Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in Michigan 2024 (FBI Data)

Quick answer

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, the most dangerous city in Michigan is Benton Township, MI with a total crime rate of 8,333.3 per 100,000 residents. These 100 cities average 1,944 per 100,000 — 0.7x the national average of 2,752.

Avg Violent Crime Rate

417

0.9x avg

per 100K (these cities)

Avg Murder Rate

3.4

0.5x avg

per 100K (national: 6.2)

Avg Property Crime Rate

1,528

per 100K (these cities)

Crime Hotspots in Michigan (2024)

These 100 cities reported the highest crime rates in Michigan. On average, they experience 0.7x the national crime rate, with violent crime averaging 417 per 100,000 (national average: 473).

Benton Township, MI tops the list with a total crime rate of 8,333 per 100,000 — 3.0x the national average. Its violent crime rate of 1,880 per 100K is 4.0x the national average.

Key Findings: 2024 Highest Crime Rates

The city with the highest crime rate in Michigan, Benton Township, MI, reports 8,333 crimes per 100K residents — 3.0x the national average. The city ranked #100 on this list, Milford (MI), has a rate of 330, still significantly above the national average of 2,752.

Both violent and property crime contribute to these elevated rates. The average murder rate across these cities is 3.4 per 100K (0.5x national average), while property crime averages 1,528 per 100K. In many of these cities, property crime accounts for the majority of total offenses, though the violent crime rate draws the most attention.

It's important to note that citywide statistics can be misleading. Crime is rarely distributed evenly — most cities have neighborhoods that are quite safe alongside areas with concentrated challenges. A high citywide rate doesn't mean every resident faces equal risk. Individual city pages provide additional context including year-over-year trends.

On our Safety Score scale (1–100, where 50 is the national average), these cities average 51/100, with the highest-crime city scoring 1/100. These scores reflect the combined impact of both violent and property crime relative to national norms. Cities with scores below 20 have crime rates more than 1.6 times the national average.

Understanding These Crime Rates

The 100 cities with the highest crime rates in Michigan average 1,944 total crimes per 100,000 residents — 0.7x the national average of 2,752. Violent crime is particularly elevated at 417 per 100K, which is 0.9x the national violent crime rate.

The median city on this list — Fruitport Township, MI — reports a crime rate of 1,621 per 100K. 74 of these cities have populations under 50,000, where even a small number of incidents can significantly affect the per-capita rate.

Context matters when interpreting these numbers. High crime rates often correlate with socioeconomic factors including poverty, unemployment, and inequality rather than reflecting the character of residents. Crime reporting practices also vary — cities with well-funded police departments tend to record more incidents. MI has 100 cities on this list.

