Most dangerous cities in Wisconsin research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data to determine the most dangerous cities in Wisconsin based on violent and property crimes per capita. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The most dangerous city in Wisconsin is Milwaukee based on the most recent FBI crime data.
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The violent crime rate in Wisconsin is 1,586 per 100k people.
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The property crime rate in Wisconsin is 4,187 per 100k people.
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The safest city in Wisconsin is .
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Wisconsin is the most dangerous state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | References
It used to be where the only the only thing dangerous in Wisconsin was an angry Cheesehead after a Green Bay Packers loss; sadly, folks, that’s no longer the case.
That’s right, people. Wisconsin has bigger whitefish to fry: the state has some pretty dangerous cities, too. And if you want to know where those places are located, we suggest that you take a look below at RoadSnacks’ list of the most dangerous places in Wisconsin for 2023.
How’d we do it? We consulted the numbers. In total, we analyzed 144 cities. We looked at the FBI’s latest crime report for violent crime and property crime statistics for every place with over 5,000 residents. We discovered that Wisconsin’s overall violent and property crime numbers, while above the national average, the numbers in the state’s most dangerous places could be better. And if you guessed that most of Wisconsin’s crime is centered around the state’s bigger places, you guessed right. Cities like Milwaukee and Madison are being hit pretty hard; surprisingly, however, the most dangerous place in Wisconsin doesn’t even break 10,000 residents.
And while Wisconsin might not be one of the top ten most dangerous states in the country, the state’s most dangerous places do need some work. Maybe more police? Security cameras? Drug programs? We’re not entirely sure. One thing that we are sure about, however, is that you should take a look below at the list of Wisconsin’s most dangerous places before you make any life changing decisions.
The Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin For 2023
- Milwaukee
- Brown Deer
- Ashland
- Beloit
- Glendale
- Town of Madison
- Platteville
- La Crosse
- Madison
- Rice Lake
People always ask why we produce lists of the most dangerous places in each state. Well, we do it to show the public how to navigate the places that most people don’t want to visit, but still want to know the gossip. And, unfortunately, there always has to be a number one.
So, what city is the number one most dangerous place to live in Wisconsin for 2023? Well according to the FBI data we crunched, Milwaukee is the most dangerous place to live in America’s Dairyland.
If you want to know where the rest of the most dangerous places in Wisconsin are located, take a look at the list below. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Wisconsin.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Wisconsin For 2023
Known for great beer and being a Mecca for motorcyclists, Milwaukee likes to have fun.
Unfortunately, Wisconsin’s biggest city is also the most violent as well. In Milwaukee, folks had a 1 in 63 shot of being the victim of a murder, rape, robbery, or assault over 2021. That includes the highest murder rate statewide.
And while property crime isn’t as bad in Milwaukee, the city still had the second highest burglary rate in Wisconsin, averaging about ten a day.
Overall, Milwaukeeans can still enjoy a high quality of life if they stick to Brew City’s best neighborhoods.
/10
Population: 593,337
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,586 (Most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,187 (Fourth most dangerous)
More on Milwaukee: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
The second most dangerous place in America’s Dairyland turns out to be Brown Deer, a village just 20 minutes north of Milwaukee. As you can guess by Brown Deer’s high crime rate, the village was far from making the cut for Milwaukee’s best suburbs.
Padlocking your picnic basket before a trip to one of Brown Deer’s parks might be a good idea, considering the village had the highest property crime rate in Wisconsin.
Oh, and a car got stolen here every other week, on average — quite common for a place with only 12,310 people.
/10
Population: 12,310
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 446 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,515 (Most dangerous)
More on Brown Deer: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
We’re taking a long drive north to reach Wisconsin’s third most dangerous city, Ashland. Located on Lake Superior, Ashland is pretty inferior when it comes to managing crime.
Folks in Ashland had a 1 in 26 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2021, with 29 burglaries reported.
On the bright side, there were no robberies or murders in Ashland over the year. Still, 24 aggravated assaults seems quite high for such a small place.
