Tennessee ranks #47 of 50 US states by overall crime rate (safest first), placing it in the highest-crime quartile nationally. Its total crime rate is 4,198 per 100,000 residents — 51% above the national average. Safety varies widely by city; the safest reporting city is Nolensville.

Tennessee Crime Rate: #4 Most Dangerous State, 59 Cities Ranked

Quick answer

According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI crime data, Tennessee has a total crime rate of 4,198 per 100,000 residents — 51% above the national average — ranking #47 of 50 US states (safest first), in the highest-crime quartile. Its safest reporting city is Nolensville.

Tennessee Crime Overview

Tennessee reported a total crime rate of 4,198.5 per 100,000 residents — 51% above the national average of 2,785.9. This ranks Tennessee #47 out of 50 states (safest first).

The most elevated crime category in Tennessee is aggravated assault at 2.2x the national rate.

Compared to the previous year, Tennessee's crime rate decreased by 11.9%, with violent crime down 6.2%.

Within the state, Nolensville is the safest city (crime rate: 257), while Memphis has the highest rate (9,407) — a 36.5x difference that highlights how much safety can vary within a single state.

For residents, travelers, and those considering a move to Tennessee, these statistics provide a data-driven baseline. Browse the city-level table below to find specific communities, or see how Tennessee compares to its neighboring states. For the full list of safe and high-crime areas, visit safest cities in Tennessee or most dangerous cities in Tennessee.

Crime Breakdown

Crime Type	Incidents	Rate per 100K	National Avg
Violent Crime	33,229	916.8	478.2
Murder	472	13.0	6.3
Rape	1,915	52.8	43.8
Robbery	3,990	110.1	94.0
Aggravated Assault	26,795	739.3	333.5
Property Crime	118,944	3,281.7	2,307.7
Burglary	13,741	379.1	292.0
Larceny-Theft	85,382	2,355.7	1,657.7
Motor Vehicle Theft	19,821	546.9	358.0
Arson	0	0.0	0.0

Understanding Tennessee's Crime Profile

Of Tennessee's total crime rate, 21.8% is violent crime and 78.2% is property crime. Nationally, violent crime makes up 17.2% of all crime, meaning Tennessee has a higher-than-average share of violent offenses.

Tennessee's murder rate is 13.0 per 100K, which is 2.1x the national rate of 6.3. Murder is the least common but most serious violent crime, and even small differences in rate can reflect meaningful differences in public safety.

These statistics are compiled from 59 cities across the state that report to the FBI's UCR program. Coverage varies by state — so these numbers represent the best available estimate, not a perfect census. For details, see our methodology page.

Property crime accounts for the bulk of Tennessee's total rate at 3,282 per 100K. This includes burglary, larceny-theft (the most common crime nationwide), motor vehicle theft, and arson. While property crime is less immediately dangerous than violent crime, high rates can affect quality of life, insurance costs, and economic investment in affected areas.

Cities in Tennessee by Crime Rate

Cities ranked from safest to most dangerous (10,000+ residents).

#	City	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Safety Score
1	Nolensville	15,930	257.4	50.2	99/100
2	Oakland	11,026	580.5	72.6	90/100
3	Fairview	10,496	590.7	123.9	90/100
4	Maryville	32,583	638.4	132.0	88/100
5	Spring Hill	59,921	662.5	163.6	87/100
6	Atoka	10,777	695.9	176.3	86/100
7	Soddy Daisy	13,281	760.5	165.7	83/100
8	Brentwood	45,208	787.5	57.5	82/100
9	Portland	13,703	831.9	372.2	81/100
10	Hendersonville	64,126	839.0	124.8	80/100
11	Gallatin	52,346	959.0	210.1	76/100
12	White House	16,177	970.5	234.9	76/100
13	Goodlettsville	17,312	1,022.4	127.1	74/100
14	Franklin	90,077	1,075.8	133.2	72/100
15	Mount Juliet	44,049	1,123.8	158.9	70/100
16	Springfield	19,729	1,307.7	390.3	63/100
17	Germantown	39,938	1,344.6	167.8	62/100
18	Lebanon	51,653	1,380.4	346.5	61/100
19	Martin	11,059	1,383.5	298.4	61/100
20	Collierville	51,312	1,418.8	150.1	59/100
21	Bartlett	55,494	1,533.5	250.5	55/100
22	Oak Ridge	34,071	1,567.3	290.6	54/100
23	Red Bank	12,113	1,568.6	396.3	54/100
24	Elizabethton	14,228	1,707.9	147.6	49/100
25	Alcoa	14,270	1,751.9	392.4	48/100
26	Lawrenceburg	12,110	1,800.2	322.1	47/100
27	Paris	10,360	1,853.3	164.1	45/100
28	Lenoir City	12,354	1,950.8	348.1	42/100
29	Cookeville	37,248	1,957.2	295.3	42/100
30	Clarksville	185,349	2,042.6	410.6	39/100
31	Tullahoma	21,208	2,060.5	391.4	39/100
32	Greeneville	15,866	2,155.6	258.4	37/100
33	Mcminnville	13,787	2,306.5	638.3	33/100
34	Lavergne	39,897	2,311.0	476.2	33/100
35	Bristol	28,082	2,325.3	366.8	33/100
36	Shelbyville	25,655	2,342.6	432.7	32/100
37	East Ridge	21,886	2,407.9	411.2	31/100
38	Murfreesboro	169,520	2,443.4	421.2	30/100
39	Clinton	10,430	2,598.3	450.6	27/100
40	Lewisburg	13,406	2,648.1	716.1	26/100
41	Smyrna	58,791	2,665.4	279.0	25/100
42	Johnson City	74,093	2,707.4	404.9	24/100
43	Dickson	16,980	2,797.4	471.1	23/100
44	Cleveland	49,482	2,837.4	452.7	22/100
45	Columbia	49,374	3,060.3	573.2	19/100
46	Manchester	13,626	3,111.7	653.2	18/100
47	Union City	10,887	3,123.0	698.1	18/100
48	Crossville	12,842	3,231.6	646.3	16/100
49	Morristown	32,660	3,236.4	765.5	16/100
50	Kingsport	57,138	3,404.0	444.5	14/100
51	Knoxville	200,457	3,461.6	740.3	13/100
52	Sevierville	18,084	3,610.9	436.9	12/100
53	Jackson	68,286	4,110.7	950.4	8/100
54	Athens	14,949	4,287.9	622.1	7/100
55	Millington	11,785	4,403.9	602.5	6/100
56	Chattanooga	188,894	4,766.7	824.3	4/100
57	Nashville Metro	698,987	5,633.6	1,124.1	3/100
58	Dyersburg	15,917	6,012.4	1,256.5	2/100
59	Memphis	613,207	9,406.9	2,508.0	1/100

