The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa For 2023


We used data and science to identify the most dangerous cities in the Hawkeye State for 2023.

Most dangerous cities in Iowa research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data to determine the most dangerous cities in Iowa based on violent and property crimes per capita. Here are the results of our analysis:

  • The most dangerous city in Iowa is Ottumwa based on the most recent FBI crime data.

  • The violent crime rate in Iowa is 868 per 100k people.

  • The property crime rate in Iowa is 3,233 per 100k people.

  • The safest city in Iowa is Polk City.

  • Iowa is the 36th most dangerous state in the United States.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | References


If you’ve ever read Iowa City’s Press-Citizen’s Crime and Courts page, then you know what many Iowans already know: this Midwest state has some pretty dangerous places, too.

Do we think it’s because the flatlanders are bored? Jobs are scarce? Low wages? Yes, all three and then some. So, it would be in your best interest to take a look below at RoadSnacks’ list of the most dangerous places in Iowa for 2023 before you make any life changing decisions.

How’d we determine the most dangerous places in corn country? We consulted the numbers. In total, we analyzed 79 cities. We looked at the FBI’s latest crime report for violent crime and property crime statistics for every place with over 5,000 residents. We discovered that Iowa has some pretty interesting statistics when it comes to violent and property crime compared to the national average. Iowa is winning the arson game, but losing in murder and aggravated assault. And, shockingly, the city with the most assaults and murders in the state has less than 26,000 residents.

Now, it’s not all crazy scary in Iowa. The state’s good angel is definitely looking out for the state’s safest cities. The ying to that yang, however, is that Iowa has its fair share of dangerous cities too; and folks, they’re pretty dangerous. And if you think that most of Iowa’s problems are centered around the state’s largest cities, you’re partially right. Surprisingly, however, the most dangerous city in Iowa has only 11,000 residents.

While Iowa was not in the top ten most dangerous states in the country, Des Moines and Davenport are two of the most dangerous cities in the country. Maybe these cities need more police presence? We’re not entirely sure. But one thing we do know is that you should check out Iowa’s most dangerous places below: there may be some surprises.

Note that Iowa did not provide new data for the most recent year, so this ranking is based on the most recently available data in Iowa.

This is not a list that any city in any state wants to see their name. You probably won’t see a sign entering the most dangerous place in a state that reads “number one most dangerous city in Iowa”: it’s not something to brag about. But, people need to know.

So, without further adieu, the most dangerous place in Iowa is Ottumwa.

Take a look at the list below to see the rest of Iowa’s most dangerous places; and if you don’t see what you’re looking for there, head to the bottom.

Learn more about the safest places in Iowa.

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 Iowa reading, check out:

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Iowa For 2023

Call up a security company and consider getting a guard dog if you plan to live in Ottumwa. You may need all the help you can get considering that you have a one in 30 chance of being a victim of a property crime here in 2023.

You are actually lucky if you can make it home safely at all in this southern Iowa city. One of the lesser populated places on this list, Ottumwa had its fair share of violent crime in reporting year 2021. To be exact, 211 were reported in the community of 24,308.

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 24,308
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 868 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,233 (Third most dangerous)
More on Ottumwa:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Ottumwa, IA

As one of the Quad Cities, Davenport has its bright spots, including its location along the Mississippi River and gigantic St. Patrick’s Day parade. Beyond those riverfront views however, there is a darker side to life here.

Personal safety is a serious concern in Davenport. A staggering 466 aggravated assaults took place in the city in 2021. As if that were not enough to rattle you, there were also 96 reports of rape in the area. The Davenport Police Department certainly has its hands full. Let us hope its team of men and women can turn things around soon before crime here gets any worse.

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 102,014
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 656 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,579 (Most dangerous)
More on Davenport:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Davenport, IA

Des Moines ranks as the third most dangerous city in Iowa for 2023.

A large population tends to mean higher crime numbers and Des Moines is no exception. When it comes to the criminal activities you should watch out for in this community, theft ranks high. The city had 4,580 larcenies in 2021. So, you better keep an eye on your valuables while you are out and about in the state capital.

No matter how tired you are after a day of activities in the area, try not to let your guard down once you return home or to your hotel room. Burglary can be a problem here too. In fact, Des Moines is 26th highest in the state for it.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 213,060
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 628 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,173 (Fifth most dangerous)
More on Des Moines:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Des Moines, IA

Source: Public domain

Keokuk sits at the intersection of three states. Located in the far southeast corner of Iowa, a simple trip across the Mississippi River will get you into Illinois. Or you can take a short drive south and spend the day in Missouri.

