100,000 residents were reported. In 2013, aggravated assault accounted for more than half of the violent crimes in Birmingham. The city’s poor socioeconomic climate may explain the high crime rates. The city’s poverty rate was 30.7% in 2013, nearly twice the national rate of 15.8%. Additionally, median household income was just $31,152 in 2013, or more than $20,000 less than national median. Low incomes, in turn, may be connected to low levels of education. Just 25.9% of Birmingham residents had at least a bachelor’s degree as of 2013, well below the national rate of 29.6%.

9. Milwaukee

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,364
Population: 600,805
2013 murders: 104
Poverty rate: 29.0%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 81.8%
Violent crime in Milwaukee has been on the rise in recent years, with the number of reported incidents rising from 1,045 per 100,000 residents in 2010 to 1,364 per 100,000 residents in 2013. However, an increase in the number of reported crimes may not mean that Milwaukee has gotten more dangerous. A 2012 report by the Journal Sentinel, a local Wisconsin newspaper, found that police in Milwaukee had misreported thousands of crimes in prior years, which led to lower crime rates. Further, while Milwaukee reported a large number of violent crimes, its property crime rate was comparatively low, ranking just 83rd among cities with at least 100,000 residents.

8. Rockford, Ill.

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,375
Population: 150,209
2013 murders: 19
Poverty rate: 23.2%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 83.6%
Rockford was one of only three cities where the aggravated assault rate exceeded 1,000 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2013. The city’s murder and nonnegligent manslaughter rate was 13 per 100,000, much lower than in many other dangerous cities, but still close to three times the national murder rate of 4.5 per 100,000 residents. Property crimes, too, were slightly less prevalent than in other dangerous cities. There were just 248 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 Rockford residents last year, slightly higher than the national rate, but exceptionally low compared with other large cities with high violent crime rates. Yet, arson was quite common, with 71 incidents per 100,000 in 2013, more than in all but four other cities.

7. Baltimore

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,401
Population: 622,671
2013 murders: 233
Poverty rate: 23.3%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 81.8%
The number of violent crimes in Baltimore fell from 9,316 in 2010 to 8,725 last year, coinciding with the nationwide decline in violent crimes in recent years. However, Baltimore is still among the most dangerous cities. There were just 4.5 murders per 100,000 people in the U.S. last year. In Baltimore, the murder rate was 37 per 100,000 residents, higher than in all but four other large U.S. cities. Robberies were a major contributor to the area’s violent crime statistics, as 600 incidents were reported per 100,000 residents, versus a national robbery rate of less than 110 per 100,000 residents last year.

6. Little Rock, Ark.

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,407
Population: 197,399
2013 murders: 35
Poverty rate: 18.7%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 89.9%
Little Rock not only had one of the highest violent crime rates in the nation in 2013, it also had one of the country’s worst property crime rate. Last year, more than 1,400 violent crimes and over 7,800 property crimes were reported for every 100,000 residents. By comparison, nationwide there were 368 and 2,731 such crimes per 100,000 people, respectively. Yet, Little Rock’s crime rate has improved slightly since 2010, when more than 1,500 violent crimes were reported for every 100,000 people. Prison overcrowding remains a major issue for Pulaski County, which includes Little Rock. Police have claimed that preventing repeat offenders from being detained for long enough periods may be exacerbating the local crime problem.

5. Cleveland

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,478
Population: 389,181
2013 murders: 55 (29th highest)
Poverty rate: 36.9% (3rd highest)
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 78.2% (44th lowest)
Low educational attainment and poverty rates among Cleveland residents may explain, in part, the area’s high violent crime rate. Just 78.2% of area adults had completed high school and 16.5% had at least a bachelor’s degree as of last year, both among the lower figures nationwide. Also, Cleveland’s median household income of $26,096 was lower than that of every other large U.S. city except for Detroit. Robberies accounted for the bulk of Cleveland’s violent crime rate, with 897 reported per 100,000 last year, second only to Oakland. The burglary rate was even higher. More than 2,100 burglaries were documented per 100,000 area residents last year, the second highest rate in the country and more than three times the national rate of 610.

4. St. Louis

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,594
Population: 318,563
2013 murders: 120
Poverty rate: 26.6%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 83.3%
More than 5,000 violent crime were reported in St. Louis last year, or nearly 1,600 per 100,000 people. Still, much like the rest of the nation, violent crime in St. Louis has dropped in recent years. In 2010, more than 6,200 violent incidents were reported in the city, or 1,747 per 100,000 residents. Despite this improvement, St. Louis still struggles with tragic levels of certain serious crimes. A total of 120 murders were reported in St. Louis last year, or 38 per 100,000 people, among the worst rates for any large U.S. city. Additionally, according to local news reports, there were considerably more murders this year through October than during the same period in 2013.

3. Memphis, Tenn.

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,656
Population: 657,691
2013 murders: 124
Poverty rate: 27.7%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 82.5%
There were 7,200 aggravated assaults reported in Memphis last year. This was one of the largest figures among U.S. cities and a major contributor to Memphis’ high violent crime rate of 1,656 per 100,000 residents. In addition to a high violent crime rate, Memphis also suffers from high levels of property crimes, which totaled nearly 40,000. There were 366 arsons in 2013, for example, more than in all but five other large U.S. cities. Like residents in a majority of the country’s most dangerous cities, Memphis residents are far more likely to live in poverty than most Americans. The area’s poverty rate of nearly 28% in 2013 was among the highest rates nationwide.

2. Oakland, Calif.

Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,977
Population: 403,887
2013 murders: 90
Poverty rate: 19.5%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 80.9%
Oakland has historically suffered from high crime and last year was no exception. Oakland reported nearly 2,000 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2013. Moreover, the city reported 1,219 robberies per 100,000 residents, the most of any large American city. In addition to violent crime, property crime was also quite high in the city, at over 6,200 such incidents per 100,000 residents last year. By comparison, the national rate was 2,731 per 100,000 residents. However, despite its high levels of crime, Oakland is rapidly gentrifying. Gentrification may contribute to lower violent crime rates in the long run, according to the Urban Institute’s John Roman.

1. Detroit

Violent crimes per 100,000: 2,072
Population: 699,889
2013 murders: 316
Poverty rate: 40.7%
Pct. of adults with high-school diploma: 78.6%
Detroit’s violent crime rate of 2,072 per 100,000 residents was the highest in the nation last year. This is despite the fact that the violent crime rate fell from 2,123 incidents per 100,000 people in 2012. Further, there were a total of more than 300 murders in Detroit last year, also among the worst figures nationwide. Like many other dangerous cities, Detroit residents are quite poor. A typical household earned less than $25,000 in 2013, and nearly 41% of people lived in poverty, both the worst figures among large U.S. cities. The region’s history of high crime rates may have encouraged residents over the years to take their protection into their own hands. Like in several other Michigan counties, residents of Wayne County, where Detroit is located, are more likely to have concealed gun permits than residents in the vast majority of populous areas. The number of applications for permits has risen dramatically in recent years.

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