Full Rankings

#	City	State	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Murder Rate	vs National
1	Benton Township	MI	14,040	8,333.3	1,880.3	21.4	+203%
2	Detroit	MI	651,171	6,086.9	1,781.6	31.2	+121%
3	Flint Township	MI	30,751	5,099.0	930.1	6.5	+85%
4	Harper Woods	MI	14,717	5,041.8	774.6	6.8	+83%
5	Jackson	MI	30,704	4,810.5	1,074.8	9.8	+75%
6	Saginaw	MI	42,880	4,169.8	2,210.8	44.3	+52%
7	Lansing	MI	111,965	3,845.0	1,346.0	9.8	+40%
8	Roseville	MI	46,358	3,833.2	522.0	2.2	+39%
9	Grandville	MI	16,900	3,792.9	361.0	0.0	+38%
10	Battle Creek	MI	61,163	3,644.4	1,121.6	8.2	+32%
11	Grand Rapids	MI	195,913	3,390.8	910.1	6.1	+23%
12	Kalamazoo Township	MI	24,299	3,374.6	514.4	0.0	+23%
13	Portage	MI	49,416	3,252.0	277.2	0.0	+18%
14	Burton	MI	29,280	3,097.7	765.0	6.8	+13%
15	Ypsilanti	MI	19,021	3,033.5	657.2	0.0	+10%
16	Eastpointe	MI	33,492	2,991.8	719.6	3.0	+9%
17	Adrian	MI	20,113	2,983.2	586.7	0.0	+8%
18	Inkster	MI	24,751	2,945.3	1,078.7	12.1	+7%
19	Romulus	MI	24,567	2,943.0	879.2	8.1	+7%
20	Cadillac	MI	10,450	2,928.2	468.9	0.0	+6%
21	Southfield	MI	75,454	2,913.0	493.0	1.3	+6%
22	Taylor	MI	60,602	2,854.7	838.3	5.0	+4%
23	Mount Morris Township	MI	19,494	2,759.8	959.3	0.0	+0%
24	Walker	MI	25,308	2,667.1	221.3	4.0	+-3%
25	Wyoming	MI	77,684	2,615.7	471.1	3.9	+-5%
26	Kentwood	MI	53,891	2,570.0	387.8	1.9	+-7%
27	Flint	MI	79,183	2,570.0	1,257.9	25.3	+-7%
28	Fenton	MI	11,808	2,566.1	169.4	0.0	+-7%
29	Southgate	MI	28,702	2,466.7	449.5	0.0	+-10%
30	Redford Township	MI	47,067	2,445.5	543.9	4.3	+-11%
31	Bay City	MI	31,908	2,432.0	564.1	6.3	+-12%
32	Van Buren Township	MI	29,591	2,396.0	327.8	0.0	+-13%
33	Niles	MI	11,566	2,351.7	475.5	0.0	+-15%
34	Dearborn	MI	104,571	2,293.2	293.6	1.0	+-17%
35	Auburn Hills	MI	26,019	2,279.1	372.8	3.8	+-17%
36	Port Huron	MI	28,204	2,106.1	602.8	0.0	+-23%
37	Warren	MI	135,843	2,098.0	544.0	5.2	+-24%
38	Hamtramck	MI	27,014	2,087.8	492.3	0.0	+-24%
39	Norton Shores	MI	25,001	2,075.9	192.0	0.0	+-25%
40	Ann Arbor	MI	118,025	2,019.1	303.3	0.0	+-27%
41	Wayne	MI	16,891	1,995.2	692.7	5.9	+-28%
42	Genesee Township	MI	20,199	1,930.8	688.2	5.0	+-30%
43	Meridian Township	MI	43,912	1,883.3	182.2	0.0	+-32%
44	Westland	MI	81,727	1,806.0	450.3	3.7	+-34%
45	Clinton Township	MI	99,056	1,749.5	320.0	4.0	+-36%
46	Madison Heights	MI	28,188	1,734.8	276.7	7.1	+-37%
47	Ferndale	MI	19,041	1,733.1	204.8	0.0	+-37%
48	Dearborn Heights	MI	60,148	1,697.5	458.9	1.7	+-38%
49	Woodhaven	MI	12,447	1,655.0	112.5	0.0	+-40%
50	Owosso	MI	14,543	1,643.4	570.7	0.0	+-40%
51	Fruitport Township	MI	15,546	1,621.0	83.6	0.0	+-41%
52	Holland	MI	34,604	1,615.4	384.4	2.9	+-41%
53	Saginaw Township	MI	40,864	1,600.4	173.8	4.9	+-42%
54	Coldwater	MI	14,672	1,581.2	238.6	0.0	+-43%
55	Sault Ste. Marie	MI	13,310	1,510.1	405.7	0.0	+-45%
56	Alpena	MI	10,108	1,503.8	514.4	0.0	+-45%
57	Livonia	MI	91,189	1,490.3	228.1	0.0	+-46%
58	Melvindale	MI	12,267	1,467.4	301.6	16.3	+-47%
59	Mount Pleasant	MI	20,577	1,453.1	427.7	0.0	+-47%
60	East Lansing	MI	50,472	1,440.4	219.9	4.0	+-48%
61	Troy	MI	87,422	1,392.1	115.5	0.0	+-49%
62	Grand Blanc Township	MI	39,880	1,386.7	233.2	0.0	+-50%
63	Flat Rock	MI	10,216	1,282.3	313.2	0.0	+-53%
64	Sterling Heights	MI	133,058	1,273.1	230.7	0.8	+-54%
65	St. Clair Shores	MI	57,157	1,250.9	185.5	0.0	+-55%
66	Wixom	MI	17,120	1,162.4	192.8	5.8	+-58%
67	Chesterfield Township	MI	45,674	1,160.4	113.9	0.0	+-58%
68	Riverview	MI	11,821	1,142.0	203.0	0.0	+-59%
69	Waterford Township	MI	69,066	1,109.1	279.4	1.5	+-60%
70	Muskegon	MI	37,174	1,094.9	255.6	5.4	+-60%
71	Davison Township	MI	20,357	1,070.9	186.7	0.0	+-61%
72	Wyandotte	MI	23,778	1,064.0	239.7	8.4	+-61%
73	Garden City	MI	26,008	1,053.5	280.7	0.0	+-62%
74	Lincoln Township	MI	14,864	982.2	141.3	0.0	+-64%
75	Thomas Township	MI	11,854	978.6	270.0	0.0	+-64%
76	Bath Township	MI	13,473	927.8	215.3	7.4	+-66%
77	Royal Oak	MI	57,257	925.7	124.0	0.0	+-66%
78	Farmington Hills	MI	82,116	879.2	198.5	1.2	+-68%
79	Brownstown	MI	32,439	841.6	151.1	0.0	+-69%
80	Dewitt Township	MI	15,433	829.4	246.2	6.5	+-70%
81	Midland	MI	42,712	779.6	124.1	2.3	+-72%
82	Clawson	MI	11,114	755.8	198.0	0.0	+-73%
83	Novi	MI	66,366	754.9	99.5	1.5	+-73%
84	Huron Township	MI	16,648	732.8	234.3	0.0	+-73%
85	Shelby Township	MI	79,985	706.4	163.8	0.0	+-74%
86	Plymouth Township	MI	26,824	700.9	48.5	0.0	+-75%
87	Birmingham	MI	21,326	698.7	56.3	0.0	+-75%
88	Marquette	MI	21,245	696.6	188.3	0.0	+-75%
89	West Bloomfield Township	MI	64,892	607.2	81.7	0.0	+-78%
90	Bloomfield Township	MI	43,611	577.8	36.7	0.0	+-79%
91	Trenton	MI	17,698	576.3	33.9	5.7	+-79%
92	Beverly Hills	MI	10,332	542.0	48.4	0.0	+-80%
93	White Lake Township	MI	31,222	477.2	41.6	0.0	+-83%
94	Green Oak Charter Township	MI	20,129	447.1	44.7	0.0	+-84%
95	New Baltimore	MI	11,961	443.1	41.8	0.0	+-84%
96	Tittabawassee Township	MI	10,947	420.2	91.4	0.0	+-85%
97	Rochester	MI	12,706	401.4	23.6	0.0	+-85%
98	Flushing Township	MI	10,502	361.8	66.7	0.0	+-87%
99	South Lyon	MI	12,010	349.7	58.3	0.0	+-87%
100	Milford	MI	16,974	329.9	47.1	0.0	+-88%

