The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Idaho For 2022

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Idaho For 2022

Garden City, Idaho is a small city with a population of around 12,084 residents. Although it is nearly surrounded by the large city of Boise, it remains a separate entity. It is one of the most dangerous cities in the state of Idaho for 2022.

Garden City ranks highest with 84 violent crimes reported in the city. There were also 241 property crimes and 176 cases of larceny. When considering its relatively small population, this makes it one of the more dangerous cities in Idaho.

Garden City is quite small, with just over four square miles of space. It is located along the Boise River and State Highway 44.

In many different surveys and reports, Pocatello is recognized as one of the most dangerous cities to live in or visit in the state of Idaho. In the 2020 reporting year, there were 1,223 cases of property crimes and 822 cases of larceny. This is a huge amount of crime for a town with a population of only 56,900.

Despite its level of property and total crimes, Pocatello continues to be a town that people move to. You can see views of the Rocky Mountains and many residents love to spend time in the outdoors, exploring trails and other recreational activities with friends and family.

Twin Falls, Idaho is the gateway to the fascinating Snake River Canyon. It is a popular tourist spot because of all of the people that want to see the canyon. It also happens to be one of the most dangerous cities in the state.

It ranked third highest for violent crimes in our 2022 list. In the year 2020, there were 259 violent crimes, 214 aggravated assaults, and 892 property crimes reported this year. Twin Falls' large and growing population of 50,872 residents combined with the thousands of seasonal tourists that spend time in the area each year make good targets for criminals.

Idaho Falls has 63,457 residents. That's the number of people you'd find in a few choice blocks in Manhattan. Yet, for eastern Idaho, that counts as a massive urban center -- complete with key cultural highlights, like the Museum of Idaho. You'll also get a taste of nature with picturesque river walks along the Snake River.

This all comes with a cost, however. If Idaho Falls wants to be the big city in eastern Idaho, it has to deal with big-city problems. Like crime. The city experienced 291 violent crimes last year and suffers the number 1.0 highest pace of car theft in the state.

In the year 2020, there were 40 violent crimes, 0 murders, and 11 cases of rape reported in Blackfoot, Idaho. It ranks 4th for rape and 6th for burglary in the state. The small town isn't always known for its dangers, as many of its residents believe that it is a great place to raise a family and has a growing population of 12,036 residents.

It is located in southeastern Idaho, right off of I-15 approximately 25 miles away from Idaho Falls. Many of the residents know each other and it retains its small town feel. This makes its relatively high crime rate even more concerning.

Jerome's most famous former resident? Probably Nikki Sixx of the 1980s hair-metal band Mtley Cre. Whether you consider that a selling point or stain on the community probably depends on your musical taste. But in a town of 12,120 people in south-central Idaho, his career marks pretty much the high point of notoriety.

That is, if you aren't talking about the crime rate. Along with providing a home for the co-author of the song "Girls, Girls, Girls," Jerome ranks as the number 6 most dangerous place in Idaho. This is underpinned by a high rate of violent crime, including, sadly, the state's number 1 highest pace of sexual assaults.

Payette, Idaho has a disproportionate problem with rape. In 2022, it ranks 14th for the number of rape cases filed in the state. This translates to 3 cases reported in 2020. While this may not seem like a lot, Payette is a very small town with only 7,753 residents. This might explain why it has a slightly declining population rate.

The area has a general lack of employment, particularly in good paying jobs. There is a large number of minimum wage jobs available, if they haven't already been filled by other residents. This can be a contributing factor for crime.

It is located about an hour away from Boise.

Chubbuck is located north of Pocatello, Idaho and is the home to the largest tennis court in East Idaho, known as the Osborn Tennis Complex. What often is overlooked in this small, otherwise peaceful community is the crime rate. The area has a problem specifically with property crimes.

In 2020, the small town of just 15,773 residents reported 318 larceny cases and 362 property crimes. This accounts for a large 2,295/100k people. This means that for 2022, Chubbuck ranks second highest for property crimes and fifth highest for total crimes committed in 2022. Having additional protections on your car and home would be well worth it if you live in this dangerous city.

If you are looking to move to a new city in Idaho, Lewiston might not be the best place to buy or rent a home. While there are many positive things about the city, it is among the most dangerous cities in Idaho in 2022.

In 2020, it had 135 burglary cases and 767 property crimes. This leads to its status as the third highest in total crime and the highest in property crime. For a population the size of 32,886, this is an alarming rate of crime for residents to be concerned with protecting themselves from.

Lewiston is a relatively affordable place to live in Idaho.

Coeur d'Alene. Fancy-sounding name. The moniker, which means "Heart of an Awl", comes from a local Native American tribe. The area was first laid out at the orders of famed Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman, who used it as a fort starting in the 1870s.

So you've got a high-class French-sounding name. You've also got historical bone fides coming from one of the most well-known military commanders in American history. What's not to like about this city of 53,405 people in northwest Idaho?

Well, there's the crime rate for one thing. You'll find a high rate of violence and a scary number of sexual assaults for a community this size. Specifically, Coeur d'Alene suffers the number 10 highest rate of rapes in the state.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Idaho FAQs

Is Idaho a dangerous state?

No, Idaho is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #5 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in idaho ranks 42nd highest in the United States -- 37.44% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Gem State ranks 48th highest in the United States -- 43.22% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Is Meridian, ID a dangerous city?

No, Meridian is not a dangerous city. Meridian ranks as the #6 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 Meridian might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Meridian ranks 280th highest in America -- 70.96% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 313th highest in the United States -- 68.22% 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.