The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Indiana

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Indiana For 2025

Indiana’s third-biggest city, Evansville, goes by “Pocket City.” However, we think that “Pickpocket City” would be a more apt nickname, given that Evansville had 3,235 larceny cases in 2024.

Overall, Evansville residents had a 1 in 27 chance of being the victim of a property crime over the year. So definitely keep your winnings quiet after a big night out at Tropicana Casino.

Unfortunately, it’s not just small-time crime in Evansville — the city also had the third highest rate of rape cases in Indiana.

Indianapolis is the biggest city in Indiana. As such, it comes with its share of amenities. You can enjoy NBA and NFL games. Or, if you have a more artsy sensibility, you can go to Newfields, an art museum and nature park. Plenty to do. Just make sure you check your wallet and stay out of dark alleys.

Indianapolis isn’t just the state capital. It’s the capital of certain types of crimes. It suffers the number 2.0 highest pace of robberies in Indiana. Residents also have to worry about the 178 murders that happen in a year.

Elkhart, the third most dangerous place to live in Indiana, is plagued by high crime rates and a concerning level of violence. With a population of 53,357, this city in Elkhart County has experienced 531 violent crimes, including 1 murders, 45 rapes, 39 robberies, and 446 aggravated assaults. The property crime rate is also alarmingly high, with 1,387 reported incidents, including 316 burglaries.

Located east of South Bend and about 100 miles east of Chicago, Elkhart is strategically located within Indiana. By prioritizing crime prevention strategies and enhancing law enforcement efforts, there is hope for a safer future for the residents of Elkhart.

Situated a half-hour south of Chicago, Hammond “earned” its position on this list thanks to steadily high rates of both property and violent crime.

Hammond had the third highest murder rate in Indiana, logging 11 murders over 2024. Overall, the city reported 561 violent crimes over the year.

Don’t go showing off your winnings from Horseshoe Hammond Casino while you’re here because Hammond also saw 1,863 larceny cases over the year.

From the outside, it doesn’t seem scary. Located along the Wabash River, just east of the Illinois border, Terre Haute sits in the middle of rural Indiana. It provides the home to educational and cultural institutions, like the Indiana State University and the Swope Art Museum.

Yet, don’t let the amenities or the rural surroundings fool you. This ranks as the number 5 most dangerous community in Indiana. This includes a high rate of burglaries, with 396 such crimes in a city with 58,536 people. Terre Haute also experiences high numbers of arsons and car thefts.

Home to the University of Notre Dame and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, South Bend is the seventh most dangerous place to live in Indiana for 2025.

South Bend is not a great place to leave the door to your house or car unlocked, seeing as the city had the 12th highest burglary rate in Indiana and 449 car thefts recorded in 2024.

The bigger issue, though, is violent crime — folks in South Bend had a 1 in 103 chance of being the victim of an attack over the year, representing the third highest worst violent crime rate in Indiana.

Which kind of makes South Bend’s motto — “Peace” — seem like a wish rather than a reflection of the current state of affairs.

Located on the outer fringes of the Indianapolis metro area, Cumberland sits about a half hour from the center of the biggest city in Indiana. Not exactly the inner city. Yet, still, it suffers from some of the problems you’d expect to find in an inner-city environment. Namely, Cumberland ranks as the number 8 most dangerous spot in Indiana.

In terms of violence, you can feel relatively secure in town. But Cumberland represents a hotbed of property crime. Its rate of larcenies sits at the number 13 highest level in the state. Residents also deal with a high number of robberies and burglaries.

Located about 45 minutes northwest of Indianapolis, Anderson comes in as the ninth most dangerous place to live in Indiana.

Anderson averaged more than one rape case per week in 2024, giving the city the 11th highest rate of rape cases in the state.

While you can enjoy a lovely day out hiking at Mounds State Park, you should definitely triple lock your house before going out, considering Anderson also had the tenth highest burglary rate in Indiana.

Located more than an hour southwest of Indianapolis, Bloomington serves as the home of Indiana University, a campus of more than 45,000 students. Given that the surrounding community boasts 78,762 residents, the school dominates the town.

You know how college students can be. It’s no surprise that the town falls victim to some pranks or drunken revelry. However, the crime rate goes beyond simple undergrad hijinx. Bloomington has more than its share of serious criminal activity.

In a year, the town suffers 3 murders and 48 sexual assaults. These violations contribute to the state’s number 22 highest rate of violent crime.

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