Based on FBI data of the number of violent crimes in each US city with 25,000 or more people and official census data, here are the 10 most dangerous cities in America in 2013.

10. Inkster, Michigan

Inkster, Michigan

Inkster, Michigan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Coming in at #10 on this list of America’s most dangerous cities is Inkster, Michigan, a city of 25,111 people.

The reported violent crime rate was 1282 per 100,000 residents, compared with the national average of 241 per 100,000. Inkster residents have a 1 in 55 chance of being victim of a violent crime.
In addition to its high per capita violent crime, Inkster also has a big problem with property crime. Inkster residents have a 1 in 17 chance of being a victim of violent or property crime.

 

9. Newburgh, New York

Newburgh, New York

Newburgh, New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Residents of Newburgh – a city with a population of 29,026, have a 1 in 55 chance of being victim of a violent crime, versus the 1 in 251 chance of the average resident of the state of New York. An individual’s chance of being a victim of either a violent crime or a property crime in Newburgh is 1 in 16.

When you combine violent crime and property crime, there are very few communities in the US both large and small which have a crime rate as high as Newburgh.

8. St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With a population of 318,069, St. Louis is significantly larger than cities #9 and #10 on this list. However, your odds of being victimized by either a property crime or a violent crime is a frightening 1 in 10. It is the most dangerous city in Missouri, whether you’re comparing larger cities or smaller communities.

When it comes purely to violent crime, your odds of becoming a victim is 1 in 53, which is significantly higher than the Missouri average of 1 in 224.

7. Atlantic City, New Jersey

atlantic city

Atlantic City Boardwalk (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 2012 murder of 2 Canadian tourists in broad daylight brought sensationalistic headlines – the Philadelphia Daily News declared Atlantic city a TOURIST DEATH TRAP.

Although it was later revealed that the attacker was a woman with a history of schizophrenia, the incident did bring the national spotlight onto a tourism driven city that – outside of its boardwalk – is just like any other poor urban area in the US that’s struggling to keep upper and middle class citizens.

Chances of being a victim of violent crime in Atlantic City is 1 in 53, while your odds of being victimized by property crime is as high as 1 in 13. However, those numbers are significantly lower on the highly policed boardwalk areas.

6. Detroit, Michigan

Detroit's 8 Mile

Detroit’s 8 Mile (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Depending on the statistics used, Detroit sometimes ranks #2 or even #1 as the United States’ most dangerous city. Using FBI’s violent crime data for cities with a population greater than 25,000 however, Detroit sits at #6 heading into 2013. With a population of 706,585, Detroit is also the largest city to make the top 10 list of the most dangerous cities in the USA.

Detroit has a per capita violent crime rate of 1348 per 100,000 citizens, and an overall crime rate of 8400 per 100,000 residents. Detroit has one of the highest car theft rates in all of the United States, with 1 in 62 residents experiencing a car theft every year.

5. Saginaw, Michigan

Saginaw, Michigan

Saginaw, Michigan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Residents of this city of 51,230 people have a 1 in 16 chance of falling victim to either property-related or violent crime. Chances of falling victim to a violent crime are 1 in 43, while odds of being a victim of property crime were 1 in 26.

4. West Memphis, Arkansas

West Memphis, Arkansas

West Memphis, Arkansas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

West Memphis, Arkansas has a population of 26,054. However, odds of becoming victimized by a violent crime were 1 in 42. The chances of being a victim of either violent or property-related crime was a frightening 1 in 8 – if this list were based on overall crime statistics rather than violent crime, West Memphis, Arkansas would rank number one.

3. Flint, Michigan

flint

Flint, Michigan (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On lists that only look at American cities with 100,000 residents or above, Flint, Michigan ranks regularly as the most dangerous city in the United States.  A resident’s chances of becoming victim of either violent or property crime is 1 in 11. Chances of being a victim of a violent crime in Flint are 1 in 42, while your chances of falling victim to a property crime is 1 in 15.

While the car theft rate isn’t as high as Detroit, its still one of the car theft capitals of the US, with residents experiencing a 1 in 130 chance of having their car stolen.

2. Camden, New Jersey

Camden, New Jersey

Camden, New Jersey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Like most other cities on this list, Camden’s high crime is driven largely by poverty and gang violence. Camden was named the nation’s poorest city by the U.S. Census bureau in 2011.

This community of 77,283 people was the 2nd most dangerous city in the U.S., with residents experiencing a 1 in 36 chance of being victimized by a violent crime. A resident’s chance of falling victim to either a violent or property related crime is a staggering 1 in 11.

1. East St. Louis, Illinois

East St. Louis

East St. Louis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

East St. Louis was the most dangerous city in America heading into 2013 based on violent crime statistics. East St. Louis has suffered tremendously from de-industrialization and job loss. The exodus of middle and upper class residents has left a city ridden with poverty (the average household income is $21,000, compared to the national average of $50,000), gang violence, and budget cuts that have reduced its police force by 33% from 2008-2011, leaving it ill equipped to handle the ever-increasing cycle of violence. A U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois once referred to East St. Louis as the “Wild West”.

Odds of falling victim to a violent crime in East St. Louis were a frightening 1 in 17. Odds of falling victim to either a violent crime or a property-related crime were an even more disheartening 1 in 7. On top of these numbers, residents of East St. Louis were more likely than residents of nearly any other city on this list to have their car stolen (with the exception of Detroit), with a 1 in 64 chance of being victim of car theft.

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This is really astonishing to me. And here I was worried about going to NY city.

4 out of 10 is pretty bad. It would be interesting to know how American cities compare to other cities around the World.

Look at the bright side, there was no Michigan city in the top two. 

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