While it’s true that crime rates have declined significantly in recent decades, according to the latest available data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI (via Pew Research), there are still places in our country where violent crime and non-violent is significantly above average.
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We studied data from City-Data.com, which uses both government and private sources to generate a crime index value for each city. Violent crimes have a greater weight than non-violent crimes and the average value in the United States is 246.1. We also looked at the cost of crime, according to a 2023 study by MoneyGeek, based on FBI statistics “to estimate the cost of crime for each city.”
Based on all that, here are 10 cities you might not want to call home without investing in strong locks.
10. Kansas City, Missouri
Known for its incredible barbecue and jazz, Kansas City is unfortunately also known for its crime, with a per capita crime cost of $6,398, more than 17 times higher than the safest big city in the country , Irvine, which has a cost of crime of $364. Its City-Data crime index is equally intimidating at 675.1.
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9. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Known for its breweries and beer-making history, Milwaukee might be a great place to grab a pint, but it might cost you. The city has a crime cost of $7,029 and a City-Data crime index of 663.2.
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8. Cleveland, Ohio
Home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland also shares the spotlight on this list for its high crime cost of $7,397, according to MoneyGeek’s analysis. It achieves a similarly flat rating with its City-Data crime index of 752.9.
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7. Little Rock, Arkansas
The capital and largest municipality of Arkansas, Little Rock isn’t so small when it comes to the cost of crime, checking in at $7,781 and a City-Data crime index of 796.9.
6. Baltimore, MD
Buy a house in Baltimore and things might not be so cheerful since the per capita cost of crime is $8,160. This coincides with a City-Data crime index of 656.6.
5. Memphis, Tennessee
Home to Elvis Presley’s King of Rock & Roll Graceland and still a hotbed of blues, soul and other top music, Memphis isn’t completely harmonious. It has a high crime cost of $9,056 and a whopping City-Data Crime Index of 1,022.4.
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4. Detroit, Michigan
Nicknamed the Motor City for its history in the automobile industry, Detroit is also known for its poor crime statistics. Indeed, MoneyGeek estimates the cost of crime at $9,281, while City-Data gives it a crime index of 847.
3. St. Louis, Missouri
With its iconic Gateway Arch and vibrant urban culture, St. Louis seems more impressive than its crime statistics suggest, with a crime cost of $11,055 and a City-Data crime index of 896.4.
2. New Orleans, Louisiana
What’s not to love about the Big Easy, with its rich culinary, musical and melting pot culture? Well, its crime statistics are one of them. With a crime cost of $11,094 and a City-Data crime index of 763.8, the Big Easy seems pretty tough.
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1. Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham holds the dubious honor of having the highest crime cost of any major city in the country, at $11,392, more than 31 times higher than Irvine. Birmingham also has a City-Data crime index of 738.1, almost triple the national average of 246.1.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Dangerous Cities You Shouldn’t Buy a Home in, Regardless of the Price
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