Most Dangerous Cities in Arizona

Jul 26th 2024
Arizona is known for its vast national parks and picturesque desert sunsets. In recent years, people have been moving to Arizona from states like California for a lower cost of living and lower crime. However, if crime rates are a concern, many places in the state are best avoided. Read on to discover the twelve most dangerous cities in Arizona.

hash-mark12 Most Dangerous Cities in Arizona 

  1. Tolleson
  2. Globe
  3. Holbrook
  4. Winslow
  5. Page 
  6. Tempe
  7. Tucson
  8. Kingman
  9. Phoenix
  10. Show Low
  11. Casa Grande
  12. Eloy

hash-mark1. Tolleson

Tolleson is the most dangerous city in Arizona. Tolleson is located in Maricopa County, with a population of 7,216. The crime rate in Tolleson is 13,374 per 100,000. This makes the overall crime rate a whopping 470% higher than the national average. Residents have a 1 in 8 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. Many residents have home security devices on their properties due to theft being so common. 

hash-mark2. Globe

Globe is also one of the most dangerous places to live in Arizona. Globe is located in Gila county and has a crime rate of 8,311 per 100,000 which is 254% higher than the national average. Out of a population of 7,249, residents have a 1 in 13 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. Since Globe lost much of its economy, which was based on mining, unemployment and poverty have been the driving forces behind the city’s crime. 

hash-mark3. Holbrook

Holbrook is another dangerous Arizona community that is located in Navajo county and has a population of 5,000. Even though Holbrook is located near several national parks and landmarks, the crime rate in this city is quite high. The crime rate in Holbrook is 7,120 per 100,000 people, which is 204% higher than the national average. Residents have a 1 in 15 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. In 2021, there were 61 violent crimes and 313 property crimes.  

hash-mark4. Winslow

Winslow is known for its old-west charm and for being a popular tourist destination. However, visitors should stay close to the tourist sights due to the city’s high crime rate. With a population of 9,655, Winslow has a crime rate of 4,861 incidents per 100,000 people, which is 107% higher than the national average. Residents have a 1 in 21 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. In 2022 there were 145 violent crimes and 395 property crimes in Winslow. 

hash-mark5. Page

Page is located in Coconino County and has a population of 7,547. The crime rate in Page is 4,824 per 100,000, which is 106% higher than the national average. According to FBI statistics, in 2021, there were 52 violent crimes and 224 property crimes in the city. Page is also part of the Arizona tourism industry and is home to many natural landscapes and national parks. Most of the crimes occur in the residential areas of the city. 

hash-mark6. Tempe

Tempe is another one of the most dangerous cities in Arizona. Tempe struggles with violent crime stemming from gang activity in the city. Located in Maricopa County, Tempe has a population of 180,587 and a crime rate that is 73% higher than the national average. Violent crimes such as murders and robberies are common in Tempe. Crimes like car thefts and burglaries are the most common type of property crime. In 2022 there were 1,152 violent crimes and 7,672 property crimes in the city.

hash-mark7. Tucson

Tucson is another one of the worst areas in Arizona when it comes to high crime rates. Tucson has a population of 527,586 and a crime rate that is 69% higher than the national average. With a crime rate of 4,310 per 100,000 residents having a 1 in 24 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. Crime in Tucson has declined in recent years. However, the city still has problems, especially with violent crime.  

hash-mark8. Kingman

Kingman is located in Mohave County and has a population of 32,689. Kingman has a crime rate of 3,923 per 100,000 people, which is 67% higher than the national average. Residents have a 1 in 26 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. In 2021 there were 134 violent crimes and 1,249 property crimes. The good news is buying a home in Kingman costs only $115,400 on average, which is 38% lower than the national average. 

hash-mark9. Phoenix

Phoenix is Arizona’s largest city and has the highest crime rate by actual numbers. With a population of 1,555,324, Phoenix has a crime rate of 3,788 per 100,000 which is 61% higher than the national average. In 2022 the number of reported violent crimes was 13,776, and the number of property crimes was 55,850. Like many other large cities, Phoenix has problems with poverty and gang activity. The median home price in Phoenix is $178,200. 

hash-mark10. Show Low

Show Low is also one of the worst cities in Arizona due to its high crime rate. Show Low is located in Navajo County and has a population of 10,660 people. The city’s crime rate is 3,366 per 100,000, which is 43% higher than the national average. Residents have a 1 in 30 chance of becoming the victim of any type of crime. In 2021 there were 81 violent crimes and 282 property crimes. Some of the most common types of crime are assaults, thefts, and burglaries. 

hash-mark11. Casa Grande 

Casa Grande is also one of the most dangerous cities in Arizona. Situated in the heart of Pinal County, halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, Casa Grande is a diverse city with a small-town feel that’s home to around 60,000 people. It's known for its rich history and iconic neon sign park, which features 14 vintage and neon signs from various eras in the city's past. Casa Grande is also quite dangerous and has a total crime rate of 3,245 crimes per 100,000 residents, which is 40% higher than the rest of the US. The violent crime rate is 576 incidents per 100,000 people, which is 56% higher than the national average. Casa Grande is more dangerous than 87% of US cities, and your odds of being the victim of a crime are 1 in 31. 

hash-mark12. Eloy

Eloy is another one of the most dangerous cities in Arizona. Located in Pinal County, about 50 miles northwest of Tucson, Eloy is a small city that's home to around 17,000 people. It's known for being the skydiving capital of Arizona and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, from mini golf to hot air balloon rides. However, Eloy is also one of the most dangerous cities in the state. The total crime rate is 2,628 crimes per 100,000 residents, which is 13% higher than the national average. The property crime rate is actually 1% lower than the rest of the country. However, the violent crime rate is 694 incidents per 100,000 residents, which is 88% higher than the national average. Your odds of being the victim of a crime in Eloy are 1 in 39. 

hash-markMost Dangerous Cities in Arizona Bottom Line

Before visiting or moving to any of the most dangerous cities in Arizona it's important to consider your safety. Some of the cities in this ranking, such as Phoenix are so large there are many neighborhoods that are safe. However, if you are considering traveling to or relocating to one of these cities, you may want to be careful with where you will be staying and to excersice all the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe.