The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland


The most dangerous places in Maryland are Ocean City and Elkton for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

Most dangerous cities in Maryland research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data using Saturday Night Science to determine the most dangerous cities in Maryland.

We examined the violent and property crime per capita statistics for every place with over 5,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 37 Maryland cities. Here are the results of our analysis:

  • The most dangerous city in Maryland is Ocean City based on the most recent FBI crime data.

  • The violent crime rate in Maryland is 1,854 per 100k people.

  • The property crime rate in Maryland is 10,809 per 100k people.

  • The safest city in Maryland is Ocean Pines.

  • Maryland is the 33rd most dangerous state in the United States.

Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland Map


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


You don’t have to watch The Wire to know that there’s danger lurking in some of the more dangerous cities in Maryland.

How do you navigate these dangerous cities when trying to make an informed decision on what city to call home? You consult the numbers.

And that’s what we did for you.

To find the dangerous places in Maryland, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze 37 cities based on the FBI’s latest crime report. We looked at violent and property crime per capita for every place with over 5,000 residents.

We’re not saying there aren’t little pockets of goodness in these cities, but cities like Baltimore and Laurel catch a break.

What is the most dangerous place in Maryland for 2024? The most dangerous city in Maryland is Ocean City.

The Maryland cities on our most dangerous list could use some TLC. Look below if you’re looking to be that diamond in the rough or you’re just curious to see if your city made the list.

For more Maryland reading, check out:

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Maryland For 2024

Ocean City, MD

Source: Wikipedia User . The original uploader was Xiaphias at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 6,957
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,854 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 10,809 (Most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Ocean City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Ocean City coming in as the most dangerous place to live in Maryland for 2024 might surprise tourists who come in droves every summer to enjoy the beach and boardwalk.

In fact, Ocean City can safely blame the eight million vacationers who flock to the town annually for the ridiculously high “crime per capita.” Still, Ocean City had the highest property crime rate in Maryland by a substantial margin, with residents facing a 1 in 9 chance of having their stuff stolen or damaged.

Violent crime isn’t much better, with 129 cases recorded in 2022. Maybe if Ocean City didn’t have such great things to do, criminals activity would fall off.

Elkton, MD

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 15,806
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 714 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,327 (Second most dangerous)
Murders: 4
More on Elkton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Located on the northeastern shore of Maryland, Elkton is known as “The Elopement Capital of the East Coast.” It turns out that hasty marriages aren’t the only bad decisions going down in Elkton, though, seeing as the town has the second highest crime rate in the state.

You’ll want to make sure nobody steals your produce after a trip to the farmer’s market, because Elkton experienced 671 larcenies in 2022. Also, lock your car doors here because there was about one car theft per week in Elkton on average.

It’s not just property crime in Elkton, either, considering the town also had the fifth highest violent crime rate in Maryland.

Cambridge, MD

Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR | CC BY-SA 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 12,264
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 848 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,427 (Fourth most dangerous)
Murders: 2
More on Cambridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Cambridge is a city of 12,264 on the Chesapeake Bay that ranks as Maryland’s third most dangerous city overall.

Cambridge had the third highest rate of rape cases in the state in 2022, averaging just under one a month. The city also had 2 murders and the fourth highest violent crime rate overall.

And while you can enjoy a pleasant stroll down Cambridge’s mile-long boardwalk, you’d be well-advised to keep an eye on your wallet, seeing as the city had the fourth highest property crime rate statewide.

Baltimore, MD

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 570,546
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,553 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,277 (Seventh most dangerous)
Murders: 287
More on Baltimore: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Ah, Baltimore, the city you were probably expecting to top this list. Well, in terms of violent crime, you’d be right. After all, you don’t earn a nickname like Bodymore, Murderland for nothing.

Baltimore had 287 murders in 2022, giving the city the highest murder rate in Maryland. To be fair, though, Baltimore is a big place with plenty of safe neighborhoods.

But even in a place like the Inner Harbor, you’ll want to watch your belongings, seeing as Baltimore had 18,699 property crimes in 2022.

That includes more than ten car thefts per day, on average.

Cumberland, MD

Source: Wikipedia User 0915426A | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 18,647
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 611 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,394 (Sixth most dangerous)
Murders: 1
More on Cumberland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Cumberland is known for being the end point of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile bike trail that goes all the way to Pittsburgh.

