Most dangerous cities in Michigan research summary. We analyzed the most recent FBI crime data to determine the most dangerous cities in Michigan based on violent and property crimes per capita. Here are the results of our analysis:
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The most dangerous city in Michigan is Benton Township based on the most recent FBI crime data.
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The violent crime rate in Michigan is 2,157 per 100k people.
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The property crime rate in Michigan is 4,722 per 100k people.
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The safest city in Michigan is .
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Michigan is the most dangerous state in the United States.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | References
Michigan would like to think that the only things dangerous in their state is the Detroit lions’ defensive line and driving over the Mackinac Bridge during a snowstorm; but sadly, that’s not the case.
There is danger lurking in every corner of the mitten in our top ten most dangerous cities in Michigan for 2023 list. Let’s be real, we’re not talking about driving 5 mph over the speed limit kind of danger. The type of danger we’re talking about will gets people on the news. How does one navigate these dangerous cities when trying to make an informed decision on what city you should call home? We can answer that.
To compile our list, we looked at violent crimes and property crimes in cities with a population of 5,000. Folks, the cities that made our list have robberies happening in broad daylight, car jackings, and daily shootings. There are neighborhoods in these cities that you shouldn’t drive thru, ever, and there are areas that you definitely shouldn’t be in after dark. We’re not saying that there aren’t little pockets of goodness in these cities. The neighborhoods and shopping centers in these Michigan cities are not ALL bad. We do recommend that you spend some time studying them before you make a move. And If do you choose one of these cities, you’re going to have to be aware of your surroundings at all times.
It’s not entirely Michigan’s fault. They are the sixth largest state in terms of population. As with most situations, there’s bound to be problems with that many people. To see where these Michigan cities with more issues than a newspaper are located, take a look below at our most dangerous cities in The Great Lakes State for 2023.
The Most Dangerous Cities In Michigan For 2023
- Benton Township
- Kalamazoo
- Highland Park
- Detroit
- Muskegon Heights
- Flint Township
- Harper Woods
- Three Rivers
- Jackson
- Lansing Township
What are the circumstances that make these Michigan cities this way? Maybe not enough jobs, low wages, drugs, gangs, close to larger cities that push their problems onto surrounding cities; and in Michigan’s case, freezing temperatures and boatloads of snow?
We’re not entirely sure. But one thing we are sure about is our number one most dangerous city in Michigan is Benton Township.
The Michigan cities on our most dangerous list could definitely use some some TLC. If you’re looking to be that diamond in the ruff, or you’re just curious to see if your city made the list, take a look at our list below. And if you don’t see your city there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Michigan.
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 Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Michigan For 2023
1. Benton Township
When it comes to Michigan’s most dangerous places, it’s hard to top Benton Township.
The township had the third highest property crime rate in Michigan for 2021, with residents facing a 1 in 21 chance of having their property stolen or damaged. In other words, make sure you still have all your valuables after a day out at Silver Beach.
Benton Township doesn’t exactly get a pass on violent crime either — in fact, the rate of rape cases here is 25th highest in Michigan.
Benton Township is located on Lake Michigan in southwestern part of the state.
Population: 14,230
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,157 (Third most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,722 (Third most dangerous)
More on Benton Township:
The second most dangerous place in Michigan goes to Kalamazoo, a city of 76,179 in the southwestern part of the state.
Folks in Kalamazoo had a 1 in 22 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2021, so you’ll want to be wary about your belongings here.
We just hope they have enough security at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum to stop a heist, seeing as Kalamazoo had the highest burglary rate in Michigan.
On top of that, 1,211 people in Kalamazoo were attacked, murdered, or raped in 2021.
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Population: 76,179
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,589 (Seventh most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,509 (Fourth most dangerous)
More on Kalamazoo: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Highland Park has been featured at the top of our list of the worst places in Michigan for a couple of years running now, and a big reason why is crime.
Of course, with a poverty rate of over 45% and the highest unemployment rate in Michigan, it isn’t hard to imagine why criminal activity is so prevalent here. All we’re saying is that if folks had slightly better odds than 1 in 48 of being attacked over
a year, we’d give a more favorable review.
Highland Park is surrounded by Detroit, but things are so bad here that the larger city doesn’t want to absorb it.
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Population: 10,620
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 7)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,071 (Fifth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,408 (Eighth most dangerous)
More on Highland Park: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Between bankruptcy, a staggering 36% poverty rate, and an unemployment rate nearly five times higher than the national average, it’s no secret that Detroit has had its share of struggles. It’s also no wonder 10% of the population has fled the city in the past decade.