/10
Population: 7,859
Rank Last Year: –
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 343 (15th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,728 (Seventh most dangerous)
More on Ashland: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
If you’re looking to stay safe in Wisconsin, you might want to avoid its fourth most dangerous city, Beloit. Located about an hour south of Madison, Beloit is one of the only places on this list to rank in the top ten statewide for both violent and property crime.
You’ll want to watch your wallet when you’re out at Beloit’s farmer’s market, because there were 670 larceny cases recorded in 2021. It’s also a good idea to double-check all your locks if you’re in Beloit, what with the 78 stolen cars and 88 burglaries.
And it’s not just property crime that makes Beloit so dangerous — the city also had the eighth highest murder rate in Wisconsin, and residents had a 1 in 170 shot of being violently attacked over the year.
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Population: 36,603
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 3)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 587 (Second most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,283 (21st most dangerous)
More on Beloit: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Chock full of beer fests and beer gardens, Glendale is like a mini version of Milwaukee to its south.
Fortunately, Glendale went up 12 spots on this list from last year, so things are improving. On the bad side, property crime still ranks as the second highest worst in the state, with residents facing a 1 in 20 of having their stuff stolen or damaged over 2021.
Glendale’s overall crime rate also ranks as the third highest in Wisconsin — about three times higher than the national average.
/10
Population: 12,843
Rank Last Year: 17 (Up 12)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 256 (24th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,804 (Second most dangerous)
More on Glendale: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
6. Town of Madison
Population: 6,713
Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 8)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 387 (Ninth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,428 (18th most dangerous)
More on Town of Madison:
/10
Population: 11,690
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 5)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 384 (Tenth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,164 (23rd most dangerous)
More on Platteville: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
La Crosse sits along the Mississippi River, across the water from Minnesota. This placement has long made the town an important trade area.
Being one of the main cities in its region, La Crosse suffers some of the crime you’d expect from a high population density. That includes high rates of larceny and car theft.
However, life in La Crosse does have its benefits as well. It has plenty of parks near the river, plus a host of museums and universities.
/10
Population: 51,143
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 3)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 252 (27th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,024 (Sixth most dangerous)
More on La Crosse: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Up next on our list of Wisconsin’s least safe places is its capital and second-largest city, Madison.
While you might think of college sports when you think of Madison, high crime rates should also come to mind.
While Madison had the lowest property crime rate on this list, it did have the seventh highest burglary rate in Wisconsin, and 712 cars were stolen here over 2021.
Overall, violent crime is the more significant issue in Madison, ranking as the 19th highest statewide. That means residents had a 1 in 324 chance of being violently attacked over the year.
/10
Population: 266,199
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 308 (19th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,520 (16th most dangerous)
More on Madison: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Rice Lake is a small city of 8,511 and our first representative from Barron County. We recommend buddying up for any adventures along the Cedar Side Walking Trail, for safety’s sake.
While Rice Lake may be tiny, it has a big problem — the city averaged one rape case per month over 2021, giving it the ninth highest rate of rape cases in Wisconsin.
Additionally, folks had a 1 in 52 chance of being the victim of a property crime over the year.
/10
Population: 8,511
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 6)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 505 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 1,891 (34th most dangerous)
More on Rice Lake: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Wisconsin for 2023?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Wisconsin. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Wisconsin, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2021 data, specifically the 2021 Crime In The United States Report for Wisconsin. We will update the results when data becomes available in September 2023.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Wisconsin cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 144 cities in Wisconsin.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 144 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Wisconsin — Milwaukee. Any ties went to the smaller city.
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Wisconsin FAQs
No, Wisconsin is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #12 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in wisconsin ranks 3highest in the United States — 16.61% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Badger State ranks 39th highest in the United States — 24.13% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.
Yes, Milwaukee is a dangerous city. Milwaukee ranks as the #71 most dangerous out of 320 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Milwaukee might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, North Granville is the safest in Milwaukee, while Franklin Heights is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Milwaukee ranks ninth highest in America — 190.91% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 138th highest in the United States — 2.74% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
No, Wisconsin is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #12 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in wisconsin ranks 3highest in the United States -- 16.61% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Badger State ranks 39th highest in the United States -- 24.13% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.