Which means you can easily cycle far away from the high crime rates that plague Cumberland. Residents faced a 1 in 29 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2022, which includes the fourth highest burglary rate.

The Cumberland Metro area is among the country’s poorest in terms of per capita income, which may explain why locals feel the need to resort to crime.

Salisbury, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Eric Fischer | CC BY 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 33,063
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,094 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,582 (13th most dangerous)
Murders: 1
More on Salisbury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

The largest city in Maryland’s Eastern Shore region, Salisbury comes in as the state’s sixth most dangerous place to call home.

On average, Salisbury had a violent crime six out of seven days of the week over 2022. The city also had the tenth highest rate of rape cases in the state.

There were also 130 burglaries in Salisbury over the year and 684 larcenies. That’s a lot of homes broken into and pockets picked for a city of just 33,063.

Mount Rainier, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Nonvirtual | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 8,112
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 567 (Ninth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,785 (Ninth most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Mount Rainier: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Mount Rainier, located in Prince George’s County, Maryland, ranks as the seventh most dangerous place to live in the state for 2024. With a population of 8,112, this small city experienced 46 incidents of violent crime, including 2 rapes and 29 robberies. The property crime rate is also concerning, with 226 reported cases, including 18 burglaries.

Hyattsville, MD

Source: Wikipedia User Famartin | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 18,331
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 403 (17th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,002 (Third most dangerous)
Murders: 4
More on Hyattsville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Located just six miles east of Washington DC , Hyattsville is the least violent of the DC suburbs and the least violent place on this list overall.

Don’t get us wrong; you still shouldn’t stay out late at one of Hyattsville parks all by yourself, considering the city had the fourth highest murder rate in Maryland.

Not to mention that Hyattsville residents had a 1 in 20 shot of being the victim of a property crime in 2022.

Bladensburg, MD

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 9,476
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 538 (Tenth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,680 (11th most dangerous)
Murders: 3
More on Bladensburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

Bladensburg is located just south of Hyattsville, and while it’s more violent than its northern neighbor, there’s less crime here overall. Still, Bladensburg had 3 murders recorded in 2022.

That might not sound like a lot, but for a city of 9,476, that’s enough for the second highest murder rate statewide. And good enough reason not to linger at Waterfront Park once the sun goes down.

With residents facing a 1 in 185 chance of being the victim of violence, Bladensburg is one of DC’s most violent suburbs.

La Plata, MD

Source: Wikipedia User FlickreviewR | CC BY-SA 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 9,538
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 429 (13th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,725 (Tenth most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on La Plata: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living

The county seat of Charles County, La Plata is the only place on this list that wasn’t on it last year. And there are other encouraging signs, like having no murders or rapes in 2022. Overall, the town averaged just under one violent crime per week.

Still, residents had a 1 in 36 chance of having their stuff stolen or damaged, which isn’t great. And if you don’t want to join the 227 larceny victims La Plata had in 2022, watch your valuables while you’re out at Port Tobacco River Park.

Crime By City In Maryland

Rank City Population Total Crimes Per 100K Violent Crimes Per 100K Property Crimes Per 100K Murders
1 Ocean City 6,957 12,663 1,854 10,809 0
2 Elkton 15,806 6,042 714 5,327 4
3 Cambridge 12,264 5,275 848 4,427 2
4 Baltimore 570,546 4,830 1,553 3,277 287
5 Cumberland 18,647 4,006 611 3,394 1
6 Salisbury 33,063 3,677 1,094 2,582 1
7 Mount Rainier 8,112 3,353 567 2,785 0
8 Hyattsville 18,331 5,406 403 5,002 4
9 Bladensburg 9,476 3,218 538 2,680 3
10 La Plata 9,538 3,155 429 2,725 0
11 Laurel 25,814 3,254 418 2,835 1
12 Hagerstown 43,548 2,764 711 2,052 8
13 Aberdeen 17,576 2,736 608 2,127 1
14 Fruitland 5,346 3,759 243 3,516 0
15 Greenbelt 23,417 2,967 409 2,557 1
16 Takoma Park 17,831 2,972 342 2,630 2
17 Westminster 20,165 2,434 461 1,973 0
18 Annapolis 40,542 2,473 530 1,943 1
19 Riverdale Park 7,258 2,438 261 2,176 1
20 Frederick 80,985 1,926 371 1,554 2
21 Chestertown 5,638 1,986 319 1,667 0
22 Cheverly 6,482 1,897 323 1,573 0
23 Bel Air 10,675 2,688 177 2,510 0
24 Manchester 5,477 547 419 127 0
25 New Carrollton 13,036 1,265 222 1,043 0
26 District Heights 6,015 1,030 282 748 0
27 Havre de Grace 14,883 1,525 127 1,397 0
28 Brunswick 8,279 978 193 785 0
29 Easton 17,237 1,345 121 1,224 1
30 Hampstead 6,342 1,009 157 851 0
31 Taneytown 6,824 923 161 762 0
32 Bowie 57,068 1,312 108 1,203 0
33 Mount Airy 9,472 1,034 42 992 0
34 Glenarden 6,234 753 48 705 0
35 Frostburg 7,024 242 113 128 0
36 Thurmont 6,645 496 60 436 0
37 Ocean Pines 11,710 572 17 555 0

Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Maryland for 2024?

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

For our analysis, we focused on the 2022 data, specifically the 2022 Crime In The United States Report for Maryland.

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 Maryland cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 37 cities in Maryland.

We then ranked each city from 1 to 37 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 Maryland — Ocean City. Any ties went to the smaller city.

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 Maryland and is updated for 2024.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Maryland FAQs

No, Maryland is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #18 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Maryland ranks 23rd most dangerous in the United States — 8.13% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Old Line State ranks 36th most dangerous in the United States — 17.63% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.

Yes, Baltimore is a dangerous city. Baltimore ranks as the #50 most dangerous out of 328 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 Baltimore might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Cheswolde Area is the safest in Baltimore, while Hopkins-Middle East is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Baltimore ranks ninth highest in America — 180.58% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 92nd highest in the United States — 20.1% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 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 Maryland

Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland Graph

Click To Enlarge

Summary: Locking It All Up In Maryland

So what is the most dangerous city in Maryland? After analyzing 37 cities in Maryland, Ocean City takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Maryland based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2022.

The latest FBI crime data shows that Ocean City ranks as the most dangerous city in Maryland for 2024.

The most dangerous cities in Maryland are .

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

What is the most dangerous place in Maryland for 2024? The most dangerous city in Maryland is Ocean City.

The Maryland cities on our most dangerous list could use some TLC. Look below if you’re looking to be that diamond in the rough or you’re just curious to see if your city made the list.

Learn more about the safest places in Maryland.

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 Maryland:

  1. Brunswick (Pop. 8,279)
  2. Easton (Pop. 17,237)
  3. Hampstead (Pop. 6,342)
  4. Taneytown (Pop. 6,824)
  5. Bowie (Pop. 57,068)
  6. Mount Airy (Pop. 9,472)
  7. Glenarden (Pop. 6,234)
  8. Frostburg (Pop. 7,024)
  9. Thurmont (Pop. 6,645)
  10. Ocean Pines (Pop. 11,710)

For more Maryland reading, check out:

References

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.

4 thoughts on “The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Maryland

  1. Lol…5 out of 10 are PG county. Feels bad man (I’m from temple hills too. No wah temple hills is worse than forestville or oxon hill)

  2. Laurel is not in the west part of the state and has never been the capital of Maryland.
    Annapolis is the capital and briefly was the Capitol of the United States.

  3. The problem when you just look at “statistics,” but deliberately ignore “facts,” you get errors that can be real whoppers. Baltimore is not only THE most dangerous city in Maryland, but one of the most dangerous in the country. But you think OC (and it really has increased THIS year on Boardwalk) and (little) Elkton is most dangerous, while poor children being murdered on Baltimore on a regular basis makes it just #3. Yikes.

  4. Interesting assumptions about Ocean City, Maryland. I call them assumptions because of the incomplete consideration of the actual facts and the attempt to mislead the reader. First of, at any given weekend during the Summer, Ocean City hosts 345,000 people with over 8 million unique visitors through the year. Assessing the data with those overlooked facts gives the reader the wrong information. Here’s an example, if the statistics say 1,300ish violent crimes and 10,000 plus property crimes wouldn’t that mean with a population of 6,900 20% of the population would suffer from violence and everyone would have been a victim of a property crime? Another way to look at this presented information is to assume that if the population is 6900ish then the violent crime was only 89 reported. Either way you look at the data, the article is alarmist and poorly prepared.

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