And with all those frustrations, it’s no surprise that crime is also a big issue in Detroit. Motown had the third highest murder rate and fourth highest burglary rate in Michigan, for starters. On top of that, Detroit recorded 6,747 car thefts in 2021, so you want to be very picky about where you leave your car in the Motor City.
All that being said, Detroit is still a big city, so if you stick to Detroit’s safest neighborhoods, like the area around the Detroit Riverfront, you should be all right.
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Population: 673,708
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 2,153 (Fourth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,355 (Ninth most dangerous)
More on Detroit: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Muskegon Heights had the #5.0 spot on this list last year, so getting to the #5 spot represents a bit of progress in the crime department. Still, Muskegon Heights is the eighth most violent place in Michigan, according to the FBI data, and total crime rate was nearly four times higher than the statewide average.
The murder rate in Muskegon Heights was the ninth highest in Michigan for 2021 and residents had a 1 in 64 chance of being the victim of an attack. All the more reason to hurry home from P.J. Hoffmaster State Park before the sun goes down.
You also want to make sure you’re religious about locking your doors here because Muskegon Heights also has the seventh highest burglary rate in Michigan.
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Population: 10,673
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,555 (Eighth most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,616 (Sixth most dangerous)
More on Muskegon Heights: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
6. Flint Township
The city of Flint has had a famously troubled history in the last few years. From the hardship and poverty caused by the contraction of the region’s once-thriving auto industry to the headline-generating water crisis, the community has had a difficult run. Now, Flint Township is technically a different municipality. But it lies just outside of Flint and has endured many of the same problems.
With that context, it’s no surprise that the community ranks as the number 6 most dangerous spots in Michigan. Property crime represents a particularly menacing issue. This includes 776 larcenies in an area with a population of just 30,015.
Population: 30,015
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 2)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,066 (15th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,518 (Seventh most dangerous)
More on Flint Township:
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Population: 13,582
Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 7)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,001 (18th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,659 (Fifth most dangerous)
More on Harper Woods: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Three Rivers sounds like a peaceful name for this small city, but it’s far from peaceful in Michigan’s eighth most dangerous place. Three Rivers had the fifth highest rate of rape cases in the state in 2021.
But Three Rivers has Michigan’s 11th highest overall crime rate mostly because of the prevalence of property crime. There was a property crime committed every day, on average, to give you an idea.
At least you can find a relaxing space at Hidden Mash Sanctuary; just don’t stay out too late.
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Population: 7,579
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 963 (20th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,338 (11th most dangerous)
More on Three Rivers: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
Located 40 miles west of Ann Arbor and 35 miles south of Lansing, Jackson is a bit of an outlier on our list — one of the few places not near Lake Michigan or Detroit.
Apparently, too many of Jackson’s residents became enamored with the local Cell Block 7 museum and decided they’d like to become permanent residents.
Seriously, though, Jackson averaged about one violent crime a day, nearly four property crimes a day, and one rape a week in 2021, so it’s not a good place to let your guard down.
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Population: 32,271
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 3)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,093 (14th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 2,850 (18th most dangerous)
More on Jackson: | Cost Of Living | Crime Report
10. Lansing Township
Lansing Township is made up of five non-contiguous areas that surround Lansing’s east and west sides. That must make it a bit harder for local police to get their jobs done.
It’s hard to say whether the east or west side is contributing the most to the township’s high crime rate, but there’s no denying that it has the second highest property crime rate in Michigan.
Residents had a 1 in 21 chance of having their belongings stolen or damaged in 2021
On the bright side, Lansing Township is the least violent place on this list.
Population: 8,158
Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 5)
Violent Crimes Per 100k: 674 (35th most dangerous)
Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,743 (Second most dangerous)
More on Lansing Township:
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous cities in Michigan for 2023?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Michigan. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Michigan, 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 Michigan. 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 Michigan cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 222 cities in Michigan.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 222 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 Michigan — Benton Township. Any ties went to the smaller city.
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Michigan FAQs
No, Michigan is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #25 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in michigan ranks tenth highest in the United States — 23.26% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Wolverine State ranks 43rd highest in the United States — 30.5% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.
