CO · 12 cities
Dangerous neighborhoods in Colorado
Colorado recorded 440 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 1.3 times the national rate and down 14% since 2022. Of the 12 cities we cover, Pueblo, Denver and Aurora have the highest rates and Centennial the lowest. Each guide breaks down the specific blocks, transit points and hours where a little more attention pays off.
Denver
Colorado Springs
Arvada
Aurora
Boulder
Centennial
Fort Collins
Greeley
Lakewood
Pueblo
Thornton
WestminsterFBI data · 2025
Most dangerous cities in Colorado, ranked
The 12 Colorado cities we cover, ordered by their official violent crime rate: murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents. 6 of 12 run above the state average of 440. A high citywide rate doesn't make a whole city unsafe: crime clusters in a few areas, and each guide above shows where.
- 1
Pueblo
1,178 violent crimes per 100k
2.7× the state average
- 2
Denver
882 violent crimes per 100k
2.0× the state average
- 3
Aurora
763 violent crimes per 100k
1.7× the state average
| # | City | Violent per 100k | Property per 100k | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pueblo | 1,178 | 4,997 | 110,981 |
| 2 | Denver | 882 | 4,144 | 733,212 |
| 3 | Aurora | 763 | 2,489 | 407,319 |
| 4 | Colorado Springs | 691 | 3,031 | 496,560 |
| 5 | Lakewood | 675 | 4,517 | 157,016 |
| 6 | Greeley | 630 | 2,915 | 115,679 |
| 7 | Boulder | 354 | 2,424 | 106,426 |
| 8 | Arvada | 307 | 2,349 | 121,261 |
| 9 | Westminster | 289 | 2,923 | 114,969 |
| 10 | Fort Collins | 286 | 1,771 | 171,159 |
| 11 | Thornton | 252 | 2,286 | 147,837 |
| 12 | Centennial | 193 | 1,424 | 109,020 |
| Colorado average | 440 | 2,235 | ||
| US average | 330 |
Safest cities in Colorado we cover
At the other end of the list, these have the lowest violent crime rates of the 12 cities in this ranking.
- Centennial193 per 100k · 56% below the state average
- Thornton252 per 100k · 43% below the state average
- Fort Collins286 per 100k · 35% below the state average
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported by each city's police department per 100,000 residents; most cities use 2025 data, and a small year next to a name marks a different latest complete year. Only cities with a neighborhood guide are included, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. How we rank cities.
Colorado crime: frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous city in Colorado?
Of the 12 Colorado cities in our ranking, Pueblo has the highest violent crime rate: 1,178 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2025, 2.7 times the state average. Denver and Aurora come next. Even in Pueblo, crime is concentrated in a few areas, and our Pueblo guide shows which ones.
What is the safest city in Colorado?
Among the cities we rank, Centennial has the lowest violent crime rate, at 193 per 100,000 residents in 2025, 56% below the state average. Thornton follows with 252. A low citywide rate doesn't mean every block is the same, but day-to-day risk is lower.
Is Colorado safe to visit?
Most visits go without trouble, but Colorado has more violent crime than the US as a whole. Colorado recorded 440 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 1.3 times the national rate of 330. Crime is concentrated in specific neighborhoods and hours rather than spread evenly, so knowing where those areas are matters more than the statewide figure; our 12 city guides cover them block by block.
Which Colorado cities have above-average crime?
6 of the 12 cities we rank have a violent crime rate above the Colorado average of 440 per 100,000 residents: Pueblo, Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Lakewood and Greeley. The other 6 are below it.
Is crime going up or down in Colorado?
Violent crime in Colorado went from 512 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2022 to 440 in 2025, down 14%. Property crime went from 3,235 to 2,235 over 2022–2025, down 31%.
Where do these crime figures come from?
From the FBI Crime Data Explorer, which collects the offenses reported by each police department. Rates are offenses per 100,000 residents, so cities of different sizes can be compared, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. Our methodology explains the details.