12 Least Safe Cities in the US You Should Avoid

Generally, the US is a safe place to live and travel. However, like most nations, the United States has its troubles, too, making some cities unsafe. Various factors determine whether a city is unsafe. Some cities have a higher crime rate than others, while others are more prone to natural disasters.

Either way, if you’re planning to relocate, visit America for the first time, or head out on a long road trip, it’s convenient to understand the cities you might want to avoid. With that in mind, here are 12 of the least safe cities in the US. To create this list, we’ve considered factors like crime rates and natural disasters.

Table of Contents

Flint, Michigan

For the last decade, Flint, Michigan, has ranked highly as one of the unsafest cities in the US. According to Gitnux, Flint has a crime rate of 83 per 1,000 residents, which is one of the highest in the USA. Furthermore, Flint has a homicide rate above the national average, meaning there are more murders in the city than in most cities across the US.

To make matters worse, Flint has been dealing with a health crisis since 2014. In 2014, water pipes across the city corroded, leaking lead into the municipal water supply. The crisis was reportedly responsible for at least 12 deaths across the city. Therefore, there are still concerns as to whether Flint’s drinking water is, in fact, safe to consume.

Baltimore, Maryland

A recent report from Safe Home found that Baltimore is the deadliest city in the United States regarding homicide among cities with populations of at least 500,000. This Maryland city has a murder rate of 50 per 100,000 people. That means, for every 100,000 people in Baltimore, approximately 50 fall victim to homicide.

Unsurprisingly, Baltimore also ranks highly for violent crimes and robberies. However, the entire city isn’t necessarily dangerous. Most of the crimes and homicides in Baltimore occur in areas of extreme poverty. Poor education and high unemployment are responsible for some of the issues in the city.

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is another one of the Great Lake State’s cities to make our list. Like Baltimore, Detroit has a high murder and violent crime rate. For every 100,000 residents, almost 50 people are victims of homicide. On top of that, Detroit has the highest number of rape cases in the United States, with 114 in 100,000 people reportedly being sexually assaulted.

To make matters worse for the city, it also ranks highly for aggravated assaults. The overall crime rate in Detroit is almost five times higher than the national average. Poverty, the rise in gang-related activity, and drug trafficking are just some of the things blamed for Detroit’s rising crime levels.

Memphis, Tennessee

Least Safe Cities in the US_Memphis, Tennesse — © Kevin Ruck / Adobe Stock

According to a report from the Tennessee Star, Memphis had the highest murder rate in the United States in 2023. The city reported a homicide rate of 63.9 per 100,000 people, which was an increase of 38% from the previous year. Unfortunately, Memphis was also ranked the most dangerous city in the US by a Statista report in 2022. In 2022, Memphis reported 2,420.86 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.

That’s not it either, as the city also ranks highly for burglary, motor vehicle theft, and aggravated assault. Several contributing factors have led to Memphis’ increased crime rates. These include high poverty rates, poor education, limited job opportunities, economic challenges, gang activity, and drug trafficking.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Moving away from violent crime for a while, some cities in the United States are unsafe simply because of where they are. Take Oklahoma City for example. The city sits in the heart of ‘Tornado Alley,’ where tornadoes are most common in the US.

Therefore, Oklahoma City is at risk of frequently experiencing tornadoes. May is the peak tornado season in the city, and an average of 24 tornadoes hit the city yearly. During intense storms, the city’s streets are gridlocked with residents trying to leave. Due to a lack of storm shelters, some residents have taken it upon themselves to build shelters.

San Diego, California

Since the 1980s, there have been approximately ten severe wildfires in or around San Diego, and things are predicted to worsen. A Risk Factor report recently revealed that 150,983 properties in the city have some risk of being affected by wildfires in the next 30 years.

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This figure represents a whopping 55% of all properties in the city. Aside from the damage wildfires do to property in San Diego, they also cut off access to essential amenities such as emergency services and utilities. Of course, they also impact the city’s economic well-being and potential evacuation routes!

Read: Top American Road Trips

San Bernardino, California

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Another Californian city at risk of natural disasters is San Bernardino. This medium-sized city, situated east of Las Angeles, is on the San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas Fault marks the divide between the North American and Pacific plates, and it runs right through the city.

As a result, San Bernardino experiences thousands of earthquakes. A Volcano Discovery report revealed an average of 12,000 earthquakes yearly in or near San Bernardino. Most earthquakes cause minimal damage, but a severe break in the plates could cause unfathomable damage and loss of life. Luckily, there is a low probability of a severe break in the plates happening in the next 30 years.

Houston, Texas

Found along the dreaded Tornado Alley, Houston, Texas, is another city that experiences natural disasters. However, compared to other cities across the US, the potential disasters that could occur are much more varied. In the past, Texas has experienced everything from flooding and wildfires to hurricanes and sinkholes.

In 2017, Hurricane Harvey struck the city, killing 68 people and injuring many more. Unfortunately for Houston, the city is also unsafe in terms of crime rates. Houston has an average of 57 crimes per 1,000 residents and an above-average crime rate. Violent crimes and property crimes are particularly prevalent across the city. According to the Houston Chronicle, Houston also reported more than 344 homicides in 2023 alone.

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is one of the unsafest cities in the United States for several reasons. First, it has one of the highest crime rates in America, with a crime rate of 61 per 100,000. Property crimes and violent crimes are some of the most common crimes committed in the city. The burglary rate in New Orleans has recently been as high as 732 per 100,000 people.

To make matters worse, New Orleans is sinking. Yearly, the city sinks approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters). This may not sound like a lot, but the more the city sinks, the bigger the risk of extreme floods. Some reports suggest the city might be underwater by 2040 if things don’t change.

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis in Missouri is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. The city recently led the nation in murder rating with a homicide rate of 64.5 per 100,000 people. St. Louis also had the highest violent crime rate in 2021. Other serious crimes that occur in St. Louis more frequently than in different US cities include arson, rape, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

The high levels of crime in the city are primarily down to poverty and a gun violence epidemic that’s seeing more of the younger population engaging in criminal activity. It’s worth noting Downtown St. Louis ranks first for crime volume among the city’s neighborhoods.

Birmingham, Alabama

According to Forbes, Birmingham, Alabama, is the most dangerous city in the United States in terms of crime cost. The city has a crime cost of $11,392 per capita and is closely followed by New Orleans ($11,094) and St. Louis ($11,055). In addition, Birmingham’s crime rate is 162% higher than the Alabama average. Furthermore, the violent crime rate in Birmingham is 141% higher than the Alabama average.

The increased crime rates across the city are due to an increase in gun crimes, gang activity, petty theft, and burglary. However, high crime rates don’t impact the whole city. Suburbs like Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills still have considerably low crime rates.

Cleveland, Ohio

Compared to the United States’ national crime rate, Cleveland’s rate is at 158%. According to Cleveland, the city has experienced a surge in violence in recent years. Gun violence, crime among younger offenders, car theft, and homicide are all on the rise. The city is expected to come close to its record of 195 homicides in a year in 2024, almost four decades after the record was initially set.

One of the significant factors behind this increased crime rate is the decrease in police numbers. The declining number of police working in Cleveland has stretched the police department too far, leading to spiking crime rates.