The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities in Missouri

Missouri’s Best and Worst Cities for Violent Crime

Missouri's crime statistics use a per 100,000 population measurement to standardize comparisons between communities of different sizes. This allows for meaningful analysis across the state's diverse cities and towns — regardless of how many people live in the area.

Areas with the highest rates of violent crime are concentrated primarily near St. Louis. Velda City reports 6,311 violent incidents per 100,000 residents — 13 times higher than the state average. Berkeley (1,903) and Pagedale (1,601), also in St. Louis County, follow with high rates.

Why St. Louis County? The suburban region of the Gateway to the West is an incredibly economically diverse area. Big business is done in Clayton where Fortune 500 companies call home and the dinner bill at one of the high-end downtown restaurants could just as easily have covered a typical mortgage payment.

There’s small-town charm in Kirkwood where upper-middle-class suburbia stirs in rustic character at the year-round farmers market located in central downtown. Then, there is Velda City, Berkeley and Pagedale, where the median income sits at around $30,000 ¹ and where crime is much easier to come by than rainbow chard fresh from the farmers market.

Rural Missouri residents live with significantly less crime. Glendale stands out with just 17 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. For context, the town has only around 6,000 people. Higginsville and Bowling Green also maintain exceptionally low rates. Small communities generally experience less crime than their suburban counterparts — even when experiencing similar financial realities. The median individual income in rural Bowling Green is only $35,000.²

Missouri’s Best and Worst Cities for Property Crime

Property crime, like violent crime, varies across the state of Missouri. Some communities experience far higher levels than the state average of 2,095 per 100,000 residents. Of these, North Kansas City is unrivaled. With an extraordinary 12,454 per 100,000, property crimes occur here at six times the state averagePotosi follows with 9,953 property crimes per 100,000 residents while Richmond Heights ranks third at 8,409. Richmond Heights, home to major shopping destinations like the Saint Louis Galleria, sees its numbers heavily influenced by retail theft. The city's daytime population swells with shoppers and workers, creating more opportunities for property crime despite its relatively small permanent resident count.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Rock Port stands as Missouri's safest city regarding property crime with just 81 incidents per 100,000 people. Kimberling City (83) and Sarcoxie (145) complete the list of lowest rates. These small, tight-knit communities benefit from stronger social connections, less anonymity and fewer commercial targets that typically attract property criminals.

Missouri Crime Trends Analysis

State Rankings and Crime Rates

It's easy to look at Missouri crime statistics through only a negative lens. Yes, there is cause for concern. Ranking ninth nationally for violent crimes and 13th for property crime, the Show Me State is not without work to do. Violent crime is currently decreasing at a 6% year-over-year rate while property crime has seen a 10.5% reduction. The reasons behind these reductions are likely severalfold. For one thing, some analysts believe that the lingering impacts of the pandemic led to momentary spikes in certain — often violent — crimes.

As we get further from the pandemic, it makes sense that any COVID-19-related escalations in crime would level out.

Many Missouri urban areas have also begun rolling out preventative programs designed to address circumstances most associated with crime. St. Louis reports a 43% reduction in homicide thanks at least in part to such programs.³

Most Common Crimes in Missouri

Despite progress, specific crime categories continue to drive Missouri's statistics. Aggravated assault dominates the violent crime landscape with 350.2 incidents per 100,000 people, accounting for over 76% of all violent crimes statewide. For property crime, larceny-theft leads with 1,365.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, representing approximately 65% of property offenses.

Unfortunately for Missouri drivers, the state does exceed national vehicle theft rates by a spectacular 50%. While crime statistics are improving overall in the state, vehicle theft is very clearly an area that requires additional attention.

These patterns reveal where focused intervention might yield the greatest results. By targeting the root causes of aggravated assault and larceny-theft specifically, Missouri communities could potentially accelerate the positive trends already underway across the state.

Aggravated assault is the most common Missouri violent crime, accounting for 76% of all incidents across the state. Larceny (theft) leads property crime, representing 65% of occurrences. Both of these trends are reflected in national averages as well. ⁴, ⁵

It’s important to understand that even comprehensive data reports tell only a small part of a state’s story. Yes, Missouri does have a lot of crime.

However, the state is trending in a positive direction. If rates of violent and property offenses continue to decline at their current pace the Show Me State may find itself ranked much lower in future crime analysis reports.