The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Missouri For 2023

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Missouri For 2023

For the third year running, Missouri’s third-biggest city, Springfield, ranks as the most dangerous place to call home in the state. While Springfield didn’t rank #1 in violent or property crime, fifth highest place rankings in both categories lands it at the top of this list.

Springfield had the tenth highest rate of rape cases in Missouri for 2021, averaging just about one a day over the year. On top of that, Springfield had the seventh highest burglary rate in Missouri, so it’s a good idea to lock your doors here.

Overall, residents had a 1 in 15 chance of being the victim of a property crime over 2021, so you’ll want to watch your wallets and purses when you’re strolling around Nathanial Greene/Close Memorial Park.

Located in Clay County, Missouri, North Kansas City is ranked as the second most dangerous place to live in the state for 2023. With a population of around 5,110, this independent municipality within the Kansas City metropolitan area faces significant safety challenges. The crime statistics paint a concerning picture.

While North Kansas City’s crime rates are alarming, it is important to note that the city has the potential for improvement with dedicated efforts. Being part of the larger Kansas City metropolitan area provides an opportunity for collaboration and sharing of resources to combat crime effectively. With a collective effort from local authorities and community members, North Kansas City can work towards creating a safer environment for its residents.

Hey! We’re headed to Nevada! Stack those chips and call the buffets, it’s time for one of those “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” type of vacations.

Wait…what? This is Nevada, Missouri. Alright, not the trip we had planned, but it could still be fun. After all, there’s a Bushwhacker Museum and a golf course.

But, unfortunately, there’s also a pronounced crime problem. Violent crime represents a particular issue. With a population of just 8,177 people, this Nevada suffered 131 aggravated assaults and 17 sexual assaults.

You certainly won’t find Berkeley on our list of the best St. Louis suburbs and crime is a big reason why.

Berkeley hasplenty of parks, but we wouldn’t recommend visiting them alone or after dark, considering the crime.

Berkeley averaged just under two violent crimes per week and more than one property crime per day in 2021, but the really crazy thing here is the prevalence of car theft. Berkeley’s population is just 8,868, but 109 of those people had their cars robbed in 2021.

Known as the home of the the Gateway Arch, St. Louis is also a gateway to high crime rates. St. Louis is Missouri’s sixth most violent city, recording 4,387 rapes, murders, robberies, and assaults over 2021.

St. Louis stands out by having the second highest murder rate in Missouri by a wide margin, recording one murder about every other day over the year.

Your car isn’t even safe in St. Louis, considering 3,509 people had their cars stolen in St. Louis in 2021. And that only represents a fraction of the 16,146 property crimes committed.

Kennett is a town of 9,946 folks located in the far southeastern part of Missouri, near the border with Arkansas. This spot, set amid a generally rural part of the state, has one major claim to fame: it serves as the birthplace of singer Sheryl Crow. However, when she comes back home, all she wants to do is avoid getting her stuff stolen.

The community suffers the number 2 highest pace of burglaries in the state. It also sees a frighteningly high rate of violent crimes. This includes 6 sexual assaults — leading to one of the scariest rates in Missouri.

Kansas City is used to winning by now, between the Chiefs and the Royals. But getting used to high rates of crime is another matter.

Missouri’s biggest city had the fifth highest murder rate in 2021, recording about three per week on average. Overall, residents had a 1 in 67 chance of being the victim of a violent attack over the year.

On the flip-side, the property crime rate in Kansas City is the lowest on this list. And, being a big place, if you stick to Kansas City’s safest neighborhoods, you should be fine.

Known for hosting the Missouri State Fair and the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, Sedalia sees a lot of extra action thanks to these events. Unfortunately, Sedalia also sees a good amount of crime.

Sedalia had 673 larcenies in 2021, or about two a day. That’s a lot of picked pockets and snatched purses for a city of 21,742. The city also had about three aggravated assaults per week over the year, the biggest contributor to Sedalia 12th highest-place ranking in violent crime.

Located in southwestern Missouri, Joplin has a substantial property crime problem. JoMo’s property crime rate ranked as the second highest in Missouri, with burglary rates ranking as the fifth highest.

In other words, you’re more likely to have your phone stolen than to lose it over Joplin’s Grand Falls.

Overall, Joplin is the least violent place on this list. There is a catch, though, as the city still had the 2highest rate of rape cases in Missouri in 2021.

These days, almost everyone has heard of Ferguson. This suburb of St. Louis made national headlines in 2014 when the killing of Michael Brown by a police officer sparked waves of protests and looting.

Unfortunately, the added attention has done little to heal the underlying social problems that led to the unrest. These issues have far from disappeared since the incident faded from people’s Twitter feeds. The people of Ferguson still toil in the number 10 most dangerous community in Missouri. Much of the problem centers around property crime. That includes a high rate of car thefts, robberies and burglaries.

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