When planning a city break, safety deserves a place alongside accommodation, transport, and sightseeing. Crime statistics can provide useful background, but understanding what those numbers measure is essential.

The FBI released its annual 2025 crime statistics on August 14, 2026, confirming that violent crime declined nationally. Estimated violent offenses fell 9.3 percent compared with 2024, including an 18.1 percent reduction in murder and nonnegligent manslaughter. These figures describe changes in offense totals; population-adjusted crime rates are a separate measure.

National progress, however, does not mean every destination has the same crime profile. A comparison published by Security.org uses FBI data to examine violent and property crime across 50 large U.S. cities.

How the Cities Compare

The table below brings together the three rankings in Security.org’s analysis. Positions apply to the cities included in that comparison, rather than every community in the United States. These are the publisher’s rankings, not an official FBI list of dangerous destinations.

1. Memphis, Tennessee
2. Oakland, California
3. Portland, Oregon
4. Detroit, Michigan
5. Minneapolis, Minnesota
6. Baltimore, Maryland
7. Kansas City, Missouri
8. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
9. Seattle, Washington
10. Denver, Colorado

Violent Crime: Memphis, Detroit, and Oakland Have the Nation’s Highest Rates
1. Memphis, Tennessee
2. Detroit, Michigan
3. Oakland, California
4. Kansas City, Missouri
5. Baltimore, Maryland
6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
7. Albuquerque, New Mexico
8. Minneapolis, Minnesota
9. Nashville (Metro PD), Tennessee
10. Houston, Texas

Property Crime: Oakland, Portland, and Memphis Lead

1. Oakland, California
2. Portland, Oregon
3. Memphis, Tennessee
4. Minneapolis, Minnesota
5. Seattle, Washington
6. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
7. Denver, Colorado
8. Baltimore, Maryland
9. Albuquerque, New Mexico
10. Kansas City, Missouri

Source: Security.org’s analysis of 2025 FBI crime data.

Why the Type of Crime Matters

A combined crime rate groups together offenses with very different consequences. In this comparison, violent crime includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Property crime covers burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft.

Memphis occupies the highest position for both combined and violent crime. Oakland leads the property-crime ranking, followed by Portland and Memphis. Portland’s placement illustrates why the categories deserve separate attention: it ranks third for combined crime but does not appear among the ten highest violent-crime entries.

For travelers, that distinction helps frame more useful questions. Someone driving between attractions may want information about parking and vehicle theft. A visitor relying on public transport may be more interested in conditions around particular stations and the route back to their accommodation.

A Ranking Cannot Describe an Entire Trip.

The FBI cautions against using crime statistics alone to rank communities. Such comparisons leave out factors that influence local crime and can create misleading impressions of cities and their residents.

An annual rate per 100,000 residents also is not a percentage chance that a tourist will experience a crime. It compares recorded offenses with a resident population; it does not calculate risk for a particular itinerary or length of stay.

Treat the figures as a starting point for research. Before booking, check information about the neighborhood around your accommodation, consider how you will travel after dark, and look for recent local updates relevant to the places you intend to visit.

Turning Information Into Practical Preparation

Build a few straightforward precautions into your plans:

Ask your accommodation about nearby walking routes and transport options.

Plan your return journey before going out for the evening.

Keep phones, wallets, and travel documents secure.

Avoid leaving luggage or valuables visible in a parked vehicle.

Check current local information close to your departure date.

A city’s position in a crime table can prompt useful preparation, but it cannot describe every street, attraction, or visitor experience. Pay the most attention to the places you will actually spend time in and the journeys connecting them.