How Safe is Your City? Here’s the Best, Worst, and in Between

When buying real estate, everybody knows "location, location, location." However, the difference between locations shouldn't just be neighborhoods in the city, the city itself should also be on your mind. You certainly don't want to live in one of those "most dangerous" cities, even though you may find a perfect location in the city.

Morgan Quitno Press, a private research and publishing company specializing in state and city reference books, just released its 13th annual "City Crime Rankings." This year's report, compiled with FBI crime data of 2004 and 2005, put St. Louis, MI (did they just win the world series?), as the most dangerous city in the nation, followed by Detroit, MI, Flint, MI, Compton, CA and Camden, NJ. And the honor of the safest goes to Brick, NJ, followed by Amherst, NY, and Mission Viejo, CA.

In the past couple of years (2004 and 2005), Camden, NJ, which is about 60 miles from where we live and also has a Rutgers University campus in town, topped the list of most dangerous cities and because of the ranking, the campus saw a sharp decline in enrollment. Officials of the city complained that the list failed to recognize the improvement made by the city and left people with very bad impression. This year, Camden is off the hook, though not by far.

So how safe is your city? Here's the complete list from WCBS:  

    1. Brick, N.J.
    2. Amherst, N.Y.
    3. Mission Viejo, Calif.
    4. Newton, Mass.
    5. Troy, Mich.
    6. Colonie, N.Y.
    7. Irvine, Calif.
    8. Cary, N.C.
    9. Greece, N.Y.
    10. Coral Springs, Fla.
    11. Thousand Oaks, Calif.
    12. Orem, Utah
    13. Round Rock, Texas
    14. Dover, N.J.
    15. Lake Forest, Calif.
    16. Sterling Heights, Mich.
    17. Simi Valley, Calif.
    18. Roswell, Ga.
    19. Lee's Summit, Mo.
    20. Broken Arrow, Okla.
    21. Chino Hills, Calif.
    22. Gilbert, Ariz.
    23. Edison, N.J.
    24. Cranston, R.I.
    25. Port St. Lucie, Fla.
    26. Sandy, Utah
    27. Nashua, N.H.
    28. Danbury, Conn.
    29. Huntington Beach, Calif.
    30. Orange, Calif.
    31. Hamilton, N.J.
    32. Parma, Ohio
    33. Overland Park, Kan.
    34. Santa Clarita, Calif.
    35. Stamford, Conn.
    36. Cheektowaga, N.Y.
    37. Livonia, Mich.
    38. Sunnyvale, Calif.
    39. Murrieta, Calif.
    40. Canton, Mich.
    41. Plano, Texas
    42. Warwick, R.I.
    43. Torrance, Calif.
    44. Clifton, N.J.
    44. Newport Beach, Calif.
    46. Woodbridge, N.J.
    47. Fargo, N.D.
    48. Norman, Okla.
    49. Olathe, Kan.
    50. Boca Raton, Fla.
    51. Livermore, Calif.
    52. Centennial, Colo.
    53. Fremont, Calif.
    54. Clinton, Mich.
    55. Vacaville, Calif.
    56. Tracy, Calif.
    57. Bellevue, Wash.
    58. Carlsbad, Calif.
    59. Pembroke Pines, Fla.
    60. Farmington Hills, Mich.
    61. Richardson, Texas
    62. Rancho Cucamon., Calif.
    63. Boulder, Colo.
    64. McKinney, Texas
    65. Rochester, Minn.
    66. Beaverton, Ore.
    67. Santa Clara, Calif.
    68. Daly City, Calif.
    69. Lewisville, Texas
    70. Napa, Calif.
    71. Burbank, Calif.
    72. Arvada, Colo.
    73. Alexandria, Va.
    74. Virginia Beach, Va.
    75. Ann Arbor, Mich.
    76. Quincy, Mass.
    77. Glendale, Calif.
    78. Ventura, Calif.
    79. Provo, Utah
    80. Fullerton, Calif.
    81. Lawrence, Kan.
    82. Scottsdale, Ariz.
    83. Carrollton, Texas
    84. Hillsboro, Ore.
    85. Somerville, Mass.
    86. Kenosha, Wis.
    87. Davie, Fla.
    88. Chino, Calif.
