Top 10 most dangerous cities in California

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California, renowned for its stunning coastline, vibrant cities, and diverse cultural landscape, is a state of contrasts. From the tech hubs of Silicon Valley to the entertainment capital of Los Angeles, California is at the forefront of innovation and creativity. The state's natural beauty is showcased in national parks such as Yosemite and Redwood, offering breathtaking vistas and outdoor adventures. Despite its many attractions, California also grapples with safety issues in certain urban areas. The most dangerous cities in California are distinguished by their violent crime rates per 100,000 people, indicating regions where residents and visitors should exercise caution. The juxtaposition of California's scenic splendor and urban crime challenges highlights the complexities of life in this populous state.

Efforts to mitigate crime in California's cities include a range of strategies from law enforcement enhancements to community-based initiatives aimed at addressing social determinants of crime. The state's diverse population and economic disparities contribute to varying crime rates across different regions. While the most dangerous cities in California present significant safety challenges, the state's proactive approach and community resilience are critical in addressing these issues. California's allure remains strong, with its blend of natural beauty, cultural diversity, and economic opportunities continuing to attract people from all over the world. Balancing safety and opportunity is a dynamic process that shapes the state's ongoing development.

Oakland Population: 422,575 3,641 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 9.97 chance of being a victim: 1 in 27 Total Crimes / 100k: 13,758

Oakland, CA holds the distinction of being the #1 most dangerous city in California with 3,641 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The area continues to struggle with elevated assault (2,625), robbery (900), rape (87) and homicide (28) rates, as the violent crime rate comes in at 616% higher than the California average. Contributing to these numbers could be the higher than average rates of poverty, unemployment, and gang activity. Ongoing efforts from local law enforcement and the community have been created to help reduce the crime rates going forward.

Emeryville Population: 11,679 1,512 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 4.14 chance of being a victim: 1 in 66 Total Crimes / 100k: 18,798

The second most dangerous city is Emeryville. With a population of 11,679 and a violent crime rate that is 197% higher than the California average, the city has seen better days. The higher than average crime rates in Emeryville are not new, as violent crime has been a serious issue for many years and topped 1,512 violent crimes per 100,000 people in the last calendar year. In some areas, the riks are greater than others, as residents have a 1 in 66 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

Crescent City Population: 6,690 1,464 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 4.01 chance of being a victim: 1 in 68 Total Crimes / 100k: 7,688

Home to 6,690 residents, Crescent City, CA ranks #3 on the list of most dangerous cities in California. Unfortunately for residents of Crescent City, crime is widespread, with more than 1,464 violent crimes per 100,000 people reported last year. When the numbers are analyzed, this translates to a staggering 4.01 crimes per day and a violent crime rate that is 188% higher than the California violent crime rate.

Commerce Population: 12,738 1,398 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.83 chance of being a victim: 1 in 72 Total Crimes / 100k: 15,296

With a violent crime rate that is 175% higher than the California average, it's not hard to see why Commerce made the list. The city reported crime (per 100,000 residents) in the following categories: robbery (604), assault (716), rape (43) and homicide (35). In regions where employment opportunities are scarce or where many jobs offer insufficient wages, the risk of increased unemployment and homelessness rises, this could be just some of the triggers that make Commerce more vulnerable to high crime.

Red Bluff Population: 14,091 1,217 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.34 chance of being a victim: 1 in 82 Total Crimes / 100k: 7,122

The ongoing battle with crime in Red Bluff, CA, is not a new issue - which is why there's no surprise that this city has made the list. With a violent crime rate of 1,217 and a 1 in 82 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime (per 100,000 people), Red Bluff has a violent crime rate that is 140% higher than the California average. Higher than average poverty and unemployment rates as well as a lack of available well-paying jobs, are most likely all contributing to the high rate of violent crime in Red Bluff.

Compton Population: 95,804 1,192 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.27 chance of being a victim: 1 in 84 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,633

Compton, CA comes in at number 6 on our list, with a violent crime rate of 1,192 per 100,000 people, which is 135% higher than the California average. Compton has a population of 95,804, which translates to 3.27 crimes per day and 1 in 84 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime. As with most cities, a high violent crime rate does not mean that all areas are unsafe, as there are definitely some areas in Compton which are much safer than others.

Stockton Population: 311,103 1,154 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.16 chance of being a victim: 1 in 87 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,232

A 1 in 87 chance of becoming a victim of crime and 3.16 violent crimes per day - those are some fairly good reasons why Stockton makes the list at #7. According to the most recent annual crime report, there were 1,154 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which translates to a violent crime rate that is 127% higher than the California average. The number of violent crimes takes into account the following categories: assault (758), robbery (341), rape (40) and homicide (15).