Yes, Detroit is a dangerous city. Detroit ranks as the #32 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 Detroit might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Palmer Woods is the safest in Detroit, while Greensbriar is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Detroit ranks second highest in America — 296.89% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 93rd highest in the United States — 20.89% 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, Michigan is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #25 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in michigan ranks tenth highest in the United States -- 23.26% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Wolverine State ranks 43rd highest in the United States -- 30.5% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2020.
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Yes, Detroit is a dangerous city. Detroit ranks as the #32 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 Detroit might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Palmer Woods is the safest in Detroit, while Greensbriar is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Detroit ranks second highest in America -- 296.89% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 93rd highest in the United States -- 20.89% 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 Michigan
Summary: Locking It All Up In Michigan
So what is the most dangerous city in Michigan? After analyzing 222 cities in Michigan, Benton Township takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Michigan based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2021.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Benton Township ranks as the most dangerous city in Michigan for 2023.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Benton Township and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.
What are the circumstances that make these Michigan cities this way? Maybe not enough jobs, low wages, drugs, gangs, close to larger cities that push their problems onto surrounding cities; and in Michigan’s case, freezing temperatures and boatloads of snow?
We’re not entirely sure. But one thing we are sure about is our number one most dangerous city in Michigan is Benton Township.
The Michigan cities on our most dangerous list could definitely use some some TLC. If you’re looking to be that diamond in the ruff, or you’re just curious to see if your city made the list, take a look at our list below. And if you don’t see your city there, head to the bottom.
Learn more about the safest places in Michigan.
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 Michigan:
- Gaines Township (Pop. 6,103)
- Oakland Township (Pop. 20,072)
- Hamburg Township (Pop. 21,904)
- Grosse Ile Township (Pop. 10,076)
- Argentine Township (Pop. 6,439)
- Kinross Township (Pop. 7,226)
- Lapeer Township (Pop. 5,017)
- Addison Township (Pop. 6,603)
- Thetford Township (Pop. 6,605)
- Iron Mountain (Pop. 7,274)
For more Michigan reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Michigan
- Cheapest Places To Live In Michigan
- Most Dangerous Places in Michigan
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Michigan
- Safest Places In Michigan
- Worst Places To Live In Michigan
Crime By City In Michigan
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benton Township | 14,230 |
| 2 | Kalamazoo | 76,179 |
| 3 | Highland Park | 10,620 |
| 4 | Detroit | 673,708 |
| 5 | Muskegon Heights | 10,673 |
| 6 | Flint Township | 30,015 |
| 7 | Harper Woods | 13,582 |
| 8 | Three Rivers | 7,579 |
| 9 | Jackson | 32,271 |
| 10 | Lansing Township | 8,158 |
| 11 | Benton Harbor | 9,660 |
| 12 | Lansing | 117,865 |
| 13 | Ypsilanti | 19,986 |
| 14 | Battle Creek | 60,134 |
| 15 | Romulus | 23,488 |
| 16 | Albion | 8,336 |
| 17 | Ecorse | 9,635 |
| 18 | Dowagiac | 5,536 |
| 19 | Grand Rapids | 201,280 |
| 20 | Kalamazoo Township | 24,503 |
| 21 | Melvindale | 10,134 |
| 22 | Burton | 28,319 |
| 23 | Muskegon | 36,296 |
| 24 | Niles | 11,045 |
| 25 | Inkster | 23,999 |
| 26 | Eastpointe | 31,653 |
| 27 | Roseville | 46,456 |
| 28 | Pontiac | 58,834 |
| 29 | Lincoln Park | 35,879 |
| 30 | Saginaw | 47,480 |
| 31 | Emmett Township | 11,531 |
| 32 | Port Huron | 28,487 |
| 33 | Blackman Township | 36,111 |
| 34 | Buena Vista Township | 8,035 |
| 35 | Adrian | 20,371 |
| 36 | Redford Township | 46,112 |
| 37 | Coldwater | 11,954 |
| 38 | Hamtramck | 21,346 |
| 39 | Southfield | 72,216 |
| 40 | Grandville | 15,787 |
| 41 | Wayne | 16,616 |
| 42 | Greenville | 8,378 |
| 43 | Mount Morris Township | 20,084 |
| 44 | Owosso | 14,258 |
| 45 | Taylor | 60,341 |
| 46 | Utica | 5,094 |
| 47 | Portage | 50,141 |
| 48 | Bay City | 32,200 |
| 49 | Kentwood | 52,028 |
| 50 | Charlotte | 9,049 |
References
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FBI UCR 2022
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Census – American Cumminity Survey
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