When we think about the most dangerous cities in America, big names like New York or Los Angeles might jump to mind. However, when it comes to crime rates and safety concerns, it’s often the smaller cities at the top of the list. These cities, which might not dominate the headlines as much, face significant challenges contributing to their high crime rates. Many of the cities are top tourist destinations – places you likely have visited or plan to go to for work or pleasure.
Adding to the complexity of urban safety, research from Drexel University highlights an intriguing aspect: the impact of weather on crime rates. Their decade-long study in Philadelphia found that violent crime and disorderly conduct rates rose with the temperature. Specifically, when the heat index hit 98 degrees Fahrenheit, violent crime rates were nine percent higher than on days when it was 57 degrees. This suggests that environmental factors like extreme heat can exacerbate tensions, contributing to a spike in crime.
What else contributes to an area’s crime rates? Another study conducted in Baltimore, which did not make it on this list despite being quite dangerous, reveals that liquor stores have a higher association with violent crime than places like bars where people are drinking on-site. The statistics showed that every 10 percent increase in alcohol purveyors of any kind was associated with a 4.2 percent increase in violent crime in the surrounding area.
How are the most dangerous cities on our list ranked? Most lists crunch the numbers using data based on crime rates, conflict levels, socioeconomic fac
tors, health risks, law enforcement effectiveness, and international safety reports. Each list tends to weigh the factors differently, so our list features the cities most often named the most dangerous among the seven websites we sourced. Do you agree with our list? Did we miss a city you think should be in the top five? Let us know in the comments below.
The List: Most Dangerous Cities in America, According to Experts
1. Bessemer, Alabama
Here are some disturbing numbers. According to Traveling Lifestyle, “The odds of becoming a crime victim in Bessemer are 1 in 9.” This places the city of 27,000 at the top of our list of the most dangerous cities in the U.S.
Bessemer is located just 16 miles south of Birmingham, another city that made our list. The New York Post says Bessemer has seen a spike in physical violence, property crime, and motor vehicle theft.
Once called “The Marvel City,” due to its rapid growth in its early years, Kim Komando says Bessemer is now known as the community with the highest crime rate in the nation, clocking 33.18 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.
2. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a much different place than it was when Elvis Presley walked the halls of Graceland. Now, it has a crime rate that is 237 percent higher than the national average. According to Property Club, “The most dangerous neighborhoods in Memphis are Downtown, Parkway Village-Oakhaven, and Berclair-Highland Heights.“
If you visit Memphis, Traveling Lifestyle reminds you to “keep your wits about you,” especially at night, so you don’t become a crime victim.
The Memphis police department has spent decades trying to reduce the city’s crime rate. According to U.S. News and World Report, the city uses reporting data to “identify and target crime hot spots around the city.” The data is posted weekly to the police department’s website.
3. St. Louis, Missouri
While the St. Louis Arch may be welcoming, you may not get such a homey feeling if you come into harm’s way while visiting St. Louis. According to Property Club, you have a one in 50 chance of being targeted by a criminal in the Gateway to the West. The neighborhoods with the highest crime? Peabody-Darst-Webbe, Hamilton Heights, Walnut Park West, and College Hill.
It’s been difficult for St. Louis to find its way off this list, due to high poverty rates and unemployment. Norada Real Estate Investments writes, “The concentration of poverty in certain neighborhoods amplifies the strain on social systems and increases the risk of criminal involvement.” The prevalence of firearms also plays a role in the number of violent crimes.
According to The Hill, St. Louis has the third highest crime cost per capita, at $11,055.
Source: https://studyfinds.org/most-dangerous-cities-in-america/