Article Table Of Contents
You not only have to worry about killer snakes, killer cacti, and killer heat in Arizona, you now have to worry about its dangerous cities.
Lucky for you, we have the top ten most dangerous cities in Arizona broken down for you. Why did we produce this list? Well, we're trying to help one navigate these dangerous cities when trying to make an informed decision on what city they should call home. To compile our list, we looked at violent crimes and property crimes in cities with a population of 5,000. That left us with 46 cities.
Let's be real, we're not talking about snowbird drivers driving too slow kind of danger. The type of danger we're talking about gets people on the news. Folks, the cities that made our list have robberies happening in broad daylight, car jackings, and daily shootings. There are neighborhoods in these cities that you shouldn't drive thru, ever, and there are areas that you definitely shouldn't be in after dark. We're not saying that there aren't little pockets of goodness in these cities. There are neighborhoods and shopping centers in these Arizona cities like Phoenix and Mesa that are not ALL bad. We do, however, recommend that you spend some time studying them before you make a move.
It's not entirely Arizona's fault. They are the 14th largest state in terms of population. As with most situations, there's bound to be problems with that many people. And it wouldn't be fair if we didn't mention that there are good people and organizations in these cities trying to make a difference. To see where these Arizona cities with more issues than a magazine are located, take a look below at our most dangerous cities in The Grand Canyon State for 2022.
The Most Dangerous Cities In Arizona For 2022
What are the circumstances that make these Arizona cities this way? Maybe not enough jobs, low wages, drugs, gangs; and in Arizona's case, higher than normal temps making people act crazy?
We're not entirely sure. But one thing we are sure about is the number one most dangerous city in Arizona for 2022 is South Tucson.
The Arizona cities on our most dangerous list could definitely use some some good luck. So, if you're looking to take a gamble, or you're just curious to see if your city made the list, take a look at our list below. And if you don't see your city there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Arizona.
If you're looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.
For more Arizona reading, check out:
The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Arizona For 2022
You probably won't score any points on the SAT by guessing where South Tucson is located. Yep, that's right: south of Tucson.
Sitting just outside one of Arizona's biggest cities offers some bonuses. However, it also contributes to big-city problems. Namely: crime.
In fact, South Tucson represents the number 1 most dangerous community in Arizona. This reputation is earned on almost every level. With 665 property crimes, your stuff isn't safe. Your body faces danger as well, given the 113 violent crimes that took place last year.
/10
Population: 5,723
Rank Last Year: -
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,974 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 11,619 (Second most dangerous)
More on South Tucson: | Cost Of Living
Globe retains its top spot on our list of Arizona's most dangerous places for the second year running, thanks to high rates of both violent and property crime.
Folks in Globe had a 1 in 52 chance of being the victim of a violent crime in 2020, with a whopping 132 aggravated assaults reported.
Property crime also ranked as the third highest in Arizona, with 382 larcenies recorded over the year. Besides protecting your pockets and purses, you should also keep your doors locked here, because Globe also had the third highest burglary rate in Arizona.
If you want to drive as far away from Globe's crime as possible, you're in luck, because the Salt River Canyon Scenic Drive starts here.
/10
Population: 7,328
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,910 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,400 (Third most dangerous)
More on Globe: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Located on the west side of the Phoenix metro area, Tolleson is far from safe.
In fact, the total crime rate in Tolleson is the second highest in Arizona, about four times higher than the national average.
That's mostly because Tolleson's residents had a 1 in 8 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2020 -- a crazy high rate. In other words, check to make sure you still have all your valuables after a hike at Monument Hill.
Violent crime is also a pretty big problem in Tolleson, considering the small city of 7,470 had 18 robberies and 68 aggravated assaults over the year.
/10
Population: 7,470
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,204 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 12,168 (Most dangerous)
More on Tolleson: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
The Eagles put Winslow on the map with their hit song "Take it Easy," but folks in Winslow must have a tough time taking it easy with such high crime rates.
The violent crime rate in Winslow is more than twice as high as the national average, with 107 cases recorded in 2020. That's super high for a city of just 9,298.
And it's not like property crime in Winslow is much better; the city averaged more than one property crime per day over the year.
