Top 10 most dangerous cities in Minnesota

Minnesota, known for its lakes and cultural diversity, offers a unique living experience. From the bustling city life of Minneapolis to the scenic beauty of the North Shore, Minnesota provides a diverse array of attractions. The state's rich cultural heritage is evident in its music, festivals, and historic sites. However, despite its many positives, Minnesota faces safety challenges in certain urban areas. The most dangerous cities in Minnesota are identified by their violent crime rates per 100,000 people, highlighting regions where extra caution is necessary. The contrast between Minnesota's natural serenity and urban crime issues underscores the complexities of life in this diverse state.

Efforts to improve safety in Minnesota involve a combination of enhanced law enforcement measures and community engagement programs aimed at preventing violence and crime. These initiatives are crucial in addressing the safety concerns that affect some of the most dangerous cities in Minnesota. While these areas present significant challenges, they also highlight the potential for community-driven solutions and positive change. Minnesota's commitment to fostering safer environments is evident in its proactive measures and the resilience of its residents. The state's blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and economic opportunities continues to attract people, despite the complexities of urban safety concerns.

Minneapolis Population: 424,536 1,226 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.36 chance of being a victim: 1 in 82 Total Crimes / 100k: 6,488

Minneapolis, MN holds the distinction of being the #1 most dangerous city in Minnesota with 1,226 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The area continues to struggle with elevated assault (709), robbery (420), rape (78) and homicide (19) rates, as the violent crime rate comes in at 337% higher than the Minnesota 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.

St. Paul Population: 305,877 766 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 2.10 chance of being a victim: 1 in 130 Total Crimes / 100k: 5,414

The second most dangerous city is St. Paul. With a population of 305,877 and a violent crime rate that is 173% higher than the Minnesota average, the city has seen better days. The higher than average crime rates in St. Paul are not new, as violent crime has been a serious issue for many years and topped 766 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 130 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

Bemidji Population: 15,277 653 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.79 chance of being a victim: 1 in 153 Total Crimes / 100k: 8,546

Home to 15,277 residents, Bemidji, MN ranks #3 on the list of most dangerous cities in Minnesota. Unfortunately for residents of Bemidji, crime is widespread, with more than 653 violent crimes per 100,000 people reported last year. When the numbers are analyzed, this translates to a staggering 1.79 crimes per day and a violent crime rate that is 133% higher than the Minnesota violent crime rate.

Brooklyn Center Population: 30,755 601 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.65 chance of being a victim: 1 in 166 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,633

With a violent crime rate that is 114% higher than the Minnesota average, it's not hard to see why Brooklyn Center made the list. The city reported crime (per 100,000 residents) in the following categories: robbery (212), assault (268), rape (118) and homicide (3). 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 Brooklyn Center more vulnerable to high crime.

Virginia Population: 8,421 532 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.46 chance of being a victim: 1 in 188 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,695

The ongoing battle with crime in Virginia, MN, 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 532 and a 1 in 188 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime (per 100,000 people), Virginia has a violent crime rate that is 89% higher than the Minnesota 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 Virginia.

Robbinsdale Population: 14,393 518 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.42 chance of being a victim: 1 in 193 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,603

Robbinsdale, MN comes in at number 6 on our list, with a violent crime rate of 518 per 100,000 people, which is 85% higher than the Minnesota average. Robbinsdale has a population of 14,393, which translates to 1.42 crimes per day and 1 in 193 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 Robbinsdale which are much safer than others.

Waite Park Population: 7,719 515 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.41 chance of being a victim: 1 in 194 Total Crimes / 100k: 8,061

A 1 in 194 chance of becoming a victim of crime and 1.41 violent crimes per day - those are some fairly good reasons why Waite Park makes the list at #7. According to the most recent annual crime report, there were 515 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which translates to a violent crime rate that is 84% higher than the Minnesota average. The number of violent crimes takes into account the following categories: assault (431), robbery (12), rape (72) and homicide (0).

Brainerd Population: 13,423 507 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.39 chance of being a victim: 1 in 197 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,827

Brainerd, MN is another one of the most dangerous cities in Minnesota and tops the list at #8. The city has a population of 13,423 and a violent crime rate of 507 per 100,000 people. Of those crimes, there were 361 counts of assault, 7 counts of robbery, 139 counts of rape and 0 counts of homicide. All told, the Brainerd violent crime rate is 81% higher than the Minnesota average.

Fridley Population: 27,789 470 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.29 chance of being a victim: 1 in 213 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,615

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, Fridley, MN comes in as the 9th most dangerous city in Minnesota with a violent crime rate of 470 per 100,000 people. If we break that down, the city sees 1.29 violent crimes per day and residents have a 1 in 213 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.

Crookston Population: 7,711 457 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.25 chance of being a victim: 1 in 219 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,038

Rounding out our list at #10 is Crookston, MN. With a population of 7,711 and a violent crime rate of 457 per 100,000 people (63% higher than the Minnesota average), some parts of Crookston are incredible unsafe. The violent crime rate consists of 263 counts of assault, 28 counts of robbery, 166 counts of rape and 0 counts of homicide. Residents can expect to have a 1 in 219 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

Full list of the most dangerous cities in Minnesota

Rank	Location	Population	Violent Crimes /100k	Total Crimes /100k
1	Minneapolis	424,536	1,226	6,488
2	St. Paul	305,877	766	5,414
3	Bemidji	15,277	653	8,546
4	Brooklyn Center	30,755	601	3,633
5	Virginia	8,421	532	2,695
6	Robbinsdale	14,393	518	2,603
7	Waite Park	7,719	515	8,061
8	Brainerd	13,423	507	2,827
9	Fridley	27,789	470	4,615
10	Crookston	7,711	457	2,038
11	St. Cloud	68,390	453	4,731
12	Willmar	19,728	436	2,441
13	Moorhead	43,409	412	2,655
14	Columbia Heights	20,247	410	2,606
15	South St. Paul	20,132	408	2,714
16	Brooklyn Park	80,173	381	3,679
17	West St. Paul	19,805	369	4,523
18	Richfield	36,253	338	3,035
19	International Falls	5,876	318	1,891
20	Roseville	36,139	312	5,662
21	Crystal	22,937	302	2,724
22	Bloomington	85,226	292	4,034
23	Maplewood	40,684	291	4,225
24	Duluth	85,852	289	3,202
25	Hutchinson	13,935	287	1,265
26	Red Wing	16,366	283	2,800
27	Burnsville	61,536	279	2,752
28	Detroit Lakes	9,229	266	2,456
29	Spring Lake Park	6,582	265	2,429
30	Mankato	42,685	258	2,762
31	Worthington	13,093	257	1,131
32	Faribault	23,853	254	2,248
33	Anoka	17,512	252	1,517
34	Austin	25,180	251	2,299
35	Cloquet	11,994	251	1,679
36	Apple Valley	53,728	243	1,879
37	Fairmont	10,042	231	1,543
38	Coon Rapids	62,706	231	2,100
39	Owatonna	25,716	227	1,265
40	New Hope	20,913	225	2,630
41	Rochester	117,134	223	2,096
42	Fergus Falls	13,754	221	2,533
43	Marshall	13,604	220	674
44	Alexandria	13,705	213	1,888
45	Hopkins	18,400	199	2,521
46	Inver Grove Heights	35,492	196	2,301
47	Golden Valley	21,611	187	2,166
48	Hermantown	9,577	186	4,013
49	Mounds View	13,193	181	1,819
50	St. Louis Park	48,874	180	3,639

Methodology

The AreaVibes list of the most dangerous cities in Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.