The information GOBankingRates looked at came from place-Data.com, which makes a crime index value for each place by using data from both public and private sources. MoneyGeek did a study in 2024 based on FBI data that said GOBankingRates also looked at the cost of crime “to estimate the cost of crime for each city.”
Based on all of this, here are 10 places where you might not want to live unless you buy good locks.
Missouri City, Kansas City
Kansas City is known for its great BBQ and jazz, but it’s also known for its crime. The cost of crime per person there is $6,398, which is more than 17 times higher than the cost of crime in Irvine, California, which is the safest big city in the country at $364. At 675.1, its City-Data crime index number is just as scary.
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is known for its brewers and long history of making beer. It might be a good place to get a beer, but it might cost you. The city has a crime index value of 663.2 and a crime cost value of $7,029 per year.
Cleveland
MoneyGeek’s research shows that Cleveland, which is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is also at the top of this list because it has a high crime rate of $7,397 per year. A City-Data crime index number of 752.9 is also pretty flat for it.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and largest city of Arkansas. It also has a City-Data crime index number of 796.9, which means that crime costs $7,781 a year there.
Baltimore
With a $8,160 crime rate per person, Baltimore might not be the best place to buy a house. That’s the same as a City-Data crime index number of 656.6.
Memphis
Memphis isn’t always peaceful, even though it is home to Elvis Presley’s Graceland and is still a hotspot for top blues, soul, and other types of music. The cost of crime there is high at $9,056, and the City-Data crime index number is a huge 1,022.4.
Detroit
Detroit is known as “Motor City” because of its history in the auto business. It has also a history of high crime rates. In fact, MoneyGeek says the cost of crime there is $9,281, and City-Data says the crime index number is $847.
St. Louis
With the famous Gateway Arch and a lively city culture, St. Louis looks better than its crime rate, which is 896.4 on the City-Data crime index. Crime costs $11,055 each year.
New Orleans
With its diverse music, food, and culture, what’s not to love about the Big Easy? For one thing, it’s crime data. The Big Easy seems pretty tough, with a crime index score of 763.8 and a crime cost of $11,094.
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham has the most expensive crime rate of any big city in the country, at $11,392 per year, which is more than 31 times higher than Irvine. City-Data also says that Birmingham has a crime index number of 738.1, which is almost three times the national average of 246.1.
