Most Dangerous Cities in Kentucky 2024
Avg Violent Crime Rate
Avg Murder Rate
Avg Property Crime Rate
Crime Hotspots in Kentucky (2024)
These 16 cities reported the highest crime rates in Kentucky. On average, they experience 0.8x the national crime rate, with violent crime averaging 240 per 100,000 (national average: 473).
Louisville Metro, KY tops the list with a total crime rate of 4,035 per 100,000 — 1.5x the national average. Its violent crime rate of 709 per 100K is 1.5x the national average.
Full Rankings
| # | City | State | Population | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Murder Rate | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville Metro | KY | 676,843 | 4,034.8 | 708.6 | 21.7 | +47% |
| 2 | Florence | KY | 33,208 | 3,445.0 | 231.9 | 18.1 | +25% |
| 3 | Owensboro | KY | 60,096 | 3,266.4 | 349.4 | 1.7 | +19% |
| 4 | Bowling Green | KY | 77,503 | 3,153.4 | 224.5 | 1.3 | +15% |
| 5 | Paducah | KY | 26,624 | 3,064.9 | 270.4 | 3.8 | +11% |
| 6 | Hopkinsville | KY | 30,694 | 2,958.2 | 452.9 | 6.5 | +7% |
| 7 | Jeffersontown | KY | 28,563 | 2,380.7 | 105.0 | 10.5 | +-14% |
| 8 | Richmond | KY | 38,072 | 2,188.0 | 215.4 | 5.3 | +-21% |
| 9 | Henderson | KY | 27,600 | 2,134.1 | 318.8 | 3.6 | +-22% |
| 10 | Covington | KY | 40,984 | 1,922.7 | 287.9 | 4.9 | +-30% |
| 11 | Frankfort | KY | 28,177 | 1,845.5 | 202.3 | 3.6 | +-33% |
| 12 | Nicholasville | KY | 32,866 | 1,609.6 | 112.6 | 3.0 | +-42% |
| 13 | Georgetown | KY | 40,037 | 1,293.8 | 124.9 | 7.5 | +-53% |
| 14 | Elizabethtown | KY | 33,522 | 838.3 | 140.2 | 11.9 | +-70% |
| 15 | Versailles | KY | 27,727 | 825.9 | 68.5 | 0.0 | +-70% |
| 16 | Independence | KY | 29,747 | 342.9 | 26.9 | 0.0 | +-88% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most dangerous city in Kentucky?
Louisville Metro, KY has the highest crime rate in Kentucky at 4,034.8 per 100,000 residents in 2024.
What makes a city dangerous?
High crime rates, particularly violent crime, indicate elevated risk. Cities on this list average a violent crime rate of 240 per 100K — 0.5x the national average of 473.
Is the crime rate getting worse?
Crime trends vary by city. Some cities on this list have seen decreasing rates in recent years while others have increased. Visit individual city pages for year-over-year trend data.
See Also
Understanding High Crime Rates
High crime rates often correlate with factors like poverty, unemployment, population density, and policing resources — not a city's inherent character. Many cities on this list have neighborhoods that are quite safe, while others face concentrated challenges in specific areas.
Crime rates also reflect reporting practices: cities with well-funded police departments may report more crimes than those with fewer resources.