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Yes, Milwaukee is a dangerous city. Milwaukee ranks as the #71 most dangerous out of 320 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Milwaukee might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, North Granville is the safest in Milwaukee, while Franklin Heights is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Milwaukee ranks ninth highest in America -- 190.91% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 138th highest in the United States -- 2.74% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020 and that no city in America is 'dangerous'. Despite the uptick in murders, it's nothing like you'd see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
"}}]}
Graphing The Most Dangerous And Safest Places In Wisconsin
Summary: Locking It All Up In Wisconsin
So what is the most dangerous city in Wisconsin? After analyzing 144 cities in Wisconsin, Milwaukee takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Wisconsin based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2021.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Milwaukee ranks as the most dangerous city in Wisconsin for 2023.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Milwaukee and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.
People always ask why we produce lists of the most dangerous places in each state. Well, we do it to show the public how to navigate the places that most people don’t want to visit, but still want to know the gossip. And, unfortunately, there always has to be a number one.
So, what city is the number one most dangerous place to live in Wisconsin for 2023? Well according to the FBI data we crunched, Milwaukee is the most dangerous place to live in America’s Dairyland.
If you want to know where the rest of the most dangerous places in Wisconsin are located, take a look at the list below. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Wisconsin.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the most dangerous cities in America or the most dangerous states in America.
Here are the safest cities in Wisconsin:
- Plymouth (Pop. 8,766)
- Cottage Grove (Pop. 7,241)
- Edgerton (Pop. 5,613)
- Kronenwetter (Pop. 8,242)
- Muskego (Pop. 25,436)
- Delavan Town (Pop. 5,361)
- Mukwonago Town (Pop. 8,184)
- Grand Rapids (Pop. 7,393)
- Evansville (Pop. 5,489)
- Oconomowoc Town (Pop. 8,743)
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Cheapest Places To Live In Wisconsin
- Most Dangerous Cities In Wisconsin
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Wisconsin
- Safest Places In Wisconsin
- Worst Places To Live In Wisconsin
Crime By City In Wisconsin
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Milwaukee | 593,337 |
2 | Brown Deer | 12,310 |
3 | Ashland | 7,859 |
4 | Beloit | 36,603 |
5 | Glendale | 12,843 |
6 | Town of Madison | 6,713 |
7 | Platteville | 11,690 |
8 | La Crosse | 51,143 |
9 | Madison | 266,199 |
10 | Rice Lake | 8,511 |
11 | Shawano | 8,845 |
12 | Baraboo | 12,151 |
13 | West Allis | 60,176 |
14 | Marinette | 10,421 |
15 | Monona | 8,226 |
16 | Portage | 10,387 |
17 | Wausau | 38,435 |
18 | Green Bay | 103,826 |
19 | Merrill | 8,927 |
20 | Superior | 26,117 |
21 | Grand Chute | 23,739 |
22 | Fitchburg | 31,498 |
23 | Oshkosh | 66,513 |
24 | Racine | 76,018 |
25 | Fond du Lac | 43,195 |
26 | Sparta | 9,827 |
27 | Sheboygan | 47,667 |
28 | Hudson | 14,313 |
29 | Antigo | 7,671 |
30 | Wisconsin Rapids | 17,524 |
31 | Manitowoc | 32,233 |
32 | Eau Claire | 69,372 |
33 | Tomah | 9,418 |
34 | Janesville | 64,768 |
35 | Wauwatosa | 48,650 |
36 | Marshfield | 18,403 |
37 | Appleton | 74,204 |
38 | Menomonie | 16,633 |
39 | Greenfield | 37,531 |
40 | Sun Prairie | 35,722 |
41 | Kenosha | 99,588 |
42 | Plover | 13,360 |
43 | Brookfield Township | 6,564 |
44 | Delavan | 9,813 |
45 | Oak Creek | 36,975 |
46 | Rhinelander | 7,624 |
47 | Whitewater | 15,057 |
48 | Onalaska | 19,243 |
49 | Jefferson | 8,042 |
50 | Mount Pleasant | 27,084 |
References
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FBI UCR 2022
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Census – American Cumminity Survey
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