Top 10 most dangerous cities in Minnesota

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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 1,132 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 3.10 chance of being a victim: 1 in 88 Total Crimes / 100k: 6,384

Minneapolis, MN holds the distinction of being the #1 most dangerous city in Minnesota with 1,132 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The area continues to struggle with elevated assault (688), robbery (340), rape (87) and homicide (17) rates, as the violent crime rate comes in at 333% 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.

Brooklyn Center Population: 30,755 742 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 2.03 chance of being a victim: 1 in 135 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,201

The second most dangerous city is Brooklyn Center. With a population of 30,755 and a violent crime rate that is 184% higher than the Minnesota average, the city has seen better days. The higher than average crime rates in Brooklyn Center are not new, as violent crime has been a serious issue for many years and topped 742 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 135 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

St. Paul Population: 305,877 624 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.71 chance of being a victim: 1 in 160 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,714

Home to 305,877 residents, St. Paul, MN ranks #3 on the list of most dangerous cities in Minnesota. Unfortunately for residents of St. Paul, crime is widespread, with more than 624 violent crimes per 100,000 people reported last year. When the numbers are analyzed, this translates to a staggering 1.71 crimes per day and a violent crime rate that is 139% higher than the Minnesota violent crime rate.

Brainerd Population: 13,423 573 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.57 chance of being a victim: 1 in 175 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,789

With a violent crime rate that is 119% higher than the Minnesota average, it's not hard to see why Brainerd made the list. The city reported crime (per 100,000 residents) in the following categories: robbery (14), assault (416), rape (143) and homicide (0). 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 Brainerd more vulnerable to high crime.

Moorhead Population: 43,409 515 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.41 chance of being a victim: 1 in 194 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,312

The ongoing battle with crime in Moorhead, 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 515 and a 1 in 194 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime (per 100,000 people), Moorhead has a violent crime rate that is 97% 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 Moorhead.

Bemidji Population: 15,277 481 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.32 chance of being a victim: 1 in 208 Total Crimes / 100k: 6,615

Bemidji, MN comes in at number 6 on our list, with a violent crime rate of 481 per 100,000 people, which is 84% higher than the Minnesota average. Bemidji has a population of 15,277, which translates to 1.32 crimes per day and 1 in 208 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 Bemidji which are much safer than others.

Crookston Population: 7,711 441 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.21 chance of being a victim: 1 in 227 Total Crimes / 100k: 1,433

A 1 in 227 chance of becoming a victim of crime and 1.21 violent crimes per day - those are some fairly good reasons why Crookston makes the list at #7. According to the most recent annual crime report, there were 441 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which translates to a violent crime rate that is 69% higher than the Minnesota average. The number of violent crimes takes into account the following categories: assault (331), robbery (0), rape (110) and homicide (0).

Willmar Population: 19,728 439 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.20 chance of being a victim: 1 in 228 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,022

Willmar, MN is another one of the most dangerous cities in Minnesota and tops the list at #8. The city has a population of 19,728 and a violent crime rate of 439 per 100,000 people. Of those crimes, there were 327 counts of assault, 9 counts of robbery, 103 counts of rape and 0 counts of homicide. All told, the Willmar violent crime rate is 68% higher than the Minnesota average.

Worthington Population: 13,093 402 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.10 chance of being a victim: 1 in 249 Total Crimes / 100k: 1,478

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, Worthington, MN comes in as the 9th most dangerous city in Minnesota with a violent crime rate of 402 per 100,000 people. If we break that down, the city sees 1.10 violent crimes per day and residents have a 1 in 249 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.

Brooklyn Park Population: 80,173 382 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.05 chance of being a victim: 1 in 262 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,134

Rounding out our list at #10 is Brooklyn Park, MN. With a population of 80,173 and a violent crime rate of 382 per 100,000 people (46% higher than the Minnesota average), some parts of Brooklyn Park are incredible unsafe. The violent crime rate consists of 221 counts of assault, 100 counts of robbery, 52 counts of rape and 9 counts of homicide. Residents can expect to have a 1 in 262 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	1,132	6,384
2	Brooklyn Center	30,755	742	3,201
3	St. Paul	305,877	624	3,714
4	Brainerd	13,423	573	2,789
5	Moorhead	43,409	515	2,312
6	Bemidji	15,277	481	6,615
7	Crookston	7,711	441	1,433
8	Willmar	19,728	439	2,022
9	Worthington	13,093	402	1,478
10	Brooklyn Park	80,173	382	3,134
11	Maplewood	40,684	380	3,469
12	Virginia	8,421	374	2,448
13	Robbinsdale	14,393	364	2,260
14	St. Cloud	68,390	343	3,810
15	International Falls	5,876	339	1,534
16	Crystal	22,937	326	2,418
17	Columbia Heights	20,247	317	2,039
18	South St. Paul	20,132	309	1,897
19	Bloomington	85,226	308	4,232
20	Mankato	42,685	299	3,119
21	Anoka	17,512	288	1,559
22	Hutchinson	13,935	285	1,155
23	Fridley	27,789	274	3,686
24	Roseville	36,139	271	6,042
25	Duluth	85,852	265	3,178
26	Burnsville	61,536	264	2,269
27	Hopkins	18,400	262	2,138
28	Fergus Falls	13,754	260	2,812
29	Cloquet	11,994	254	1,133
30	Faribault	23,853	252	1,666
31	Albert Lea	17,804	245	2,306
32	Apple Valley	53,728	242	2,089
33	Richfield	36,253	235	2,352
34	Austin	25,180	225	1,915
35	Detroit Lakes	9,229	220	1,888
36	Marshall	13,604	211	860
37	Fairmont	10,042	207	1,909
38	Waite Park	7,719	203	7,377
39	West St. Paul	19,805	201	4,398
40	Alexandria	13,705	199	1,628
41	Little Falls	8,663	198	2,092
42	North Mankato	13,903	197	1,321
43	Glencoe	5,488	195	1,258
44	Thief River Falls	8,792	190	1,544
45	Owatonna	25,716	189	1,098
46	St. Paul Park	5,404	186	689
47	Mendota Heights	11,339	185	1,470
48	Coon Rapids	62,706	184	1,717
49	St. Joseph	7,448	183	1,109
50	Inver Grove Heights	35,492	180	1,981

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.