Huron Population: 7,084 1,102 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.02 chance of being a victim: 1 in 91 Total Crimes / 100k: 1,454

Huron, CA is another one of the most dangerous cities in California and tops the list at #8. The city has a population of 7,084 and a violent crime rate of 1,102 per 100,000 people. Of those crimes, there were 943 counts of assault, 144 counts of robbery, 16 counts of rape and 0 counts of homicide. All told, the Huron violent crime rate is 117% higher than the California average.

San Bernardino Population: 216,784 1,071 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 2.93 chance of being a victim: 1 in 93 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,294

Economic conditions, education, social environment, law enforcement and urbanization can all have an impact on crime rates. Feeling the effects of most of those issues, San Bernardino, CA comes in as the 9th most dangerous city in California with a violent crime rate of 1,071 per 100,000 people. If we break that down, the city sees 2.93 violent crimes per day and residents have a 1 in 93 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.

Richmond Population: 110,051 1,069 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 2.93 chance of being a victim: 1 in 94 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,235

Rounding out our list at #10 is Richmond, CA. With a population of 110,051 and a violent crime rate of 1,069 per 100,000 people (110% higher than the California average), some parts of Richmond are incredible unsafe. The violent crime rate consists of 776 counts of assault, 259 counts of robbery, 27 counts of rape and 7 counts of homicide. Residents can expect to have a 1 in 94 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

Full list of the most dangerous cities in California

Rank	Location	Population	Violent Crimes /100k	Total Crimes /100k
1	Oakland	422,575	3,641	13,758
2	Emeryville	11,679	1,512	18,798
3	Crescent City	6,690	1,464	7,688
4	Commerce	12,738	1,398	15,296
5	Red Bluff	14,091	1,217	7,122
6	Compton	95,804	1,192	4,633
7	Stockton	311,103	1,154	4,232
8	Huron	7,084	1,102	1,454
9	San Bernardino	216,784	1,071	4,294
10	Richmond	110,051	1,069	4,235
11	Oroville	19,659	1,041	5,876
12	Clearlake	15,329	1,037	3,224
13	Eureka	26,938	963	4,642
14	Grass Valley	12,817	929	3,455
15	West Hollywood	35,506	916	7,145
16	Bakersfield	379,879	882	4,211
17	Santa Monica	91,600	874	5,636
18	Lancaster	157,697	857	2,626
19	Barstow	23,547	855	3,481
20	Mendota	12,173	849	1,563
21	Parlier	15,645	833	1,956
22	Merced	84,081	827	3,493
23	Los Angeles	3,973,278	820	3,667
24	Vallejo	121,275	812	4,986
25	Huntington Park	57,761	802	5,031
26	Sacramento	503,482	801	3,693
27	Woodlake	7,708	796	1,892
28	Greenfield	17,565	788	1,765
29	Culver City	38,913	786	7,487
30	Montclair	40,041	768	5,053
31	Inglewood	109,309	762	4,517
32	Santa Fe Springs	17,643	757	7,444
33	Lynwood	69,625	754	3,558
34	Placerville	10,954	753	2,211
35	Blythe	19,747	745	2,048
36	Gardena	59,401	743	3,946
37	Pismo Beach	8,042	734	3,658
38	Paramount	53,949	730	3,518
39	Fresno	526,147	726	3,788
40	San Francisco	874,784	710	6,423
41	Fort Bragg	7,279	702	3,451
42	Bell	35,301	694	2,364
43	Marysville	12,467	681	2,716
44	Signal Hill	11,430	680	6,050
45	Berkeley	123,065	678	6,698
46	Pomona	151,124	678	3,624
47	San Leandro	90,489	674	6,653
48	Santa Cruz	65,011	667	3,103
49	Hayward	158,817	665	4,607
50	National City	61,342	662	2,774

Methodology

The AreaVibes list of the most dangerous cities in California is derived from the FBI's uniform crime reporting program (UCR Program) from their most recent release. To compile this list, we used violent crime data (assualt, robbery, rape and murder) per 100,000 people and only included California cities with a population of 5,000 or more. Displaying violent crime rates based on a population of 100,000 allows for an equal comparison for each city.

Map of Violent Crime By State

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Explore our interactive map to discover the most dangerous cities in each state across the USA. This map highlights the states with the highest crime rates, providing insights into the factors contributing to these statistics. From urban centers facing economic hardships to regions grappling with social challenges, the map offers a visual representation of crime hotspots. Click on each state to learn more about its most dangerous cities, the types of crimes most prevalent, and the underlying causes behind these issues.