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What do Biggie, Tupac, and Snoop Dogg have in common? They've all written songs about some of the most dangerous places in California.
That's right, from Stockton to Compton, The Golden State has some pretty sketchy places and RoadSnacks is here to tell you just where those places are located. Yes, we've done the unthinkable and created a list of the top ten most dangerous places in California for 2022.
In order to compile our list, we looked at FBI data for violent crimes and property crimes in California cities with a population of 5,000. That left us with 415 cities. We discovered that 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.
Why'd we make this list? We did this for the people who don't necessarily want to travel to these places, but want to know the facts. And the facts are as follows: one, the state's violent and property crime is up above the national average and still climbing; and two, the effects of these numbers are continuing to claim many of California's biggest cities. Cities like Oakland and San Bernardino just can't catch a break.
California's crime numbers have also catapulted the state into the top 20 most dangerous states in America; and sadly, the home to Hollywood currently has nine-yes, nine- of the most dangerous cities in the country.
Want to learn more about our methodology and where California's most dangerous places are located? Keep reading, there may be some that surprise you.
The Most Dangerous Cities In California For 2022
Do we think the problems in California's most dangerous places are directly related to high umeployment, poor wages, and a lack of rehabilitation programs? Absolutely. Not to mention, rent in most of California's safest places and best places to live is out of reach for most people, making it difficult for people to make a move. This keeps the people in these places feeling angry, defeated, and more likely to commit a crime.
So, what is the most dangerous place in California? That would be, Oakland.
To see how the rest of your favorite places in California faired, take a look below; and if you don't find your favorite there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in California.
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 California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In California For 2022
Oakland gets a bad wrap for being hella dangerous, but, in this case, the stereotype is all too true. With an overall crime rate 150% higher than the national average, a murder happening every five days on average, and the fifth highest rate of property crime in California, the statistics lead to the inescapable conclusion that Bump City is far from safe.
On the plus side, Oakland still has plenty of family-friendly spots where you don't have to be looking over your shoulder constantly, like the entertainment and business destination, Jack London Square on the city's waterfront, and the Oakland Zoo in Grass Valley.
/10
Population: 437,923
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,290 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,165 (Fifth most dangerous)
More on Oakland: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Located just southeast of Los Angeles, Commerce is nicknamed "The Model City," but it has a long way to go before it can be truly described as a model for crime rates. Over the course of a year, any given resident has a 1 in 11 chance of being the victim of a property crime, the second highest rate in California.
Commerce's violent crime, on the other hand, has been dropping at a steady rate in recent years, but it's still prevalent enough to rank as the 11th most violent place in California for 2020. At least nobody has to resort to pickpocketing for bus fare, because Commerce is one of the few cities in California to offer free bus service.
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Population: 12,641
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,075 (11th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 8,456 (Second most dangerous)
More on Commerce: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Four years running, and Emeryville still tops our list of the most dangerous places to live in California; not exactly a title they're keen to hold onto, I'm sure. Located north of Oakland and east of San Francisco, Emeryville is also home to the Pixar Studios.
Those cute Pixar characters would be way out of their element if they landed in Emeryville, though, where they'd have a 1 in 115 chance of being the victim of a violent crime and a shocking 1 in 8 chance of being at the receiving end of a property crime.
So if you're out for a shopping spree on Bay Street, be sure to get out quick, or your day's haul could easily get snatched. The good news? Emeryville didn't have a single murder last year, so that's something.
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Population: 12,328
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 867 (17th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 11,753 (Most dangerous)
More on Emeryville: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
In purely geographical terms, Crescent City represents an excellent place to live. Located in the extreme north of the state, less than a half hour south of the Oregon border, the community sits along the Pacific coast. It even gets its name from a crescent-shaped beach nearby.
If only you could live there alone. Unfortunately, residents of Crescent City have reason to distrust their neighbors. After all, this is number 4 most dangerous spot in California.
For a community of just 6,706 people, the area experienced 77 violent crimes. This included 10 sexual assaults, giving it the number 3 scariest rate in this disturbing category.
