Most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data using Saturday Night Science to determine the most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania.
We examined the violent and property crime per capita statistics for every place with over 5,000 residents. In total, we analyzed 337 Pennsylvania cities. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The most dangerous city in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia based on the most recent FBI crime data.
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The violent crime rate in Pennsylvania is 908 per 100k people.
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The property crime rate in Pennsylvania is 4,548 per 100k people.
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The safest city in Pennsylvania is Bellefonte.
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Pennsylvania is the 35th most dangerous state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Methodology | FAQs | References
You might think that most of Pennsylvania’s crime problems occur in the two largest cities: Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Surprisingly, Pennsylvania has done a fair job of spreading its crime evenly across the state.
But the fact remains, you want to be informed about where you’re going to move in Pennsylvania.
So let’s get you informaed.
To determine the most dangerous places in Pennsylvania, we used Saturday Night Science to review the FBI’s latest crime report for violent crime and property crime statistics for the 337 cities with over 5,000 residents. The following Pennsylvania cities have higher average crime rates than their neighbors.
The Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania For 2025
What is the most dangerous place in Pennsylvania for 2025? The most dangerous place in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia.
What are the circumstances that make these Pennsylvania cities unsafe? Not enough jobs, low wages, drugs, gangs, and, in PA’s case, the war between Steeler and Eagles fans.
If you’re curious to see how your Pennsylvania town faired, check out the complete list of places in Pennsylvania at the bottom.
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Most dangerous cities in the US
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Pennsylvania
The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Pennsylvania For 2025
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Population: 1,549,259
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 908 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,548 (Third most dangerous)
Murders: 262
More on Philadelphia: Data
Turns out the City of Brotherly Love has a bit of work to do on the crime front. I mean, have they even figured out who broke Liberty Bell yet?
Seriously though, Philadelphia has the 16th highest murder rate in the state, and residents have a 1 in 110 chance of being the victim of a violent crime each year. The property crime rate also ranks as the third highest in the state.
But, for a big city, Philadelphia outshines some of its worst suburbs in terms of keeping crime rates reasonable. And if you stay out of Philadelphia’s worst neighborhoods, your odds of having a safe experience rise dramatically.
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Population: 9,451
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 857 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,290 (Fifth most dangerous)
Murders: 5
More on Uniontown: Data
Uniontown wasn’t even in the top 50 most dangerous places in Pennsylvania last year, so its jump to the #2 spot represents quite a big fall from grace. Located along the Historic National Road, Uniontown had an uncomfortable amount of crime in 2024.
A violent crime occurred about once every three days, while more than one property crime took place each day over the last year of available data. That’s good enough to give Uniontown the fifth highest rate of violent crime and fifth highest property crime rate in Pennsylvania.
3. Pottstown
Population: 23,324
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 737 (12th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,104 (Seventh most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Pottstown:
Coming in as Pennsylvania’s third most dangerous city is Pottstown. While Pottstown had the least violent crime per capita of cities in the top five, it does have one troubling statistic — the second highest rate of rape cases in the state. That’s about three cases per month, which, for a borough of just 23,324, is all too common.
Pottstown also had the seventh highest property crime rate in the state. Maybe the local Steel River Playhouse should stage a production of Crime and Punishment to educate residents on the perils of a criminal life.
Pottstown is located about 40 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
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Population: 7,471
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 843 (Sixth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,703 (14th most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Bradford: Data
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Population: 18,480
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,693 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,564 (21st most dangerous)
Murders: 6
More on Mckeesport: Data
Located a half-hour southeast of Pittsburgh, McKeesport ranks as the fifth most dangerous place to call home in Pennsylvania.The overall crime rate in McKeesport is 150% higher than the national average, and more than 250% higher than the statewide average.
McKeesport had the highest violent crime rate in Pennsylvania, with 6 murders in 2024. That’s enough for anyone to seek sanctuary at the nearby Renziehausen Park Rose Garden.
McKeesport isn’t exactly low on property crime either. To give you an idea, McKeesport had the highest rate of burglaries in the state, so it’s not the sort of place where it’s okay to leave your door unlocked.
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Population: 10,586
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 831 (Ninth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,626 (18th most dangerous)
Murders: 2
More on Darby: Data
Darby is a borough of 10,586 located just outside of southwest Philadelphia. Darby earned its #6 spot on this list thanks to having the ninth highest rate of violent crime in Pennsylvania. What’s especially bad is that Darby had the 23rd most rapes per capita in the whole state, with about one case happening every three weeks — yikes.
It’s not like property crime is super low in Darby either — each year, residents face a 1 in 38 chance of having their property damaged or stolen. Making it a good practice to check you still have all your valuables when you leave a show at Tower Theater.
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Population: 20,120
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 586 (16th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,634 (17th most dangerous)
Murders: 6
More on Johnstown: Data
Up next on our list of Pennsylvania’s most dangerous places is Johnstown, a city of 20,120 in Cambria County. Johnstown ranks as the 16th most violent place statewide, with residents facing a 1 in 170 chance of being attacked or killed in 2024.
