US metro areas with the highest and lowest violent crime rates (crime rate, college)

[caliguy92832]

I found some good information on this website Federal Bureau of Investigation - Uniform Crime Reports. It has crime rates for every metro area in the US. They call it Metropolitan Statistical Area (M.S.A.) which is the central city and all the suburbs around it. The data is from 2006.

Here are the top 30 metro areas with the highest rate of violence.
1. Memphis, TN
2. Sumter, SC
3. Shreveport, LA
4. Florence, SC
5. Saginaw, MI
6. Alexandria, LA
7. Gainesville, FL
8. Anchorage, AK
9. Flint, MI
10. Salisbury, MD
11. Stockton, CA
12. Little Rock, AR
13. Orlando, FL
14. Jackson, TN
15. Las Vegas, NV
16. Lubbock, TX
17. Pine Bluff, AR
18. Texarkana, TX
19. Lawton, OK
20. Nashville, TN
21. Myrtle Beach, SC
22. Charleston, SC
23. Baltimore, MD
24. Baton Rogue, LA
25. Fairbanks, AK
26. Tallahassee, FL
27. Vineland, NJ
28. Battle Creek, MI
29. Panama City, FL
30. Brunswick, GA

And here the top 30 metro areas with the lowest rates of violence:
1. Bangor, ME
2. Logan, UT
3. Provo, UT
4. State College, PA
5. Sheboygan, WI
6. Lewiston, ID
7. Appleton, WI
8. Eau Claire, WI
9. Lewiston, ME
10. Portland, ME
11. Harrisonburg, VA
12. Ithaca, NY
13. Elizabethtown, KY
14. Manchester, NH
15. Wausau, WI
16. Glens Falls, NY
17. Williamsport, PA
18. Wheeling, WV
19. Ogden, UT
20. Billings, MT
21. Fond du Lac, WI
22. Bismarck, ND
23. Cheyenne, WY
24. Wenatchee, WA
25. Holland, MI
26. Columbus, IN
27. Oshkosh, WI
28. Binghamton, NY
29. Blacksburg, VA
30. Elkhart, IN

[Paddington]

Fairbanks, AK? LOL. Those hellraising eskimos.

[laboy10101]

I am surprised that New Orleans, Louisiana is not on that first list. Geesh, I avoid New Orleans at all costs, guess I should print that list to make sure I never go to or through any of those places for any reason. Guess that's why I don't travel much. God, I love this little cajun town I live in!!

[Billiam]

Im always SO confused with salisbury. It makes no sense to me at all and its in a pretty remote location (kind of)

[Vision-Quest]

And here the top 30 metro areas with the lowest rates of violence:

25. Holland, MI
26. Columbus, IN

you mean that Columbus is a "Metro"??! thats news to me

[Gtownoe]

The list is a joke.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

It's funny how the metros with high violent crime rates have a high black population percentage, while metros with a low violent crime rate have an almost non-existent black population.

[schmidt486]

from what I know of UCR's, they are indeed, as someone said, a joke. They lump all crime into one category. This means an area with a ridiculously big crime and rape rate but little below average murder rate would be "more dangerous" than a city with no arson, little rape, little robbery, but three times the average murder rate. Also, there is severe under-reporting by cities ( to make city look better) and victims. Take it as what it is.. a list. And the racial comment.. it is what it is. How would you explain it? They all have something in common.. low median income. That sometimes just corresponds with minority people. Not that it is totally their fault.

[schmidt486]

An example of what I mean... Myrtle Beach,SC is listed as #21 most dangerous. The murder rate is over 2.0 less than the national average. The thing that keeps the rate up is HUGE robbery and rape rates, because it is such a tourist spot. My definition of danger is fear of death. You can still live with having your wallet stolen.

[metro223]

Vision-Quest, Columbus, IN could very well be a MSA because the city only has to have 50,000 people.