The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in Kentucky

Kentucky is known for leading the nation in industries like bourbon production in Bardstown and horse racing in Lexington. But behind its idyllic bluegrass landscapes is a state struggling with complex crime patterns.

The most recent FBI crime statistics show that in 2023, Kentucky ranked 37th for property crime and 41st for violent crime nationwide. Even though the Bluegrass State is ranked in the bottom half of the country for both, there are notable differences between its cities. While property crime rates are remarkably high in small towns like West Buechel, violent crime rates are consistently high in the Louisville Metro.

However, neighborhoods like Cumberland, Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills, and Prospect are known for their outstanding safety. The disparity between the cities suggests that a number of deeper factors, including population density, economic conditions, and even cultural norms, affect Kentucky’s public safety.

Best and Worst Cities for Property and Violent Crime

In Kentucky, crime varies significantly from city to city. Compared to larger metro areas, some small towns have disproportionately high crime rates; other places are remarkably tranquil year-round. Using information from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, we will analyze which cities are at the forefront of safety and which ones are falling behind.

Kentucky cities with the highest and lowest crime rates

(per 100,000 people)

Cities with the highest property crime rates
West Buechel	9,091
London	5,508
St. Matthews	4,845

Cities with the highest violent crime rates
Louisville Metro	766
West Buechel	517
Oak Grove	436

Cities with the lowest property crime rates
Cumberland	56
Lebanon Junction	56
Salyersville	65

Cities with the lowest violent crime rates
Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills	17
Prospect	22
Prestonsburg	27

Note: Excluding cities with crime rates of zero. Source: 2023 FBI Data

Cities With the Highest Crime Rates in Kentucky

With 766 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2023, Louisville, the state’s largest city, had the highest rate of violent crime in Kentucky. Compared to the statewide average of 244 violent crimes per capita, Louisville’s rate is more than three times higher.

The violent crime rate in West Buechel was also well above the state average. The city had 517 violent crimes per 100,000 people. In Oak Grove, along the Tennessee border, there were 436 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 people in one year. In a state where the average rate of violent crimes is 38 percent lower than the national average, these cities are outliers.

Aggravated assault was the most common violent crime in Kentucky, with 145.6 occurrences per 100,000 people or about two-thirds of all violent crimes reported statewide. Kentucky did have slightly higher murder rates than the national average (6.1 per 100,000) but lower rates of rape and robbery.

What’s causing these numbers? According to experts, deep-rooted poverty, high incarceration rates, and substance abuse, especially in urban areas, are the main causes of violent crime.¹ Limited access to mental health and addiction services, coupled with gang-related violence, can make these trends worse in places like Louisville.

With an astounding rate of 9,091 property crimes per 100,000 residents, West Buechel also has the dubious distinction of being the state’s worst in this regard. This indicates that in this small Jefferson County town, almost 1 in 11 residents reported a property crime in 2023. London (5,508) and St. Matthew (4,845) rounded out the top three for property crime.

London, a hub in southeastern Kentucky, may have higher rates of property crime than violent crime because property crime thrives in areas with commercial corridors, high foot traffic, and tourism. This is also true for St. Matthews, a city in the Louisville metro area with a significant shopping center.

Hidden Gems: Kentucky’s Most Peaceful Places

Looking for peace of mind, Kentuckians turn to smaller, more rural or suburban communities, particularly those with stable housing, high incomes, and strong social ties. These cities had the lowest rates of violent crime in 2023:

Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills (17 crimes per 100,000)
Prospect (22 per 100,000)
Prestonsburg (27 per 100,000)

These cities stand out for their common community characteristics, as well as their low crime rates. Both Prospect and Lakeside Park-Crestview Hills, which are in northern Kentucky close to the Cincinnati metro area, provide suburban stability while remaining close to the city. In contrast, Prestonsburg is in Eastern Kentucky, a region that frequently faces poverty but benefits from tight-knit community dynamics.

Less than 70 property crime incidents were reported per 100,000 residents in Cumberland, Lebanon Junction, and Salyersville. These towns are safer because they are small, rural, and far from busy roads or business districts. Strong neighborhood supervision and a small number of transient residents most likely discourage theft and break-ins.

Because residents are more concerned with the safety and maintenance of their communities, these towns also frequently have higher homeownership rates. High homeownership has been linked to lower rates of property crime.²

Crime in Kentucky: Progress in Some Areas, Setbacks in Others

The statewide data for Kentucky presents a nuanced picture. The rate of violent crime is 38 percent lower than the national average, with 224 incidents per 100,000 residents. Keep in mind, though, that the figure still indicates a 4.8 percent increase from the previous year. This increase could be tied to an increase in aggression or improved reporting systems.

At the same time, property crime is at 1,552 per 100,000 residents, which is roughly 19 percent lower than the national average. That’s promising, but then there is a year-over-year increase of 7.1 percent, which is concerning.

Property crime rates

(per 100,000 residents)

Crime Type	Kentucky	National
Burglary	232.4	250.7
Larceny	1,035.0	1,343.9
Vehicle theft	284.6	317.2

Two-thirds of all those incidents are larceny-theft, which is the most frequent property crime. Vehicle theft (284.6) and burglary (232.4) are the next most common property crimes. Although these numbers are still below the national average, they are beginning to rise.

Violent crime rates

(per 100,000 residents)

Crime Type	Kentucky	National
Murder	6.1	5.7
Aggravated assault	145.6	263.7
Robbery	39.2	65.4
Rape	33.5	38.0

According to some analysts, the opioid crisis, which is still affecting parts of Kentucky, especially in Appalachia and urban areas, a tight housing market, and economic pressure from inflation may all be contributing factors to the increase in property crime.³

Why Some Kentucky Cities Are Safer Than Others

Crime is not an isolated incident. It is influenced by a complex web of historical injustices, geography, economics, and community infrastructure. High rates of violent crime, such as those in Louisville and West Buechel, are typically associated with higher rates of poverty, underfunded public services, and a track record of systemic disinvestment.⁴

In contrast, Kentucky’s safest cities frequently have a distinct set of traits: steady markets for housing, increased median earnings, reliable local government, and smaller populations that are highly involved in the community. Furthermore, being close to emergency services or law enforcement may be important.

Law enforcement agencies and criminologists agree that low crime rates in rural areas may be a result of both lower incidence and reporting rates.⁵

Where Our Crime Data Comes From

Unless specified otherwise, the information in this article is based on crime data compiled by the FBI and made available through the Crime Data Explorer. Statewide violent and property crime statistics are drawn from the FBI’s 2023 Crime in the United States Report (Table 5), and for city-level crime rates, we referred to Table 8, which lists reported offenses by state and city.

Important note: Crime statistics offer valuable insights, but they aren’t the only way to evaluate a community’s safety. Local context, law enforcement practices, and reporting standards can all influence how crime is recorded. Additionally, FBI publication tables and the data displayed on the Crime Data Explorer may differ slightly due to variations in methodology.

Navigate Crime Data by State

Citations

The Criminalization of Poverty in Kentucky. Vera Institute of Justice. (2023, Dec).
https://vera-institute.files.svdcdn.com/production/downloads/publications/the-criminalization-of-poverty-in-kentucky-report.pdf
Breaking the Links between Housing Instability and Jail Incarceration through Just Home. Urban Institute. (2024).
https://www.urban.org/projects/breaking-links-between-housing-instability-and-jail-incarceration-through-just-home
Opioid Misuse. Appalachia Health Equity. (2023).
https://healthinappalachia.org/issue-briefs/opioid-misuse/
Taking a closer look at Kentucky crime data. WKYT. (2024, Mar 18).
https://www.wkyt.com/2024/03/18/taking-closer-look-kentucky-crime-data/
Kentucky Criminal Justice Data Snapshot. Justice Reinvestment Initiative. (2024, Jan).
https://justicereinvestmentinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Kentucky-Criminal-Justice-Data-Snapshot_accessible.pdf