While property crime as a whole is pretty low in Johnstown, the burglary rate here actually ranks as the third highest in Pennsylvania, so it’s not a bad idea to keep your doors and windows locked at all times.
Johnstown wasn’t even in the top 20 most dangerous last year, so with some luck, it might vanish off this list by next year.
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Population: 6,678
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,063 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,006 (37th most dangerous)
Murders: 0
More on Monessen: Data
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Population: 13,646
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 586 (17th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,440 (23rd most dangerous)
Murders: 2
More on Wilkinsburg: Data
The Wilkinsburg Police Department have their work cut out for them. That’s because the borough has the 2highest murder rate in PA, with 2 murders occurring over 2024 — crazy high for a place with only 13,646 people.
On top of that, Wilkinsburg averaged more than one property crime each day of the year and had the second highest burglary rate in Pennsylvania. Those numbers are enough to put both Wilkinsburg’s violent and property crime rates in the top ten statewide.
Wilkinsburg is located less than 10 miles east of Pittsburgh.
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Population: 6,717
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 535 (19th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,262 (27th most dangerous)
Murders: 2
More on Folcroft: Data
Crime By City In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | 1,549,259 | 5,456 | 908 | 4,548 | 262 |
| 2 | Uniontown | 9,451 | 4,147 | 857 | 3,290 | 5 |
| 3 | Pottstown | 23,324 | 3,841 | 737 | 3,104 | 0 |
| 4 | Bradford | 7,471 | 3,547 | 843 | 2,703 | 0 |
| 5 | McKeesport | 18,480 | 4,258 | 1,693 | 2,564 | 6 |
| 6 | Darby | 10,586 | 3,457 | 831 | 2,626 | 2 |
| 7 | Johnstown | 20,120 | 3,220 | 586 | 2,634 | 6 |
| 8 | Monessen | 6,678 | 3,069 | 1,063 | 2,006 | 0 |
| 9 | Wilkinsburg | 13,646 | 3,026 | 586 | 2,440 | 2 |
| 10 | Folcroft | 6,717 | 2,798 | 535 | 2,262 | 2 |
| 11 | Connellsville | 8,426 | 3,133 | 379 | 2,753 | 0 |
| 12 | Chester | 33,944 | 2,819 | 830 | 1,988 | 20 |
| 13 | Harrisburg | 49,985 | 2,754 | 762 | 1,992 | 15 |
| 14 | West Mifflin | 18,705 | 3,020 | 379 | 2,641 | 2 |
| 15 | New Kensington | 11,832 | 2,856 | 456 | 2,400 | 1 |
| 16 | Plymouth | 5,755 | 2,745 | 834 | 1,911 | 0 |
| 17 | Pittsburgh | 317,177 | 2,707 | 427 | 2,280 | 36 |
| 18 | Coatesville | 13,256 | 2,444 | 618 | 1,825 | 1 |
| 19 | Norristown | 35,764 | 2,410 | 450 | 1,960 | 3 |
| 20 | York | 44,893 | 2,392 | 530 | 1,862 | 5 |
| 21 | Stowe | 6,116 | 2,354 | 506 | 1,847 | 2 |
| 22 | Dickson City | 5,995 | 2,919 | 266 | 2,652 | 1 |
| 23 | Cheltenham | 38,819 | 5,123 | 200 | 4,922 | 0 |
| 24 | Erie | 92,379 | 2,304 | 375 | 1,929 | 5 |
| 25 | Steelton | 6,322 | 2,309 | 838 | 1,471 | 1 |
| 26 | Chambersburg | 22,366 | 2,217 | 464 | 1,752 | 2 |
| 27 | Butler | 12,973 | 2,112 | 501 | 1,611 | 1 |
| 28 | Upper Darby | 84,668 | 3,046 | 213 | 2,832 | 4 |
| 29 | Columbia | 10,445 | 2,326 | 296 | 2,029 | 0 |
| 30 | Sharon | 12,709 | 2,116 | 653 | 1,463 | 6 |
| 31 | Swissvale | 8,188 | 2,234 | 317 | 1,917 | 0 |
| 32 | Altoona | 42,424 | 2,185 | 334 | 1,850 | 1 |
| 33 | Ambridge | 6,850 | 2,686 | 1,386 | 1,299 | 0 |
| 34 | Kennedy | 8,351 | 2,107 | 359 | 1,748 | 0 |
| 35 | Wilkes-Barre | 44,254 | 1,988 | 431 | 1,556 | 4 |
| 36 | Morrisville | 9,675 | 3,328 | 165 | 3,162 | 1 |
| 37 | Meadville | 17,363 | 1,935 | 403 | 1,531 | 0 |
| 38 | Crafton | 6,242 | 2,306 | 224 | 2,082 | 0 |
| 39 | Sharon Hill | 5,942 | 2,154 | 235 | 1,918 | 1 |
| 40 | Collingdale | 8,813 | 2,042 | 283 | 1,758 | 3 |
| 41 | Warren | 9,042 | 1,835 | 519 | 1,316 | 0 |
| 42 | Swatara | 29,394 | 2,915 | 153 | 2,762 | 1 |
| 43 | Yeadon | 12,319 | 2,102 | 219 | 1,883 | 0 |
| 44 | Duquesne | 5,016 | 1,854 | 677 | 1,176 | 0 |
| 45 | Reading | 97,868 | 1,771 | 337 | 1,434 | 7 |
| 46 | Allentown | 124,599 | 1,841 | 272 | 1,569 | 4 |
| 47 | Lock Haven | 8,586 | 1,816 | 279 | 1,537 | 0 |
| 48 | West York | 5,073 | 1,754 | 315 | 1,438 | 0 |
| 49 | Upper Merion | 36,408 | 3,878 | 123 | 3,754 | 0 |
| 50 | Pottsville | 13,361 | 1,676 | 329 | 1,347 | 0 |
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania for 2025?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Pennsylvania. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Pennsylvania, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 337 cities in Pennsylvania.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 337 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 Pennsylvania — Philadelphia. 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 Pennsylvania and is updated for 2025.
