The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Kentucky For 2022

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Kentucky For 2022

The numbers do not lie when it comes to the dangers of Bowling Green -- it's the most dangerous city in Kentucky for 2022. You need to be careful in this southern Kentucky city or you could wind up like one of the victims of the 247 violent crimes that occurred in 2020. Physical safety is not all you have to worry about. Of those incidents, 71 were robberies. So, your valuables are at risk here too.

And while the city is known for producing Corvettes, criminals here are happy to get their hands on any set of wheels -- including yours. The people who reported the 317 car thefts in Bowling Green in 2020, learned that lesson the hard way.

You would think life in a city of 7,299 would be relatively safe and easy going. Not in Oak Grove. The crime numbers here may be smaller than those of other areas in the state but that does not make them insignificant. Members of the Oak Grove Police Department still have their work cut out for them.

Holding criminals accountable for making off with items that belong to others seems to be where most of their attention went in 2020. People in Oak Grove reported 169 larcenies, 38 burglaries, and 28 stolen cars that year.

For 2022, Mayfield ranks as the third most dangerous city in Kentucky -- let's see why.

Though Mayfield is home to Cartwright Grove, a re-creation of an old west town in the 1880s, you might feel like you really are in the Wild West while in this city. A community of 9,791, Mayfield is certainly rough around the edges.

You do not want to mess with the outlaws here, and we are not talking about the ones in Cartwright Grove. The area ranks 50th highest in the state for murder and ninth highest for rape.

As shocking as those standings are, it is easy to see why some people in Mayfield are driven to other types of criminal activity. Not only is the city considered one of the worst places to live in Kentucky, a sizable portion of people there live in poverty.

It is a good thing that a stop along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is in Shively. Residents here might want a cocktail or two with booze from the Stitzel-Weller Distillery to help them forget that their city is highest in the state for murder.

The 30 aggravated assaults, 35 robberies, and 8 rapes reported in 2020 probably do not make anyone here feel much better about their personal safety either. Let's just hope no one drowns their sorrows too much. You need to stay alert if you are going to thrive in this town.

When William Clark, of Lewis and Clark, founded Paducah in 1827, it is safe to assume he had grand plans for it. The area being named one of the most dangerous cities in Kentucky, was not likely one of them.

The people of Paducah can thank their community's modern-day criminals for that. In fact, contempt for the law is so bad here compared to the rest of the state that the city ranks sixth highest for total crime. A status the 993 property crimes that took place in 2020 certainly had a role in achieving.

Newport sits just across the Ohio river from Cincinnati. A 10-minute drive will take you into the center of pride of southern Ohio. Thus, while it technically sits in a different state, Newport acts as a kind of suburb to a major urban area.

With this context, the high crime rate in Newport doesn't come as a surprise. This includes a major problem with violent crime. In a community of just 14,874 people, Newport suffered 12 sexual assaults. The town also has the number 1 highest pace of arsons.

Do love banjo music? Want to kick up your boot heels to a rollicking fiddle solo? Well, then, you should consider planning a trip to Owensboro, home of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. If you need extra incentive, the town along the Ohio River in the western part of Kentucky also bills itself as the "Barbecue Capital of the World," with an annual food festival to prove it.

However, stay vigilant while you're tapping your toes and munching your ribs. Owensboro has its dark side as well. It ranks as the number 7 most dangerous community in Kentucky. This stems from a high rate of property crime, including 284 car thefts and 1,638 larcenies.

You'll find a bunch of the cities on this list built along the Ohio River. What is it about these river banks that encourages crime? Maybe a bit of that old riverboat mentality held over from the days of steam engines and traveling con men.

Whatever the case, Maysville falls into this category as well. Across the river from Ohio, in the northeastern part of the state, the town of 8,695 people counts as the number 8 most dangerous spot in Kentucky. Property crime is rampant in the area. Residents reported 59 burglaries and 8 robberies last year.

A few miles east of Lexington, sits Winchester. Before you hit the hay in this city, you better hide your jewelry, cash, and any other hot-ticket goods you have around the house. Crooks here had a knack for breaking and entering in 2020, committing 106 burglaries that year.

Do not assume your personal belongings are any safer by your side either. The area's residents and visitors faced 8 incidents of robbery as well. That may not seem like a lot, but we bet you would not want to be in the shoes of those victims.

Welcome to Middlesboro, one of the most dangerous places to live in Kentucky. Middlesboro is the kind of place people have been desperate to get away from for decades. And when your city makes this list, that is just one more reason to pack up your bags and move on to one of the state's more promising areas.

Residents who noticed the criminal activity occurring in 2020 may not be surprised by the city's ranking. While violence was not a major issue, the community was not immune to it either. Reports of 13 aggravated assaults and 9 rapes contributed to the area's 29 violent crimes. People here might take that as a sign that it is better to ditch Middlesboro sooner rather than later.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Kentucky FAQs

Is Kentucky a dangerous state?

No, Kentucky is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #11 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in kentucky ranks 40th highest in the United States -- 33.19% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Bluegrass State ranks 3highest in the United States -- 9.13% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Is Lexington, KY a dangerous city?

No, Lexington is not a dangerous city. Lexington ranks as the #179 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 Lexington might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Lexington ranks 218th highest in America -- 41.69% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 123rd highest in the United States -- 8.13% 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.