The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Montana For 2023

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Montana For 2023

Situated in the northwestern corner of Montana, Polson is located within the Flathead Indian Reservation. Unfortunately, life in this relatively small town comes with its challenges. It ranks as the 1 most dangerous place in Montana, suffering 207 property crimes and 63 violent crimes over the course of the year.

In raw numbers, those might not seem particularly scary. But it’s important to put those figures into perspective. Putting it in terms of population, Polson has per-capita rate of violent crime of 1,201/100k people. That’s about the same as Great Falls, Montana, a city with about 11 times more people.

Looking at property crimes, the rate comes in at 3,948/100k people. This gives Polson the third highest pace in Montana.

Built along the Yellowstone River in the south-central part of Montana, Billings represents a key urban area in an otherwise predominantly rural area. Beside the gorgeous natural vistas you can appreciate just outside of town, the community itself features loads of cultural attractions, like the Yellowstone Art Museum or the Western Heritage Center.

However, like any urban area, Billings attracts its share of bad characters. As a result, this ranks as the number 2 most dangerous spot in Montana. Property crime represents a major problem, with high rates of burglary, robbery, and car thefts. The city of 110,274 residents also faced 6 murders last year.

Part of the Flathead Indian Reservation in the northwest section of Montana, Ronan sports a population of just 2,195 people. However, on a per-capita basis, it ranks as one of the most dangerous spots in the state, coming in at fourth highest on that unfortunate list.

During the course of a year, the residents of Ronan suffered 60 property crimes. That equates to a rate of 2,733/100k people – enough to put it at ninth highest in Montana.

The true danger in Ronan comes as a result of violence. The small town saw 20violent crimes during the year. Comparing that to the total population, and you get a per-capita pace of 911/100k people, enough to rank fourth highest in the state as a whole. Aggravated assaults made up most of the violent crimes in the area.

Laurel, located in Yellowstone County, Montana, ranks as the fourth most dangerous place to live in the state for 2023. This ranking is based on crime statistics, including property and violent crime rates. With a population of 6,710 people, Laurel reported 48 cases of violent crime. The property crime rate was also significant, with 210 reported cases, including several burglaries.

Despite these concerning statistics, it’s important to note that with collective effort, things can improve. Situated in the Yellowstone Valley as an east-west terminal division point of the Burlington-Northern Railroad, Laurel has historical significance as a transportation hub. It is home to a Cenex Harvest States oil refinery and Montana Rail Link’s Laurel Yard, making it a vital part of the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Despite being located in bowels of the far west, built along the Milk River in north-central Montana, Havre gets its name from a spot in France, the port city of Le Havre. Ooo la la. But don’t worry: this Havre has its share of old-fashioned American grit, booming as a railroad town around the turn of the 20th century.

Maybe to prove its still got that Wild West spirit, despite its European name, Havre struggles a crime problem. This includes both high rates of property crime and violence. This town of 9,724 residents reported 59 assaults last year.

Every elementary-school student can name Helena as the political capital of Montana. Sadly, it’s also the state’s capital of something else: rape. The city of 34,262 people reported 45 rapes during the year. That’s one for every 761.4 inhabitants – by far the highest rate in the Big Sky state.

Total violent crimes reached 235 during the year, putting Helena ninth highest in the state in that category. The city also suffered 1,098 property crimes over the course of 12 months. That pace projects to a figure of about 3,204/100k people – the fifth highest rate in Montana.

Historically an important industrial and transportation center in the state, Great Falls boasts the 3rd highest population in Montana, with 58,265 residents. Unfortunately, a large population often comes with some downsides. In this case, residents of Great Falls have to contend with the second highest rate of property crime in the state.

The city reported 2,767 property crimes over the course of a year. Putting that into perspective, it equates to a per-capita pace of 4,748/100k people. With this epidemic of property crime, Great Falls also ranks second highest in the state in overall crime, with a pace of 5,305/100k people.

One bright spot: Great Falls is a little better when it comes to violent crime. While it did have 324 of those during the year. As a result, it ranked only 12th highest in the state in its violent-crime rate.

Having a population of 77,852 might not seem like much compared to places like New York City and San Francisco. But, for Montana, that number allows Missoula to rank among the biggest cities in the state. That size comes with a dark side, though. Missoula also holds the dubious distinction of being one of the murder capitals of Montana.

The city reported 1 murders over a year, out of 490 violent crimes for the 12-month period. In a small-population state, where everyone’s spread out over a huge area, this ranks as the most killings for any municipality. Missoula also suffered 58 rapes during the year.

In addition to this violent streak, Missoula has a significant problem with property crime. The city saw 2,522 such occurrences during the year, ranking fifth highest ing burglaries and 12th highest in car thefts. In terms of rate, Missoula had a per-capita pace of property crimes of 3,239/100k people – the fourth highest pace in Montana.

You’ve heard the expression “good things come in small packages?” Well, it can go the other way as well. Just look at Cut Bank, Montana. It’s a town of 3,028 people that still tops the list of the state’s most dangerous places.

Located about 30 miles south of the Canadian border, Cut Bank gets its name from a nearby gorge. However, the designation could suggest something a little darker: the violent nature of town. In an area with just a few thousand people people, Cut Bank suffered 25 violent crimes. That’s a violent crime rate of 825/100k people, the highest rate in the state.

Cut Bank is a little better when it comes to property crime. The town reported 65 property crimes during the year, or a rate of 2,146/100k people. That pace puts it at 12th highest on the state’s list for property crime.

Glasgow, a city in Valley County, Montana, ranks as the number 10 most dangerous place to live in the state for 2023. Despite its relatively small population of 3,318, Glasgow has a concerning crime rate, particularly in terms of violent crime. With 1,054/100k people and 1,054/100k people.

Located in Eastern Montana, Glasgow is an important economic hub for the region, being the most populous city for over 100 miles. However, its high crime rates pose a threat to the well-being of its residents. The city must prioritize initiatives aimed at reducing crime and increasing safety.

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