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Population: 6,706
Rank Last Year: 59 (Up 55)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,148 (Eighth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,160 (11th most dangerous)
More on Crescent City: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
An enclave surrounded entirely by Long Beach, Signal Hill comes in as the fifth most dangerous place to call home in California.
It's honestly hard to believe you're less than 15 minutes from the ritzy Naples neighborhood of Long Beach in Signal Hill. Residents have a 1 in 15 chance of being the victim of a property crime, the third highest rate in California.
On the bright side, Signal Hill's violent crime rate is better than most cities on this list. The bad news? Signal Hill wasn't even in the top 20 most dangerous places last year, so things are becoming markedly less safe here.
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Population: 11,467
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 819 (19th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,435 (Third most dangerous)
More on Signal Hill: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Located on the northern edge of the Sacramento Valley, Red Bluff comes in as the sixth most dangerous place in California. While it may not be a major city, or near a major city, Red Bluff experienced a shocking rate of violent crime in 2020, the 13th highest statewide. So if you're out for a day at the Sacramento River Bend, your reasons for bringing along some bear mace are twofold.
Property crime is slightly less of a problem in Red Bluff, but a 1 in 22 chance of being robbed or having your property damaged is certainly less than ideal. Unfortunately, Red Bluff also had the highest rate of rape cases in California recorded in 2020.
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Population: 14,590
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 986 (13th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,366 (Ninth most dangerous)
More on Red Bluff: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Situated between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Barstow is far more dangerous than either of the two world-famous cities. Not to mention that Barstow has only gotten more unsafe since the last year of available data.
Burglary is especially prevalent in Barstow and ranks as the second highest rate in California. Barstow's violent crime rate as a whole is also in the top ten statewide. At least residents have the majestic Rainbow Basin to visit whenever the anxiety over high crime rates becomes too much.
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Population: 24,041
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 3)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,143 (Ninth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,860 (17th most dangerous)
More on Barstow: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Located about 40 miles north of Sacramento, Marysville comes in as California's eighth most dangerous city.
It might surprise you to hear that Marysville actually had about twice as many car thefts per capita as Stockton, so be sure to lock your car doors here.
Marysville also had the second highest rate of rape cases in the state, recording 19 in 2020. The city also had 0 murders, which is quite high for a place with only 12,519 people.
So if you're going out toEllis Lake, bring a buddy and get home before dark.
/10
Population: 12,519
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,126 (Tenth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,698 (21st most dangerous)
More on Marysville: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Located in the general Los Angeles area, El Segundo sits just south of the airport. It also borders the ocean, which gives residents access to the beach. At the same time, the area comes with an industrial character, including a Chevron refinery and the headquarters of toy maker Mattel.
With the proximity to the big city, you'd expect some crime. Violent attacks are relatively rare in the area but El Segundo suffers a high rate of property crime. And this goes beyond the occasional beach pickpocket. With 172 burglaries in a year, the city suffers the number 7 worst rate of this type of violation in the state.
/10
Population: 16,605
Rank Last Year: 37 (Up 28)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 686 (34th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,667 (Sixth most dangerous)
More on El Segundo: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
If you're a true crime buff, you've heard of Vallejo. It was the site of one of the infamous Zodiac Killer murders during the 1960s. So, yeah, already a tough reputation for a community to live down.
But we're not just talking the occasional weirdo serial killer here. Vallejo is overrun with the everyday stuff too -- the kinds of crime that force people to invest in alarms and doorbell cameras. In fact, Vallejo ranks as the number 10 most dangerous spot in California. This includes the number 1 worst rate of burglaries. And, yes, even without the Zodiac Killer, the area reported 27 murders during the past year.
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Population: 122,326
Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 5)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 990 (12th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,333 (33rd most dangerous)
More on Vallejo: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in California 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 California cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 415 cities in California.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 415 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 California -- Oakland. Any ties went to the smaller city. You can download the data here.