More Rankings

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How These Rankings Are Calculated

These rankings are based on data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which collects crime statistics from law enforcement agencies nationwide. We use the most recent available data (2024) and include only cities with a population of 25,000 or more to ensure statistical reliability — small towns with very few incidents can produce misleadingly extreme rates.

Cities are ranked by total crime rate per 100,000 residents, which combines both violent crime (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson). Using per-capita rates rather than raw counts ensures fair comparison regardless of city size. The 100 cities listed here represent a combined population of 4,524,018 residents.

For a full explanation of our data sources, safety score formula, and methodology, visit our methodology page.

What the Numbers Mean

Crime statistics can be difficult to interpret without context. A total crime rate of 2,000 per 100,000 means that in a city of 100,000 people, approximately 2,000 crimes were reported to police in a given year. This includes everything from petty theft to violent assault. Not all crimes are reported, so actual rates may be higher — the FBI estimates that roughly half of violent crimes and a third of property crimes go unreported.

For the highest-crime cities on this list, the average total crime rate of 1,944 per 100K means roughly 1.9% of the population experiences a reported crime annually. The violent crime rate of 417 per 100K translates to about 0.4% of residents — or roughly 1 in 240 — though crime is not evenly distributed across neighborhoods.

Our Safety Score simplifies these numbers into a single 1–100 scale. A score of 50 equals the national average, and every 10 points above or below represents a meaningful difference in risk. The score accounts for both violent and property crime, weighted by their per-capita rates against national benchmarks.

When using these rankings for decisions about relocation, travel, or investment, consider consulting multiple data points: crime trends over time (available on each city's individual page), the specific types of crime most prevalent in each area, neighborhood-level variation, and quality-of-life factors beyond crime statistics. No single number tells the complete story of any community, but per-capita rates from a verified source like the FBI provide the most objective starting point available.

Violent Crime vs Property Crime

In these 100 highest-crime cities, both violent and property crime exceed national norms substantially. The average violent crime rate of 417 per 100K is 0.9x the national average, while property crime averages 1,528 per 100K. Aggravated assault is typically the most common violent crime, followed by robbery, while larceny-theft dominates property crime categories.

The distinction matters because violent and property crime have different impacts on daily life and different underlying causes. Violent crime tends to concentrate in specific neighborhoods and time periods, often linked to interpersonal disputes, drug markets, or gang activity. Property crime is more widely distributed geographically. Understanding which type of crime drives a city's ranking provides more actionable information than the total rate alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most dangerous city in Michigan?

Benton Township, MI has the highest crime rate in Michigan at 8,333.3 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 417 per 100K — 0.9x 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.

Are these cities always dangerous?

No. Crime rates fluctuate year to year, and many cities on this list have seen improvements over time. These rankings reflect 2024 data specifically. Visit individual city pages to see multi-year trends and whether crime is rising or falling in each location.

What types of crime drive these rankings?

Rankings are based on total crime rate, which includes both violent and property crime. Among these 100 cities, the average violent crime rate is 417 per 100K (0.9x the national average) and the average property crime rate is 1,528 per 100K. Property crime is typically more common, but violent crime carries greater weight in public perception.

How 2024 Compares to Previous Years

High-crime cities often show more volatility in their year-to-year statistics than the national average. Some cities on this list have seen significant improvements in recent years due to targeted policing strategies, community investment programs, or economic development. Others continue to face persistent challenges. National trends in violent crime, drug trafficking, and economic inequality all influence which cities appear on this list from year to year.

To see whether a specific city on this list is improving or worsening, click its name in the table above to view detailed trend charts covering multiple years. A city with a high current rate but a strong downward trend tells a very different story than one with a rising trajectory. We encourage using these trends alongside the current snapshot when forming conclusions about any community's safety profile.

Geographic Distribution

The 100 cities with the highest crime rates span 1 states. MI (100 cities). The concentration of high-crime cities in certain states often reflects broader regional challenges including economic inequality, urbanization patterns, and historical factors.

City sizes on this list vary considerably, from smaller cities around 25,000 to major metros. 74 cities have populations under 50,000, where a relatively small number of incidents can disproportionately affect per-capita rates. The combined population of these 100 cities is 4,524,018.

Most Dangerous Cities in Michigan