The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Arkansas For 2023

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Arkansas For 2023

Pine Bluff has a history stretching back to at least 1839, when the community was first incorporated. Built along the Arkansas River, about 45 minutes southeast of Little Rock, the city keeps a sense of its history, providing a home to the Arkansas Railroad Museum.

So Pine Bluff has the history stuff covered. What about the present? Well, that’s when the trouble comes in. The town exists as the number 1 most dangerous spot in Arkansas.

Violence represents a major problem. In a community with a total population of 39,670, Pine Bluff suffered 23 murders. That gives it the number 3 highest rate in the state.

Unfortunately, Little Rock is again stuck at the top of the most dangerous places in Arkansas list. Little Rock residents have a 1 in 18 chance of being a victim of property crime, and they are particularly likely to be a victim of larceny, burglary, or car theft. Little Rock is not only the biggest city in Arkansas, but it is also one of the snobbiest places and one of the most expensive places to live in Arkansas.

Although the name may not be very exciting, Little Rock residents still think they have a lot to be snobby about.

Located smack-dab in the middle of Arkansas, Little Rock was named after a small rock formation on the Arkansas River’s south bank. Well, it probably sounded better when Jean-Baptiste Bernard de la Harpe said, “La Petite Roche”, but the name stuck.

Forrest City is named for a Civil War general, Nathan Bedford Forrest.

A fearsome leader in the bloodiest conflict in America’s history — that’s a violent legacy that lends this city its name. Given that pedigree, maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the community winds up on this list. Nope, true to its namesake, Forrest City ranks as the number 3 most violent area in Arkansas.

This plays out in the raw statistics. With only 13,496 people living in town, Forrest City reported 11 murders and 9 sexual in the latest year.

Not only is Newport one of the most dangerous places to live in Arkansas, but it’s also one of the worst places and thepoorest places to live in Arkansas as well. If you live in Newport you have a 1 in 19 chance of being a victim of property crime, that includes burglary, car theft and arson. Newport ranks ninth highest in violent crime and fourth highest in property crime.

Located on the White River 84 miles from Little Rock, Newport is the home to the Ben Franklin store where Sam Walton dreamed up his idea for Walmart. Be sure to keep your house and car doors locked in this small town.

Helena-West Helena is the county seat and the largest city within Phillips County, but that’s not saying much. Ranked number 39.0 in population, Helena-West Helena’s residents experienced 6 murders and 241 violent crimes in the 2021 reporting year.

Helena-West Helena also ranks as one of the poorest places to live in Arkansas. But, if you like living in a small town, Helena-West Helena is a great place to retire.

Located across the Arkansas River from Memphis, Tennessee, West Memphis is not only known as one of the most dangerous cities in Arkansas but also one of the worst places to live in Arkansas as well.

West Memphis ranks highest in violent crime and 15th highest in property crime. Residents have a 1 in 37 chance of being a victim of murder, rape, or aggravated assault. Maybe “The Grind City” across the river is rubbing off on West Memphis.

Jacksonville, a suburb of Little Rock, is part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock Conway Metropolitan area. With Little Rock ranked at top of this list, it’s easy to see why some of that crime would spill over to this smaller community.

Jacksonville ranks 11th highest in violent crime and eighth highest in property crime. So residents are more likely to be a victim of burglary, larceny, and car theft in this town. You’ll want to make sure you keep a close eye on your valuables in Jacksonville.

Fort Smith has a lot of things to boast about. It’s one of the biggest cities in Arkansas, it’s one of the best places to retire, it’s a great place for singles, and it’s one of the best college towns in Arkansas. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most dangerous cities in Arkansas too.

Located on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border, Fort Smith is situated at the junction of the Arkansas and Poteau Rivers. Fort Smith residents have a 1 in 17 chance of being a victim of a property crime, including burglary, car theft, and larceny. And, they have a 1 in 88 chance of being a victim of a violent crime, such as rape, murder or aggravated assault. Keep an eye out for your belongings and be aware of your surroundings in Fort Smith.

For such a small city, you’d think that Osceola would be a safer place to live. But, with 0 murders last year, that’s a big number for a town with a population of 6,472. Residents of Osceola have a 1 in 28 chance of being robbed and a 1 in 37 chance of being a victim of rape, murder, or aggravated assault.

Osceola not only made this list, but it’s also on the worst places to live and thepoorest places to live in Arkansas lists. Chief Osceola, the Seminole chief this town was named after, would not be happy with these numbers.

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