/10
Population: 9,298
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,150 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,710 (Fifth most dangerous)
More on Winslow: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Page is a popular tourist spot thanks to all the great outdoors opportunities that surround it, but having random people come and go has contributed to the city's high crime rate.
Certainly, a lot of that crime is stolen phones and wallets, given Page's status as the place with the eighth highest rate of property crime in Arizona.
But there's even more sinister stuff going down in Page. The city had the second highest rate of rape cases and the 38th highest murder rate in Arizona. Overall, folks had a 1 in 77 chance of being violently attacked in Page in 2020.
/10
Population: 7,546
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,285 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,538 (Eighth most dangerous)
More on Page: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Tucson bills itself as "America's biggest small town," but if small-town values imply low crime rates, then we're calling shenanigans on that title.
Tucson residents have more to fear from criminals than any wildlife they might run into at Sabino Canyon, considering the city had the seventh highest violent crime rate in the state.
That includes the fourth highest rape rate and seventh highest murder rate in Arizona.
You also have to worry about your house or car getting broken into in Tucson, which recorded 2,097 burglaries and 1,878 car thefts in 2020.
/10
Population: 550,448
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 698 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,620 (Sixth most dangerous)
More on Tucson: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
From the top of Camelback Mountain , Phoenix looks peaceful, but it's actually the seventh most dangerous place in Arizona.
Phoenix had the ninth highest rate of rape cases and ninth highest murder rate in Arizona. And those cases only make up a small proportion of the 13,646 violent crimes committed in Phoenix in 2020.
On top of that, residents of Phoenix faced a whopping 1 in 33 chance of having their stuff stolen or damaged, with a staggeringly high 7,406 burglaries and 7,429 car thefts.
/10
Population: 1,708,960
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 798 (Sixth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,989 (11th most dangerous)
More on Phoenix: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
A city of 199,935 located in Phoenix's East Valley section, Tempe comes in as Arizona's eighth most dangerous place to call home.
Tempe is home to Arizona State University, and while we're not exactly blaming college students for the high crime rates, it can't help having the population swell by up to 50,000 for the academic year.
Tempe had the fifth highest rate of rape cases in Arizona for 2020, but other violent crime stats here are actually not so bad.
The property crime rate, on the other hand, ranks as the seventh highest statewide.
/10
Population: 199,935
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 550 (13th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,563 (Seventh most dangerous)
More on Tempe: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Take a two-hour drive north from Pheonix and you'll arrive in Cottonwood. This desert community of 12,380 people sits near the Dead Horse Ranch State Park -- seemingly an idyllic spot to take in the scenery and enjoy a hike.
But watch out. You have more than scorpions and sunstroke to fear. The people in this town can be scary as well.
Violent crime rates are relatively mild but property crime represents a major problem. The city ranks number 4 in the state in the rate of larcenies. Even more disturbing, it sits at number 2 in terms of the number of arsons per capita.
/10
Population: 12,380
Rank Last Year: 13 (Up 4)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 379 (17th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,861 (Fourth most dangerous)
More on Cottonwood: | Cost Of Living
Show Low represents the hometown for George Takei, Star Trek's Sulu. That isn't it's only claim to fame. The area also has a wild west history. Established in 1870, the town got its name as the result of a legendary poker game.
A bit of this rowdy reputation continues in modern times. Located in the eastern part of the state, the community also counts as the number 10 most dangerous spot in Arizona.
For a town with only 11,527 people, the area recorded 75 violent crimes. This included 10 sexual assaults, giving it the number 3 highest rate of this crime in the state.
/10
Population: 11,527
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 650 (Eighth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,715 (14th most dangerous)
More on Show Low: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Arizona for 2022?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets, a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in the country, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the JUST released 2020 data, specifically the 2020 Crime In The United States Report. We will update the results when data becomes available in September 2022.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Arizona cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 46 cities in Arizona.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 46 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one "Dangerous Index".
Finally, we ranked every city on the "Dangerous Index" with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Arizona -- South Tucson. Any ties went to the smaller city. You can download the data here.
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Arizona FAQs
Is Arizona a dangerous state?