Tennessee Crime Rate Trends

Year	Coverage	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate
2024	3,624,476	4,198.5	916.8	3,281.7
2023	3,569,794	4,764.9	977.2	3,787.7
2022	3,526,235	4,583.2	991.2	3,592.0
2021	3,444,061	4,396.5	1,047.1	3,349.5
2020	3,420,315	4,781.2	1,049.9	3,731.3
2019	3,381,097	4,802.0	904.3	3,897.7

Tennessee Crime Trends: 6-Year Analysis

Over the 6-year period from 2019 to 2024, Tennessee's total crime rate decreased by 12.6%, moving from 4,802 to 4,198 per 100,000 residents. This long-term trajectory provides important context beyond any single year's snapshot.

In the most recent year-over-year comparison, Tennessee's crime rate decreased by 11.9%, with violent crime specifically declining 6.2%. Short-term changes don't always indicate a lasting trend, but consecutive years of movement in the same direction are worth noting.

Many factors can influence year-over-year changes, including shifts in policing strategies, economic conditions, population growth, and changes in how agencies report data to the FBI. For the most reliable picture, focus on the multi-year trend rather than any single year's change.

Tennessee vs Neighboring States

How does Tennessee's crime rate compare to its neighbors?

State	Total Crime Rate	Violent Crime Rate	Property Crime Rate	vs Tennessee
Tennessee	4,198.5	916.8	3,281.7	—
Mississippi	2,336.5	242.6	2,093.9	-44.3%
Georgia	2,564.1	385.0	2,179.1	-38.9%
Virginia	2,725.5	338.9	2,386.6	-35.1%
Alabama	2,781.8	512.5	2,269.3	-33.7%
Kentucky	2,816.8	380.4	2,436.4	-32.9%
North Carolina	3,508.0	556.7	2,951.3	-16.4%
Arkansas	3,626.3	777.0	2,849.3	-13.6%
Missouri	3,640.4	683.3	2,957.1	-13.3%

Among neighboring states, Mississippi has the lowest crime rate (2,337 per 100K). Missouri has the highest (3,640 per 100K).

Tennessee in Regional Context

Tennessee is safer than 0 of its 8 neighboring states based on total crime rate. Nationally, it ranks #47 out of 50 states (ranked safest first), placing it in the highest-crime quartile of all US states.

Regional comparisons are valuable because neighboring states often share economic conditions, climate, and demographic patterns. If Tennessee differs significantly from its neighbors, it may point to state-specific factors such as policing policy, drug legislation, or economic programs. Visit individual state pages above for detailed comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tennessee's crime rate?

Tennessee's total crime rate is 4,198.5 per 100,000 residents, which is 51% above the national average of 2,786. This includes both violent crime (916.8 per 100K) and property crime (3,281.7 per 100K).

How safe is Tennessee compared to other states?

Tennessee ranks #47 out of 50 states (safest first), placing it in the highest-crime quartile nationally. Visit our all states page for the complete ranking.

What is the safest city in Tennessee?

The safest city in Tennessee is Nolensville with a crime rate of 257 per 100,000 residents. View the full list at safest cities in Tennessee.

More Tennessee Crime Data

Dive deeper into Tennessee's crime statistics with our specialized ranking pages, or compare Tennessee cities against cities in other states using our comparison tool.

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Tennessee Crime Rate & Safety