The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Kansas For 2022

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Kansas For 2022

Independence ranks as one of the most dangerous cities and one of the worst places to live in Kansas. Although there were only 92 violent crimes and 347 property crimes, for such a small town, that's some big numbers. Independence's residents have a 1 in 24 chance of being involved in a burglary, car theft, larceny, or arson and a 1 in 91 chance of being a victim of rape, murder, or aggravated assault.

Located in Montgomery County in the Southeast part of Kansas, Independence is home to the Neewollah Festival, where a town of 8,405 becomes a town of 80,000 during Halloween time. Home to Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on the Prairie fame this small town is wilder than it should be.

Parsons was a railroad town. Like, such a railroad town that it was named after a railroad executive from the 1800s. It also served as the home for one of the founders of iconic motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson..

So Parsons has a long tradition tied to the concept of transportation. That's good: you might want to get out of town quickly. By rail, by motorcycle -- whatever. Given the crime rate here, criminals need options when fleeing authorities and repeated victims need a way to get to safer communities. Either way, they need a way out of the number 2 most crime-laden town in Kansas.

Although Iola is one of the best places to buy a house in Kansas, it's also one of the poorest cities and one of theworst places to live in Kansas.

For a town of 5,220, you'd think crime would be lower, but residents have a 1 in 24 chance of getting their property stolen and a 1 in 158 chance of being a victim of a violent crime such as rape, murder and aggravated assault. Make sure to keep a close eye on your belongings and to be on the lookout for suspicious characters in this small town.

Fort Scott is located in the east-central part of Kansas, a short drive from the Missouri border. Yes, it originated as an actual fort, an army post in operation during the middle of the 19th century. The town also serves as the birthplace of film director Gordon Parks, most famous for the 1970s movie Shaft.

That's a lot of history for a town of 7,658 people. But in Fort Scott, the past isn't the issue. In the present, residents have to worry about a rampant crime problem. This includes the number 6 highest pace of violent crimes in the state.

The residents of Merriam have something to celebrate this year. Their town has dropped from last year, and that number is mainly due to a drop in this city's violent crime. People who live here still have to keep an eye out for their valuables because they have a 1 in 16 chance of having something stolen like a car, cell phone, purse or wallet.

Located on the Missouri River on the Missouri-Kansas border, Merriam also ranks as one of the best places for singles in Kansas. So, if you're single and you're in the Kansas City metropolitan area, you have a good chance of finding your soulmate, but make sure you keep an eye on your valuables.

Coffeyville is a smaller town with a population of 9,171 people, and Coffeyville's residents have something to be happy about this year. This town also ranks as one of the worst places to live and poorest places to live in Kansas.

Now, the name of this old cowtown may not be familiar to you, but it's famous for bringing down the Dalton Gang in 1892. Coffeyville residents wouldn't stand for their banks being robbed. So, they grabbed their guns and took down every gang member, except for one. Let's hope they can band together again and bring these numbers down further.

There's a Garden City in Georgia too. Like this one, it has a deceivingly pleasant-sounding name. It brings up visions of strolls along flower-strewn paths, etc.

Well, there must be something about the name. The Georgia version is one of the most dangerous spots in that state. And this Garden City shares similar level of notoriety in Kansas. Sure, this community in the southwestern part of the state has its charms. But it also has a dark side.

The town ranks as the number 7 most dangerous location in the state. One particularly scary problem: arson. Garden City has the number 3 most disturbing rate of man-made fires in Kansas.

Part of the urban sprawl surrounding Kansas City, Mission sits southwest of the center of one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the Midwest. As a result, the 9,979 residents have quick access to fantastic amenities -- a 15 minute drive will take them downtown.

Unfortunately, there's a downside to the city life. Mission also represents the number 8 most dangerous location in Kansas. Luckily, the statistics on violent crime are relatively tame. However, property crime rates are extremely high, including large numbers of larcenies and car thefts.

Leavenworth is most famous for its prison. Originally built as an army fort, it converted to a military prison in the late 19th century. Eventually, the facility became a federal prison and it now dominates the public's consciousness about the town.

Irony time: along with the federal prison, Leavenworth's other claim to fame is that it is the number 9 most dangerous spot in Kansas. This community located just northwest of Kansas City has a major violence problem, with 294 such crimes in a year. At the same time, Leavenworth saw 146 car thefts during the 12-month span.

Although Junction City made the most dangerous cities in Kansas lists, its residents can celebrate that their property crime has gone down from last year. But, they are still ranked third highest for violent crime. That means residents have a 1 in 110 chance of being a victim of a major crime, particularly aggravated assault.

Located in Geary County where the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers meet, Junction City is a wholesale shipping center for wheat and dairy. Near Fort Riley, Junction City was a trading town during the days of George Custer and the Seventh Cavalry.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Kansas FAQs

Is Kansas a dangerous state?

Yes, Kansas is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #16 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in kansas ranks 19th highest in the United States -- 9.6% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Sunflower State ranks 17th highest in the United States -- 12.3% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.

Is Wichita, KS a dangerous city?

Yes, Wichita is a dangerous city. Wichita ranks as the #8 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 Wichita might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Delano Township is the safest in Wichita, while Murdock is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Wichita ranks 26th highest in America -- 107.88% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks eighth highest in the United States -- 100.38% 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.