Most Dangerous Places in the U.S. in 2020-21
Crime rate can be one of the deciding factors of where families settle down. Based on the metro areas’ murder and property crime rates per 100,000 people, determined by FBI crime reports, these are the most dangerous places to live in the United States. For more information on how we rank, read the Best Places to Live methodology.
View All 58 PhotosSan Juan, PR
#1 in Most Dangerous Places
Formally established in 1521, San Juan is the oldest continuously occupied European-settled metropolitan area within... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 3.3
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 2.8
- Value
- Value
- 2.4
- Overall Score
- 3.3
- Quality of Life
- 2.8
- Value
- 2.4
View All 32 PhotosJackson, MS
#2 in Most Dangerous Places
In its heyday, Jackson, Mississippi, was the soul of the American music industry. Renowned R&B, blues and jazz singers... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 5.6
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 4.5
- Value
- Value
- 7.3
- Overall Score
- 5.6
- Quality of Life
- 4.5
- Value
- 7.3
View All 56 PhotosMemphis, TN
#3 in Most Dangerous Places
Set in the Mississippi Delta, Memphis is a metro area where the energy of urban living melds with the slow rhythms of... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 5.6
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 4.5
- Value
- Value
- 6.3
- Overall Score
- 5.6
- Quality of Life
- 4.5
- Value
- 6.3
View All 50 PhotosBaton Rouge, LA
#4 in Most Dangerous Places
Baton Rouge, the ever-expanding capital of Louisiana, increasingly absorbs the flavor of New Orleans without adopting... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 5.9
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 4.7
- Value
- Value
- 7.7
- Overall Score
- 5.9
- Quality of Life
- 4.7
- Value
- 7.7
View All 54 PhotosNew Orleans, LA
#5 in Most Dangerous Places
New Orleans charms visitors and locals alike with its music, diverse cuisine and a stubborn refusal to abandon its... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 5.6
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 4.9
- Value
- Value
- 5.3
- Overall Score
- 5.6
- Quality of Life
- 4.9
- Value
- 5.3
View All 50 PhotosShreveport, LA
#6 in Most Dangerous Places
The identity of Shreveport, Louisiana, unlike that of New Orleans, is not rooted in Cajun-Creole traditions, but in a... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 5.3
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 5.2
- Value
- Value
- 6.1
- Overall Score
- 5.3
- Quality of Life
- 5.2
- Value
- 6.1
View All 62 PhotosBaltimore, MD
#7 in Most Dangerous Places
Baltimore doesn't have as many famous tourist attractions as nearby metropolitan areas like Washington, D.C., and... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 6.2
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 5.3
- Value
- Value
- 6.6
- Overall Score
- 6.2
- Quality of Life
- 5.3
- Value
- 6.6
View All 42 PhotosSt. Louis, MO
#8 in Most Dangerous Places
St. Louis is a historic metro area of 2.8 million with a family-friendly reputation and tight-knit communities. St... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 6.3
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 5.2
- Value
- Value
- 7.7
- Overall Score
- 6.3
- Quality of Life
- 5.2
- Value
- 7.7
View All 42 PhotosBakersfield, CA
#9 in Most Dangerous Places
Bakersfield has long been known as a stopover for those traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco. But people who... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 5.4
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 5.4
- Value
- Value
- 5.3
- Overall Score
- 5.4
- Quality of Life
- 5.4
- Value
- 5.3
View All 42 PhotosBirmingham, AL
#10 in Most Dangerous Places
Birmingham, Alabama was born from the iron and steel industry and is known for playing a crucial role in the civil... Read More- Overall Score
- Overall Score
- 6.3
- Quality of Life
- Quality of Life
- 5.4
- Value
- Value
- 7.4
- Overall Score
- 6.3
- Quality of Life
- 5.4
- Value
- 7.4