Maybe criminals like having these escape routes — a few minutes and they can be in a different jurisdiction. Whatever the case, Keokuk has built a reputation as the number 4 most dangerous spot in Iowa. Violence represents a major problem in the area, with 87 such incidents in a population of only 10,025 people.

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 10,025
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 4)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 867 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,802 (Ninth most dangerous)
More on Keokuk:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Keokuk, IA

Clinton, the fifth most dangerous place to live in Iowa, has a concerning crime rate. With a population of 24,865, Clinton reported 143 violent crimes, including 1 murders, 17 rapes, 11 robberies, and 114 aggravated assaults. Additionally, property crime was a significant issue, with 803 incidents reported.

While these numbers may be alarming, it is important to recognize that things can improve with concerted efforts and community involvement. With its location on the western shore of the Mississippi River and as the easternmost city in Iowa, Clinton possesses unique opportunities for economic growth and enhanced safety measures.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 24,865
Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 10)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 575 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,229 (Fourth most dangerous)
More on Clinton:  | Cost Of Living

Clinton, IA

The people of Fort Madison need to work on their conflict resolution skills. Fort Madison ranks as the sixth most dangerous city in Iowa for 2023.

A few lessons on how to talk through issues instead of resorting to violence may have been able to prevent the 51 aggravated assaults that took place in 2021.

Residents would also benefit from a reminder that you cannot take something that belongs to someone else, no matter how badly you want it. That concept is one the victims of the 174 larcenies, 83 burglaries, and 20 car thefts would surely like reiterated. Hopefully, the criminals that committed those acts will turn their lives around. If not, they could end up as inmates at the Iowa State Penitentiary, which is conveniently located in Fort Madison.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 10,185
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 4)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 697 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,719 (Tenth most dangerous)
More on Fort Madison:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Fort Madison, IA

Source: Public domain

Sioux City is the kind of place that makes you want to double check the locks on your doors. Criminals apparently love to make their way into the homes of others and take what does not belong to them. All those sticky fingers caused the city to rank 12th highest in the state for burglary.

If you manage to avoid a break-in and the disappearance of items from your home, it might be your car that goes missing. Thieves stole 232 of them in 2021. That stat combined with the 1,883 larcenies and 25 incidents of arson make it easy to see why Sioux City is also ranked seventh highest for property crime.

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 82,750
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 576 (Sixth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,042 (Seventh most dangerous)
More on Sioux City:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Sioux City, IA

Source: Public domain

Nestled in the southeastern corner of the state, across the Mississippi River from Illinois, Burlington represents a key urban area in an otherwise rural part of the state. You can visit the local Catfish Bend Casino or head over to the Art Center of Burlington. Or you can delve into the rich local history, including how the Iowa nickname of “The Hawkeye State” derives from the title of a local newspaper.

All this provides great diversions for a day in Burlington. Just make sure you’re home by the time it gets dark. The community also has its share of criminal elements, including the number 6 highest pace of larcenies in the state.

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 24,417
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 561 (Eighth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,124 (Sixth most dangerous)
More on Burlington:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Burlington, IA

The Battle of Waterloo took place in 1815. It was Napoleon’s last stand — one of the most important events in modern history. That Waterloo is in Europe, though. This one is in Iowa.

It’s up to you whether you’d rather spend time in Belgium or in the American Midwest. To help you make up your mind: the Iowa version has the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area. But before you decide, keep in mind Waterloo’s not insubstantial crime problem. You might run into the Prussian army at the other Waterloo. But this one has the number 9 highest rate of violent crime in Iowa.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 67,174
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 529 (Ninth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,591 (12th most dangerous)
More on Waterloo:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Waterloo, IA

Next out our list of the most dangerous cities in Iowa is Fort Dodge. A community of 23,788 with a long history of gypsum mining.

Residents are probably prouder of that industry than they are of the amount of disregard for the law that happens in the area. Property crime is just one issue Fort Dodge has. People reported 596 incidents of it in 2021. Burglary, larceny, and the like are just the tip of the iceberg for criminal activity here. What really helped the city earn a spot on this list is the fact that it ranks 49th highest in the state for murder.

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 23,788
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 6)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 491 (11th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,505 (14th most dangerous)
More on Fort Dodge:  | Cost Of Living | Crime Report

Fort Dodge, IA

Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Iowa for 2023?

Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Iowa. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Iowa, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.

For our analysis, we focused on the 2021 data, specifically the 2021 Crime In The United States Report for Iowa. We will update the results when data becomes available in September 2023.