Most Dangerous Places To Live In California FAQs
Is California a dangerous state?
Yes, California is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #14 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in california ranks 16th highest in the United States -- 13.99% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Golden State ranks 18th highest in the United States -- 9.23% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.
Is Los Angeles, CA a dangerous city?
No, Los Angeles is not a dangerous city. Los Angeles ranks as the #158 safest 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 Los Angeles might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Bel Air is the safest in Los Angeles, while Downtown is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Los Angeles ranks 83rd highest in America -- 31.52% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 190th highest in the United States -- 19.12% better 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 California
Summary: Locking It All Up In California
So what is the most dangerous city in California? After analyzing 415 cities in California, Oakland takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in California based on the most recently reported FBI data -- 2020.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Oakland ranks as the most dangerous city in California for 2022.
We want to point out again that there's still safes places in Oakland and that this isn't a comment on the people that live there. So please don't beat us up.
Do we think the problems in California's most dangerous places are directly related to high umeployment, poor wages, and a lack of rehabilitation programs? Absolutely. Not to mention, rent in most of California's safest places and best places to live is out of reach for most people, making it difficult for people to make a move. This keeps the people in these places feeling angry, defeated, and more likely to commit a crime.
So, what is the most dangerous place in California? That would be, Oakland.
To see how the rest of your favorite places in California faired, take a look below; and if you don't find your favorite there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in California.
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 California:
- La Habra Heights (Pop. 6,487)
- Hughson (Pop. 7,673)
- Saratoga (Pop. 30,162)
- Aliso Viejo (Pop. 51,244)
- Moorpark (Pop. 36,573)
- Danville (Pop. 44,800)
- Palos Verdes Estates (Pop. 13,255)
- Imperial (Pop. 18,528)
- Orinda (Pop. 20,175)
- Rancho Santa Margarita (Pop. 47,894)
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
- Best Places To Raise A Family In California
- Safest Places In California
- Worst Places To Live In California
Crime By City In California
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Oakland | 437,923 |
2 | Commerce | 12,641 |
3 | Emeryville | 12,328 |
4 | Crescent City | 6,706 |
5 | Signal Hill | 11,467 |
6 | Red Bluff | 14,590 |
7 | Barstow | 24,041 |
8 | Marysville | 12,519 |
9 | El Segundo | 16,605 |
10 | Vallejo | 122,326 |
11 | Eureka | 26,656 |
12 | Richmond | 111,367 |
13 | Stockton | 314,981 |
14 | Santa Monica | 90,474 |
15 | Pismo Beach | 8,226 |
16 | San Bernardino | 216,365 |
17 | Montclair | 40,473 |
18 | San Francisco | 881,514 |
19 | Huntington Park | 57,442 |
20 | South Gate | 93,336 |
21 | Santa Fe Springs | 17,791 |
22 | Fresno | 535,472 |
23 | Bakersfield | 388,265 |
24 | San Leandro | 89,239 |
25 | Oroville | 20,983 |
26 | West Hollywood | 36,719 |
27 | Culver City | 39,218 |
28 | Clearlake | 15,268 |
29 | Palm Springs | 48,952 |
30 | Sacramento | 519,050 |
31 | Compton | 95,513 |
32 | Blythe | 19,590 |
33 | Berkeley | 122,346 |
34 | Modesto | 216,560 |
35 | Grass Valley | 12,811 |
36 | South El Monte | 20,628 |
37 | Yreka | 7,489 |
38 | Santa Cruz | 65,073 |
39 | Pomona | 151,982 |
40 | Turlock | 74,183 |
41 | Atwater | 29,704 |
42 | El Cerrito | 25,725 |
43 | Merced | 84,197 |
44 | San Pablo | 31,164 |
45 | Santa Maria | 108,140 |
46 | San Luis Obispo | 47,722 |
47 | Redding | 92,895 |
48 | Lakeport | 5,035 |
49 | Fortuna | 12,283 |
50 | Long Beach | 462,654 |