    89. Sunrise, Fla.
    90. Cape Coral, Fla.
    91. Henderson, Nev.
    92. Billings, Mont.
    93. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    94. Plantation, Fla.
    95. Costa Mesa, Calif.
    96. San Mateo, Calif.
    97. Garland, Texas
    98. Madison, Wis.
    99. Corona, Calif.
    100. Clovis, Calif.
    101. Yonkers, N.Y.
    102. Alhambra, Calif.
    103. Buena Park, Calif.
    104. Odessa, Texas
    105. Chandler, Ariz.
    106. Norwalk, Conn.
    107. Upper Darby, Pa.
    108. Peoria, Ariz.
    109. Westminster, Calif.
    110. Roseville, Calif.
    111. Lakewood, Calif.
    112. San Jose, Calif.
    113. Honolulu, Hawaii
    114. El Paso, Texas
    115. Santa Barbara, Calif.
    116. Temecula, Calif.
    117. Cambridge, Mass.
    118. Pasadena, Texas
    119. Brownsville, Texas
    120. Boise, Idaho
    121. Garden Grove, Calif.
    122. Mesquite, Texas
    123. Westminster, Colo.
    124. Manchester, N.H.
    125. Whittier, Calif.
    126. Westland, Mich.
    127. McAllen, Texas
    128. Lincoln, Neb.
    129. Pasadena, Calif.
    130. Columbia, Mo.
    131. Midland, Texas
    132. Chesapeake, Va.
    133. Santa Rosa, Calif.
    134. Spokane Valley, Wash.
    135. Anaheim, Calif.
    136. Athens-Clarke, Ga.
    137. Green Bay, Wis.
    138. Irving, Texas
    139. Fort Collins, Colo.
    140. Escondido, Calif.
    141. Miramar, Fla.
    142. Concord, Calif.
    143. West Covina, Calif.
    144. Hampton, Va.
    145. New York City
    146. Denton, Texas
    147. Palm Bay, Fla.
    148. Sioux City, Iowa
    149. Sioux Falls, S.D.
    150. Thornton, Colo.
    151. Salem, Ore.
    152. Hialeah, Fla.
    153. Baldwin Park, Calif.
    154. Erie, Pa.
    155. San Angelo, Texas
    156. Oxnard, Calif.
    157. Oceanside, Calif.
    158. Austin, Texas
    159. Evansville, Ind.
    160. Lakeland, Fla.
    161. Laredo, Texas
    162. Raleigh, N.C.
    163. El Monte, Calif.
    164. Waterbury, Conn.
    165. Vista, Calif.
    166. Murfreesboro, Tenn.
    167. Fontana, Calif.
    168. Grand Prairie, Texas
    169. Fort Wayne, Ind.
    170. Santa Ana, Calif.
    171. Santa Monica, Calif.
    172. Lexington, Ky.
    173. Colorado Springs, Colo.
    174. Suffolk, Va.
    175. Hollywood, Fla.
    176. Eugene, Ore.
    177. Norwalk, Calif.
    178. Santa Maria, Calif.
    179. Downey, Calif.
    180. Abilene, Texas
    181. Chula Vista, Calif.
    182. Ogden, Utah
    183. Melbourne, Fla.
    184. Clarksville, Tenn.
    185. Sparks, Nev.
    186. San Diego, Calif.
    187. Carson, Calif.
    188. Vancouver, Wash.
    189. Greeley, Colo.
    190. Springfield, Mo.
    191. Mesa, Ariz.
    192. Moreno Valley, Calif.
    193. Tyler, Texas
    194. Dearborn, Mich.
    195. Des Moines, Iowa
    196. Lowell, Mass.
    197. San Antonio
    198. Corpus Christi, Texas
    199. El Cajon, Calif.
    200. Salinas, Calif.
    201. Fairfield, Calif.
    202. Lakewood, Colo.
    203. Redding, Calif.
    204. Ontario, Calif.
    205. South Gate, Calif.
    206. Topeka, Kan.
    207. Arlington, Texas
    208. Lawton, Okla.
    209. Riverside, Calif.
    210. Antioch, Calif.
    211. Long Beach, Calif.
    212. Anchorage, Alaska
    213. West Valley, Utah
    214. Hawthorne, Calif.
    215. Yuma, Ariz.
    216. Louisville, Ky.
    217. Omaha, Neb.
    218. Clearwater, Fla.
    219. Independence, Mo.
    220. Spokane, Wash.
    221. Reno, Nev.
    222. Grand Rapids, Mich.
    223. Pueblo, Colo.
    224. Hayward, Calif.
    225. Tuscaloosa, Ala.
    226. Berkeley, Calif.
    227. Las Cruces, N.M.
    228. Mobile, Ala.