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 Iowa cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 79 cities in Iowa.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 79 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 Iowa — Ottumwa. Any ties went to the smaller city.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Iowa FAQs

No, Iowa is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #14 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in iowa ranks 34th highest in the United States — 21.74% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Hawkeye State ranks 33rd highest in the United States — 13.28% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Yes, Des Moines is a dangerous city. Des Moines ranks as the #52 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 Des Moines might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Greenwood is the safest in Des Moines, while Laurel Hill is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Des Moines ranks 88th highest in America — 28.37% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 50th highest in the United States — 46.92% 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 Iowa

Most Dangerous Cities In Iowa Graph

Click To Enlarge

Summary: Locking It All Up In Iowa

So what is the most dangerous city in Iowa? After analyzing 79 cities in Iowa, Ottumwa takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Iowa based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2021.

The latest FBI crime data shows that Ottumwa ranks as the most dangerous city in Iowa for 2023.

We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Ottumwa and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.

Note that Iowa did not provide new data for the most recent year, so this ranking is based on the most recently available data in Iowa.

This is not a list that any city in any state wants to see their name. You probably won’t see a sign entering the most dangerous place in a state that reads “number one most dangerous city in Iowa”: it’s not something to brag about. But, people need to know.

So, without further adieu, the most dangerous place in Iowa is Ottumwa.

Take a look at the list below to see the rest of Iowa’s most dangerous places; and if you don’t see what you’re looking for there, head to the bottom.

Learn more about the safest places in Iowa.

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 Iowa:

  1. Urbandale (Pop. 45,201)
  2. Orange City (Pop. 6,195)
  3. Eldridge (Pop. 6,998)
  4. Waukee (Pop. 27,858)
  5. Sioux Center (Pop. 7,729)
  6. Pella (Pop. 10,260)
  7. Decorah (Pop. 7,422)
  8. Asbury (Pop. 5,999)
  9. Norwalk (Pop. 12,313)
  10. Polk City (Pop. 5,350)

For more Iowa reading, check out:

Crime By City In Iowa

Rank City Population Violent Crimes Per Capita Property Crimes Per Capita
1 Ottumwa 24,308 868 3,233
2 Davenport 102,014 656 3,579
3 Des Moines 213,060 628 3,173
4 Keokuk 10,025 867 2,802
5 Clinton 24,865 575 3,229
6 Fort Madison 10,185 697 2,719
7 Sioux City 82,750 576 3,042
8 Burlington 24,417 561 3,124
9 Waterloo 67,174 529 2,591
10 Fort Dodge 23,788 491 2,505
11 Council Bluffs 62,202 360 3,419
12 Washington 7,201 444 2,527
13 Mason City 26,550 406 2,832
14 Maquoketa 5,894 441 2,443
15 Grinnell 9,084 528 1,783
16 Dubuque 57,790 436 2,048
17 Cedar Rapids 134,763 345 2,711
18 Indianola 16,203 462 1,697
19 Marshalltown 26,651 412 1,812
20 Creston 7,644 484 1,478
21 Newton 15,116 370 1,660
22 Muscatine 23,499 353 1,680
23 Clear Lake 7,492 280 2,309
24 DeWitt 5,212 383 1,400
25 Nevada 6,744 459 1,230
26 Altoona 20,064 269 1,883
27 Coralville 22,874 284 1,757
28 Iowa City 77,522 307 1,611
29 Winterset 5,403 462 1,054
30 Osceola 5,320 281 1,729
31 Charles City 7,174 306 1,491
32 Iowa Falls 5,034 317 1,390
33 Centerville 5,394 222 1,853
34 Pleasant Hill 10,153 187 2,097
35 Cedar Falls 40,321 198 1,860
36 Waverly 10,340 415 1,005
37 Red Oak 5,229 286 1,376
38 Oelwein 5,731 296 1,238
39 Boone 12,448 321 1,108
40 Atlantic 6,457 247 1,455
41 Storm Lake 10,414 278 1,363
42 Oskaloosa 11,832 236 1,445
43 Adel 5,845 102 2,189
44 West Des Moines 70,414 144 1,739
45 Estherville 5,516 416 779
46 Le Mars 10,233 293 1,065
47 Perry 7,669 221 1,395
48 Hiawatha 7,512 346 785
49 Algona 5,340 430 280
50 Webster City 7,608 289 959

References

  • FBI UCR 2022

  • Census – American Cumminity Survey

This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our tenth time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Iowa and is updated for 2023.
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.