Alabama’s 4 Most Dangerous Cities Still Tops In America

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In 2023, a new report was released revealing the 100 most dangerous cities in the United States with a population of 25,000 or more.

The rankings were based on the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents, including rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. The data used for the research included the number of violent crimes reported and the population of each city.

The top spot was taken by Bessemer, AL, which replaced Monroe, LA as the number one most violent city in America. Bessemer had a violent crime rate of 33.18 per 1,000 population, and the chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime was 1 in 30.

Ten cities debuted on the list, with Mobile, AL-leading the way with a violent crime rate of 27.94. The chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Mobile was one in 36, compared to one in 168 for the rest of Alabama. North Carolina had two newcomers to the list, Winston-Salem and Statesville, with violent crime rates of 11.49 and 11.23.

Several cities on the list were also present in previous years' rankings. NeighborhoodScout, a tool that helps find safe neighborhoods nearby any city, can be useful for those living in these cities. For example, a search for the lowest crime rate within 15 miles of Bessemer led to the discovery of the New Hope neighborhood in Birmingham, which was safer than 99% of neighborhoods nationwide. Similarly, searching for the lowest crime rate within 10 miles of Dayton, the 72nd most dangerous city, revealed the Oakwood West neighborhood in Dayton, safer than 96% of neighborhoods nationwide.

Alabama has even more in the top 15.

The list of the top 15 most dangerous cities in the U.S. can be found below or at NeighborhoodScout.com

1. Bessemer, AL

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 33.1
• Your chance of being a victim: 1 in 30

2. Mobile, AL

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 27.9
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 35

3. Monroe, LA

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 26.3
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 38

4. Saginaw, MI

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 25.1
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 39

5. Memphis, TN

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 25.1
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 39

6. Detroit, MI

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 23.0
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 43

7. Birmingham, AL

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 20.6
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 49

8. Pine Bluff, AR

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 20.5
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 48

9. Little Rock, AR

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 20.2
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 49

10. Alexandria, LA

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 18.8
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 53

11. Cleveland, OH

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 17.1
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 58

12. Kalamazoo, MI

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 16.8
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 59

13. Milwaukee, WI

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 16.6
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 59

14. Albany, GA

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 16.1
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 61

15. Gadsden, AL

• Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000 residents): 15.8
• Chance of being a victim: 1 in 63