Yes, Arizona is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #10 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in arizona ranks ninth highest in the United States -- 25.02% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Grand Canyon State ranks 15th highest in the United States -- 13.76% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.
Is Phoenix, AZ a dangerous city?
Yes, Phoenix is a dangerous city. Phoenix ranks as the #103 most dangerous out of 320 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Phoenix might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Desert View is the safest in Phoenix, while Central City is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Phoenix ranks 69th highest in America -- 45.47% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 114th highest in the United States -- 12.57% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020 and that no city in America is 'dangerous'. Despite the uptick in murders, it's nothing like you'd see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
Graphing The Most Dangerous And Safest Places In Arizona
Summary: Locking It All Up In Arizona
So what is the most dangerous city in Arizona? After analyzing 46 cities in Arizona, South Tucson takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Arizona based on the most recently reported FBI data -- 2020.
The latest FBI crime data shows that South Tucson ranks as the most dangerous city in Arizona for 2022.
We want to point out again that there's still safes places in South Tucson and that this isn't a comment on the people that live there. So please don't beat us up.
What are the circumstances that make these Arizona cities this way? Maybe not enough jobs, low wages, drugs, gangs; and in Arizona's case, higher than normal temps making people act crazy?
We're not entirely sure. But one thing we are sure about is the number one most dangerous city in Arizona for 2022 is South Tucson.
The Arizona cities on our most dangerous list could definitely use some some good luck. So, if you're looking to take a gamble, or you're just curious to see if your city made the list, take a look at our list below. And if you don't see your city there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Arizona.
If you're looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.
Here are the safest cities in Arizona:
- Somerton (Pop. 16,811)
- Surprise (Pop. 144,620)
- Paradise Valley (Pop. 14,859)
- Maricopa (Pop. 53,165)
- Prescott Valley (Pop. 47,459)
- Gilbert (Pop. 259,629)
- Sahuarita (Pop. 32,053)
- Oro Valley (Pop. 46,634)
- San Luis (Pop. 35,574)
- Florence (Pop. 27,571)
For more Arizona reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Arizona
- Cheapest Places To Live In Arizona
- Most Dangerous Cities In Arizona
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Arizona
- Safest Places In Arizona
- Worst Places To Live In Arizona
Crime By City In Arizona
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | South Tucson | 5,723 |
2 | Globe | 7,328 |
3 | Tolleson | 7,470 |
4 | Winslow | 9,298 |
5 | Page | 7,546 |
6 | Tucson | 550,448 |
7 | Phoenix | 1,708,960 |
8 | Tempe | 199,935 |
9 | Cottonwood | 12,380 |
10 | Show Low | 11,527 |
11 | Kingman | 31,351 |
12 | Coolidge | 13,277 |
13 | Glendale | 255,468 |
14 | Avondale | 89,338 |
15 | Payson | 15,869 |
16 | Casa Grande | 59,822 |
17 | Yuma | 99,096 |
18 | Bullhead City | 41,035 |
19 | Wickenburg | 7,041 |
20 | El Mirage | 36,221 |
21 | Nogales | 20,026 |
22 | Goodyear | 89,607 |
23 | Mesa | 527,361 |
24 | Snowflake-Taylor | 10,384 |
25 | Camp Verde | 11,223 |
26 | Prescott | 44,835 |
27 | Sierra Vista | 42,800 |
28 | Peoria | 178,486 |
29 | Apache Junction | 43,385 |
30 | Chandler | 264,071 |
31 | Douglas | 16,044 |
32 | Scottsdale | 263,006 |
33 | Marana | 50,942 |
34 | Lake Havasu City | 56,243 |
35 | Buckeye | 83,608 |
36 | Chino Valley | 12,564 |
37 | Somerton | 16,811 |
38 | Surprise | 144,620 |
39 | Paradise Valley | 14,859 |
40 | Maricopa | 53,165 |
41 | Prescott Valley | 47,459 |
42 | Gilbert | 259,629 |
43 | Sahuarita | 32,053 |
44 | Oro Valley | 46,634 |
45 | San Luis | 35,574 |
46 | Florence | 27,571 |