Top 10 most dangerous cities in Virginia

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Virginia, known for its rich history and diverse landscapes, offers a unique living experience. From the bustling city life of Richmond to the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia 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, Virginia faces safety challenges in certain urban areas. The most dangerous cities in Virginia are identified by their violent crime rates per 100,000 people, highlighting regions where extra caution is necessary. The contrast between Virginia's cultural richness and urban crime issues underscores the complexities of life in this diverse state.

Efforts to improve safety in Virginia 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 Virginia. While these areas present significant challenges, they also highlight the potential for community-driven solutions and positive change. Virginia's commitment to fostering safer environments is evident in its proactive measures and the resilience of its residents. The state's blend of cultural heritage, natural beauty, and economic opportunities continues to attract people, despite the complexities of urban safety concerns.

Newport News Population: 179,582 876 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 2.40 chance of being a victim: 1 in 114 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,393

Newport News, VA holds the distinction of being the #1 most dangerous city in Virginia with 876 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The area continues to struggle with elevated assault (699), robbery (116), rape (36) and homicide (25) rates, as the violent crime rate comes in at 271% higher than the Virginia 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.

Portsmouth Population: 94,961 826 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 2.26 chance of being a victim: 1 in 121 Total Crimes / 100k: 5,391

The second most dangerous city is Portsmouth. With a population of 94,961 and a violent crime rate that is 250% higher than the Virginia average, the city has seen better days. The higher than average crime rates in Portsmouth are not new, as violent crime has been a serious issue for many years and topped 826 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 121 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

Petersburg Population: 30,791 694 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.90 chance of being a victim: 1 in 144 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,075

Home to 30,791 residents, Petersburg, VA ranks #3 on the list of most dangerous cities in Virginia. Unfortunately for residents of Petersburg, crime is widespread, with more than 694 violent crimes per 100,000 people reported last year. When the numbers are analyzed, this translates to a staggering 1.90 crimes per day and a violent crime rate that is 194% higher than the Virginia violent crime rate.

Emporia Population: 5,408 670 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.83 chance of being a victim: 1 in 149 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,870

With a violent crime rate that is 184% higher than the Virginia average, it's not hard to see why Emporia made the list. The city reported crime (per 100,000 residents) in the following categories: robbery (56), assault (484), rape (93) and homicide (37). 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 Emporia more vulnerable to high crime.

Roanoke Population: 99,122 578 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.58 chance of being a victim: 1 in 173 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,489

The ongoing battle with crime in Roanoke, VA, 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 578 and a 1 in 173 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime (per 100,000 people), Roanoke has a violent crime rate that is 145% higher than the Virginia 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 Roanoke.

Richlands Population: 5,311 563 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.54 chance of being a victim: 1 in 178 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,039

Richlands, VA comes in at number 6 on our list, with a violent crime rate of 563 per 100,000 people, which is 138% higher than the Virginia average. Richlands has a population of 5,311, which translates to 1.54 crimes per day and 1 in 178 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 Richlands which are much safer than others.

Suffolk Population: 91,383 548 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.50 chance of being a victim: 1 in 183 Total Crimes / 100k: 2,191

A 1 in 183 chance of becoming a victim of crime and 1.50 violent crimes per day - those are some fairly good reasons why Suffolk makes the list at #7. According to the most recent annual crime report, there were 548 violent crimes per 100,000 people, which translates to a violent crime rate that is 132% higher than the Virginia average. The number of violent crimes takes into account the following categories: assault (431), robbery (68), rape (38) and homicide (11).

Norfolk Population: 244,300 537 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.47 chance of being a victim: 1 in 186 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,352

Norfolk, VA is another one of the most dangerous cities in Virginia and tops the list at #8. The city has a population of 244,300 and a violent crime rate of 537 per 100,000 people. Of those crimes, there were 381 counts of assault, 90 counts of robbery, 47 counts of rape and 19 counts of homicide. All told, the Norfolk violent crime rate is 127% higher than the Virginia average.

Bristol Population: 17,059 511 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.40 chance of being a victim: 1 in 196 Total Crimes / 100k: 4,432

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, Bristol, VA comes in as the 9th most dangerous city in Virginia with a violent crime rate of 511 per 100,000 people. If we break that down, the city sees 1.40 violent crimes per day and residents have a 1 in 196 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime.

Pulaski Population: 8,744 496 violent crimes per 100k

violent crimes per day: 1.36 chance of being a victim: 1 in 202 Total Crimes / 100k: 3,361

Rounding out our list at #10 is Pulaski, VA. With a population of 8,744 and a violent crime rate of 496 per 100,000 people (110% higher than the Virginia average), some parts of Pulaski are incredible unsafe. The violent crime rate consists of 451 counts of assault, 11 counts of robbery, 34 counts of rape and 0 counts of homicide. Residents can expect to have a 1 in 202 chance of becoming a victim of a violent crime.

Full list of the most dangerous cities in Virginia

Rank	Location	Population	Violent Crimes /100k	Total Crimes /100k
1	Newport News	179,582	876	3,393
2	Portsmouth	94,961	826	5,391
3	Petersburg	30,791	694	4,075
4	Emporia	5,408	670	3,870
5	Roanoke	99,122	578	4,489
6	Richlands	5,311	563	2,039
7	Suffolk	91,383	548	2,191
8	Norfolk	244,300	537	4,352
9	Bristol	17,059	511	4,432
10	Pulaski	8,744	496	3,361
11	Fredericksburg	29,059	487	3,925
12	Franklin	8,015	458	4,456
13	South Boston	7,676	435	2,889
14	Ashland	7,819	434	3,038
15	Chesapeake	242,647	416	2,242
16	Farmville	8,152	415	2,169
17	Colonial Heights	17,283	392	3,649
18	Danville	40,668	368	3,395
19	Hopewell	22,500	366	2,121
20	Martinsville	12,646	361	1,890
21	Richmond	229,233	357	4,078
22	Galax	6,402	341	4,285
23	Lynchburg	80,970	335	2,343
24	Charlottesville	47,217	323	3,851
25	Marion	5,646	320	2,167
26	Winchester	27,912	308	2,801
27	Orange	5,024	289	1,542
28	Hampton	135,169	285	3,283
29	Smithfield	8,492	277	1,385
30	Williamsburg	15,034	266	1,641
31	Strasburg	6,643	261	1,292
32	Manassas	41,038	258	2,068
33	Manassas Park	17,548	255	1,322
34	Leesburg	53,731	254	1,910
35	Abingdon	7,936	240	1,947
36	Waynesboro	22,300	229	2,195
37	Alexandria	158,309	229	2,659
38	Front Royal	15,214	228	1,918
39	Harrisonburg	53,558	224	2,225
40	Bedford	6,599	221	2,332
41	Herndon	24,577	217	1,644
42	Dumfries	5,559	208	1,229
43	Radford	17,833	199	1,388
44	Poquoson	12,121	198	917
45	Staunton	24,660	169	1,659
46	Culpeper	18,633	166	1,670
47	Christiansburg	22,482	162	2,364
48	Vinton	8,102	162	1,729
49	Covington	5,653	159	1,592
50	Big Stone Gap	5,209	137	1,546

Methodology

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