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Pennsylvania FAQs
No, Pennsylvania is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #19 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Pennsylvania ranks 24th most dangerous in the United States — 5.33% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Keystone State ranks 34th most dangerous in the United States — 15.88% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Yes, Philadelphia is a dangerous city. Philadelphia ranks as the #35 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 Philadelphia might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Bustleton is the safest in Philadelphia, while Haddington-Carroll Park is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Philadelphia ranks 34th highest in America — 88.14% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 36th highest in the United States — 58.36% 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 Pennsylvania
Summary: Locking It All Up In Pennsylvania
So what is the most dangerous city in Pennsylvania? After analyzing 337 cities in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Pennsylvania based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Philadelphia ranks as the most dangerous city in Pennsylvania for 2025.
The most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania are .
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Philadelphia 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 Pennsylvania for 2025? The most dangerous place in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia.
What are the circumstances that make these Pennsylvania cities unsafe? Not enough jobs, low wages, drugs, gangs, and, in PA’s case, the war between Steeler and Eagles fans.
If you’re curious to see how your Pennsylvania town faired, check out the complete list of places in Pennsylvania at the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania:
- Neshannock (Pop. 9,614)
- Tulpehocken (Pop. 5,642)
- Forest City (Pop. 8,384)
- Centerville (Pop. 5,487)
- South Lebanon (Pop. 10,598)
- Upper Makefield (Pop. 8,818)
- Pine Creek (Pop. 5,839)
- West Vincent (Pop. 6,907)
- East Marlborough (Pop. 8,072)
- Bellefonte (Pop. 5,888)
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Pennsylvania
- Safest Places In Pennsylvania
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
This is Bulshit ! Pottstown is not #3 No Way! Bulshit I’m calling it ! #pottstownPride
You are right – at bottom of the page, it says this is from an “infotainment” company.
So well said. Really showing off the quality of Pottstown education, you can’t even spell “bulls..t” correctly.
nah im from pottstown, it definitley isn’t #3 but I can see why it’s on this list
I’m surprised Johnstown isn’t ranked higher! Violent crime such as shootings and stabbing a are still too frequent here! I work in a hospital and see the traumas all the time! Drugs have caused 80% of this problem!
Harrisburg must have been imploded ~ it’s not even on the list! 😛
Just to clarify, a majority of people left Johnstown after the steel mills closed. The increase in crime has only been around for the last 5 years. In an effort to bring people back and try to generate revenue from it, the city added halfway housing, a methadone clinic, and has been known to advertise low income housing in rougher cities like Philadelphia and even out of state.
Most of the drug related crime is funneling in from states like New York, New Jersey, Ohio. It’s a small town, most residents would rather move than try to save this dying town. It’s sad, this poor town is looking and feeling more and more like Detroit.
I still hold out some hope for this place though.
What about Wilkinsburg, Homewood, Braddock? I guess you forgot to do your research.
What about Reading??? People are shooting each other almost everyday!
What about Washington we had three shootings on the same street in one week not to mention countless others around
The reason why crime continues to increase worldwide is because most people are not born again Christians.Also there is a percentage of people worldwide who claim they are born again who are not being fully faithful to the Lord Gods word.The holy bible predicted SIN will intensify.Jesus Christ will come down on a cloud in great power and glory.He will resurrect the true Christians from there graves.These Christians will meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the sky.People who are not saved will be left behind.Some Christians are hypocrites.Some unsaved are hypocrites.
Crime continues to increase every year in cities worldwide because of SIN!Most people throughout the world are not Christians.There are those claiming to be Christians worldwide.A percentage are not being faithful to the Lord God.What are we so afraid of?Are we ashamed of Jesus Christ?Are we afraid of changing?The Holy bible says it will get worst!
Truth has never been lost, we left it. We never had a right to hate others through jealous, bigotry, racism or any other type of hatred. The only time we are justified is in proverbs 8 :13. Google it! Repent ! Do a self examination.
Any list of dangerous places in Pennsylvania that doesn’t have Killadelphia at the top of the list is not to be taken seriously. Any site publishing a list that can’t be taken seriously is also not to be taken seriously.
Philly is only dangerous if you’re not from here. #215crew
Amen