MS · 1 city
Dangerous neighborhoods in Mississippi
Mississippi recorded 220 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 33% below the national rate and down 11% since 2022. Our Jackson guide breaks down the specific blocks, transit points and hours where a little more attention pays off, and below you'll see how Jackson compares with the state's other cities.
FBI data · 2025
Most dangerous cities in Mississippi, ranked
Mississippi's 10 cities of 10,000+ residents with recent FBI data, ordered by their official violent crime rate: murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents. 8 of 10 run above the state average of 220. A high citywide rate doesn't make a whole city unsafe: crime clusters in a few areas, and our guide above shows where.
- 1
Vicksburg
676 violent crimes per 100k
3.1× the state average
- 2
Gulfport
444 violent crimes per 100k
2.0× the state average
- 3
Pascagoula
431 violent crimes per 100k
2.0× the state average
| # | City | Violent per 100k | Property per 100k | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vicksburg | 676 | 4,017 | 19,690 |
| 2 | Gulfport | 444 | 3,554 | 75,068 |
| 3 | Pascagoula | 431 | 4,322 | 21,355 |
| 4 | Biloxi | 351 | 3,340 | 47,829 |
| 5 | Ridgeland2024 | 320 | 1,385 | 24,407 |
| 6 | Tupelo | 313 | 3,121 | 37,739 |
| 7 | Southaven | 268 | 1,655 | 58,174 |
| 8 | Hattiesburg | 258 | 3,590 | 48,465 |
| 9 | Oxford | 140 | 1,279 | 27,137 |
| 10 | Brandon2023 | 90 | n/a | 25,676 |
| Mississippi average | 220 | 1,315 | ||
| US average | 330 |
Safest cities in Mississippi
At the other end of the list, these have the lowest violent crime rates of the 10 cities in this ranking.
- Brandon90 per 100k · 58% below the state average
- Oxford140 per 100k · 36% below the state average
- Hattiesburg258 per 100k · 1.2× 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. It includes every city of 10,000+ residents with complete recent data, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. Not enough reliable data to rank: Jackson. How we rank cities.
Mississippi crime: frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous city in Mississippi?
Of the 10 Mississippi cities in our ranking, Vicksburg has the highest violent crime rate: 676 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2025, 3.1 times the state average. Gulfport and Pascagoula come next.
What is the safest city in Mississippi?
Among the cities we rank, Brandon has the lowest violent crime rate, at 90 per 100,000 residents in 2023, 58% below the state average. Oxford follows with 140. A low citywide rate doesn't mean every block is the same, but day-to-day risk is lower.
Is Mississippi safe to visit?
For most visitors, yes, with ordinary precautions. Mississippi recorded 220 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 33% below 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 Jackson guide covers them block by block.
Which Mississippi cities have above-average crime?
8 of the 10 cities we rank have a violent crime rate above the Mississippi average of 220 per 100,000 residents: Vicksburg, Gulfport, Pascagoula, Biloxi, Ridgeland, Tupelo, Southaven and Hattiesburg. The other 2 are below it.
Is crime going up or down in Mississippi?
Violent crime in Mississippi went from 247 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2022 to 220 in 2025, down 11%. Property crime went from 1,809 to 1,315 over 2022–2025, down 27%.
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.