The five most dangerous cities in the US, according to StudyFinds (Picture: Metro graphics/Datawrapper)
The most dangerous places in the US include well-known urban centers – but some small cities overtake the largest and most famous metros.
America’s two biggest cities, New York City and Los Angeles, surprisingly did not make the list of the five most dangerous cities released by StudyFinds on Sunday.
‘When it comes to crime rates and safety concerns, it’s often the smaller cities at the top of the list,’ stated StudyFinds. ‘These cities, which might not dominate the headlines as much, face significant challenges contributing to their high crime rates.’
Yet some of the cities in the ranking are big and tourists destinations.
Other lists often determine the most dangerous cities in the states using crime rates, socioeconomic factors, levels of conflict, how effective law enforcement is, health risks and global safety reports.
Noting that different lists weigh the elements in different ways, StudyFinds’ ranking includes the most dangerous cities cited across seven websites.
Topping the list is a city many people, including Americans, have not heard of. Bessemer, Alabama, is located about 15 miles south of Birmingham and has a population of 27,000. It was once called The Marvel City because of how rapidly it grew, but it now has the highest crime rate in the country with 33.18 violent crimes per 1,000 residents.
‘The odds of becoming a crime victim in Bessemer are 1 in 9,’ stated Traveling Lifestyle.
In second place is Memphis, Tennessee, where the famed American singer and actor Elvis Presley had his Graceland mansion. But the city with a population of over 600,000 has a crime rate that is 237% higher than the national average.
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