    229. Worcester, Mass.
    230. Palmdale, Calif.
    231. Modesto, Calif.
    232. Wichita Falls, Texas
    233. Lubbock, Texas
    234. San Leandro, Calif.
    235. Amarillo, Texas
    236. Bakersfield, Calif.
    237. Columbus, Ga.
    238. Gainesville, Fla.
    239. Gresham, Ore.
    240. Charleston, S.C.
    241. Tempe, Ariz.
    242. Lynn, Mass.
    243. Lafayette, La.
    244. Newport News, Va.
    245. High Point, N.C.
    246. Fort Worth, Texas
    247. Salt Lake City, Utah
    248. Jacksonville, Fla.
    249. Portland, Ore.
    250. Los Angeles
    251. Victorville, Calif.
    252. Bellflower, Calif.
    253. Glendale, Ariz.
    254. New Bedford, Mass.
    255. Pomona, Calif.
    256. Racine, Wis.
    257. Aurora, Colo.
    258. Elizabeth, N.J.
    259. Rialto, Calif.
    260. Savannah, Ga.
    261. Paterson, N.J.
    262. Seattle
    263. Albany, Ga.
    264. Southfield, Mich.
    265. Lancaster, Calif.
    266. Waco, Texas
    267. Fresno, Calif.
    268. Killeen, Texas
    269. Greensboro, N.C.
    270. San Francisco
    271. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
    272. Durham, N.C.
    273. Fort Smith, Ark.
    274. Tallahassee, Fla.
    275. South Bend, Ind.
    276. Lansing, Mich.
    277. Federal Way, Wash.
    278. Huntsville, Ala.
    279. Albuquerque, N.M.
    280. Visalia, Calif.
    281. Winston-Salem, N.C.
    282. Providence, R.I.
    283. Everett, Wash.
    284. Davenport, Iowa
    285. Hammond, Ind.
    286. Roanoke, Va.
    287. Norfolk, Va.
    288. Fayetteville, N.C.
    289. Kent, Wash.
    290. Akron, Ohio
    291. St. Paul, Minn.
    292. Wilmington, N.C.
    293. Portsmouth, Va.
    294. Oklahoma City
    295. Columbia, S.C.
    296. Canton, Ohio
    297. Knoxville, Tenn.
    298. Montgomery, Ala.
    299. Allentown, Pa.
    300. North Las Vegas, Nev.
    301. Beaumont, Texas
    302. Las Vegas, Nev.
    303. Denver
    304. Yakima, Wash.
    305. Syracuse, N.Y.
    306. Longview, Texas
    307. Pittsburgh
    308. Tucson, Ariz.
    309. Bridgeport, Conn.
    310. Inglewood, Calif.
    311. Pompano Beach, Fla.
    312. Albany, N.Y.
    313. Phoenix
    314. Boston
    315. Chattanooga, Tenn.
    316. Tampa, Fla.
    317. Jersey City, N.J.
    318. Milwaukee
    319. Miami Beach, Fla.
    320. Indianapolis, Ind.
    321. Shreveport, La.
    322. Sacramento, Calif.
    323. St. Petersburg, Fla.
    324. Tacoma, Wash.
    325. Houston
    326. Columbus, Ohio
    327. Miami
    328. Baton Rouge, La.
    329. Charlotte, N.C.
    330. Jackson, Miss.
    331. Toledo, Ohio
    332. Macon, Ga.
    333. Nashville, Tenn.
    334. Rochester, N.Y.
    335. Tulsa, Okla.
    336. Stockton, Calif.
    337. Hartford, Conn.
    338. Dallas
    339. Miami Gardens, Fla.
    340. Buffalo, N.Y.
    341. Springfield, Mass.
    342. Kansas City, Kan.
    343. Philadelphia
    344. West Palm Beach, Fla.
    345. Minneapolis
    346. Dayton, Ohio
    347. Orlando, Fla.
    348. San Bernardino, Calif.
    349. Little Rock, Ark.
    350. Newark, N.J.
    351. Reading, Pa.
    352. North Charleston, S.C.
    353. Washington
    354. Cincinnati
    355. Atlanta
    356. Kansas City, Mo.
    357. Richmond, Va.
    358. Trenton, N.J.
    359. Memphis, Tenn.
    360. Baltimore
    361. Richmond, Calif.
    362. Gary, Ind.
    363. Youngstown, Ohio
    364. Oakland, Calif.
    365. Cleveland
    366. Birmingham, Ala.
    367. Camden, N.J.
    368. Compton, Calif.
    369. Flint, Mich.
    370. Detroit
    371. St. Louis

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