Investing / Real Estate
4 min Read
Written by Terence Loose
Edited by Nicholas Morine
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While it’s true that crime rates have fallen greatly over the past few decades, according to the latest data available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI (via Pew Research), there are still places in our country where violent and non-violent crime is significantly higher than the average.
We studied data from City-Data.com, which uses both government and private sources to generate a crime index value for each city. Violent crime is weighted more heavily than non-violent crime and the U.S. average value is 246.1. We also looked at the cost of crime, according to a 2023 study by MoneyGeek, based on FBI statistics “to estimate the cost of crime for each city.”
Based on all of this, here are 10 cities you might not want to call home without investing in some strong locks.
10. Kansas City, Missouri
Known for its amazing barbecue and jazz, unfortunately Kansas City is also known for its crime, with a per capita crime cost of $6,398, more than 17 times higher than the nation’s safest large city of Irvine, which has a crime cost of $364. Its City-Data crime index value is equally intimidating at 675.1.
9. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Known for its breweries and beer-making history, Milwaukee might be a great place to grab a pint, but it might cost you. The city has a crime cost of $7,029 and a City-Data crime index value of 663.2.
8. Cleveland, Ohio
Home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland also shares the spotlight on this list for its high $7,397 crime cost, according to MoneyGeek’s analysis. It hits a similarly flat note with its City-Data crime index value of 752.9.
7. Little Rock, Arkansas
The capital and largest municipality of Arkansas, Little Rock is not so little when it comes to the cost of crime, registering in at $7,781 and a City-Data crime index value of 796.9.
6. Baltimore, Maryland
Buy a home in Baltimore and things might not be so merry since it has a per capita crime cost of $8,160. That coincides with a City-Data crime index value of 656.6.
5. Memphis, Tennessee
Home to the King of Rock & Roll Elvis Presley’s Graceland and still a hotbed for top blues, soul and other music, Memphis isn’t completely harmonious. It has a high $9,056 crime cost and a whopping City-Data crime index value of 1,022.4.
4. Detroit, Michigan
Nicknamed Motor City for its auto industry history, Detroit has also been known for its history of poor crime stats. Indeed, MoneyGeek lists its crime cost at $9,281, while City-Data gives it a crime index value of 847.
3. St. Louis, Missouri
With its iconic Gateway Arch and vibrant city culture, St. Louis seems more impressive than its crime stats would suggest, with a crime cost of $11,055 and a City-Data crime index value of 896.4.
2. New Orleans, Louisiana
What’s not to love about the Big Easy, with its rich culinary, musical and melting pot culture? Well, its crime stats for one. With a crime cost of $11,094 and a City-Data crime index value of 763.8, the Big Easy seems pretty hard.
1. Birmingham, Alabama
Holding the dubious honor of the highest cost of crime of any large city in the nation is Birmingham at $11,392 — more than 31 times higher than Irvine. Birmingham also has a City-Data crime index value of 738.1, nearly triple the national average of 246.1.
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