According to Travel Safe Abroad, in Missouri, separating safe areas from high-crime areas is needed to find safe places for families or trips. Infoplease and the World Population Review both say that Missouri is the fifth-most dangerous state. This shows how important it is to find risks, especially for people who are thinking about moving to or visiting the state. As we look into Missouri’s safety setting, we need to look into its most dangerous towns to warn people who live there and visit. Stay tuned for a full look at the Show-Me State’s safety, crime, and citizen well-being.
10 Most Dangerous Cities in Missouri. (PHOTO: Travel Safe Abroad)
1. Springfield
People who just graduated from college and want to settle down are most interested in moving to Springfield, a busy mid-sized city known for its cultural variety and stable jobs. A bad name follows the Queen City of the Ozarks, which was named the sixth most dangerous city in the country and the most dangerous city in Missouri in 2021. 144.56 crimes happen for every 1,000 people in Springfield, which is an awfully high 1 in 8 chance of becoming a victim. This alarming number shows how difficult safety and security are in this nice area. Stay tuned for more on how to deal with and prevent crime in Springfield.
2. St. Louis
People from all over the world love to visit St. Louis, which is known as the “Gateway to the West.” Criminal activity levels are high, which tarnishes this fame. A scary 1 in 50 chance of becoming a crime victim in the city exists for both tourists and locals. The murder rate in Missouri is the highest in St. Louis, at 0.87 per 1,000 people. In a community of just over 300,000 people, the number of murders rose by a frightening 36% each year in 2020, to 263. It’s important to understand crime and how it affects St. Louis as we look at its problems. Keep an eye out for new information about how to deal with these important problems.
3. Joplin
Even though Joplin is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, it has a crime rate of 137.33 crimes per 1,000 people. In 2021, there were 3,276 crimes in the 51,000-person town, such as car theft, robbery, burglary, and fire. This was the second-lowest number of crimes since 2010. Joplin’s property crimes went down, but its serious crimes hit their highest level in ten years. In the last ten years, the murder rate peaked at three per year. This year, it jumped to nine. Come with us as we look at Joplin’s crime scene and talk about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to keeping people safe.
4. Kennett
Even though only 10,000 people live in Kennett, Missouri’s Bootheel, the town has a great school system and is great for families. However, crime follows in this close neighborhood. The town’s small size kept crime low, but it rose to 125.14 per 1,000 people. The number of property crimes dropped to its lowest level since 2012, but the number of serious crimes jumped to 90, which is the third highest level since 2003. It was the rise in serious attacks that caused this surge. Come with us as we look into Kennett’s crime and safety problems.
5. Kansas City
With about 500,000 people, Kansas City is the cultural center of Missouri, thanks to its history of music, food, and art. But the city is fifth on the list of the state’s most dangerous places to live. Since 1985, 176 killings have happened in Kansas City, making it the city with the highest crime rate (94.54 per 1,000 people). North Kansas City makes a big difference in this number, with 246.37 crimes per 1,000 people. Most crimes are burglaries, thefts of vehicles, fires, and robberies. Watch this space as we talk about Kansas City’s complicated crime problem and the many things that make this city so safe.
6. Rolla
Rolla is a town of 20,500 people in Phelps County, Missouri, right next to Route 66. It has a rich history and lots of things to do outside in the caves, rivers, and woods. Rolla is a beautiful city, but it has a crime rate of 110.17 per 1,000 people. In the history of the city, 116 violent crimes were the second most common type of crime. A lot of cases have gone down or stayed the same, but violent crime has gone up since the 1980s, mostly because of serious attacks. There were 867 property crimes in 2017, which is the most since 2010. Come with us as we look at Rolla’s crime rates and safety situation in this charming town on Route 66.
7. Union
Union, Missouri, is a beautiful town in Franklin County. It has 12,000 people, no murders, and an 11.3% poverty rate. But there are 108.32 crimes per 1,000 people in the town, which is a problem. The crime statistics show that theft, property damage, and attacks make up most of the crimes. In the last 20 years, both property and violent crimes have gone up. Since 2009, violent crime has been at its second-highest level ever. Come with us as we look at how safe Union is and how crime happens there.
8. St. Joseph
St. Joseph is a medium-sized town in Buchanan County, which is on the western border of Missouri. It has a lot of history, interesting buildings, and outdoor events. Even though St. Joseph is a culturally interesting town, it has one of the highest crime rates in the state. The city had 8,002 crimes, or 107.15 per 1,000 people, with 74,680 people living there. There has always been property crime in the city, but since the mid-1990s, there has been more serious crime. Even though the typical family income in the city is $53,000, 15.2% of people live in poverty. Come learn about how safe St. Joseph is and the many things that make it a crime-ridden area.
9. Carthage
The town of Carthage, which has just under 15,000 people and is in Jasper County, is known for being peaceful and family-friendly. Carthage has one of the highest crime rates in the state, even though it has a lot of good points. There are 100.78 cases per 1,000 people in the neighborhood every year, and most of them are drug-related. In 2020, the city had the third-highest rate of serious crime ever and the highest rate of property crime ever. Notably, 26.6% of the people in Carthage are poor. Our trip through Carthage’s safe surroundings will show us the different factors that affect crime and the strength of the community.
10. Bellefontaine Neighbors
Bellefontaine Neighbors, the second-tiniest town on our list and a suburb of St. Louis, had 1,021 crimes reported in 2020, which is 98.59 crimes per 1,000 people. Theft of cars, break-ins, property damage, and assaults make Bellefontaine Neighbors riskier than many towns in the state. Even though property damage was common, severe attacks were the most common type of violent crime in the town in 2020. In 2019, there were the most severe assaults ever, and in 2020, there were 80 more. Twenty-four percent of people are poor, and there are 19 killings for every 1,000 people. Come with us as we look at Bellefontaine Neighbors’ safety situation, including the crime problems there and what the community is doing to fix them.
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