MO · 6 cities
Dangerous neighborhoods in Missouri
Missouri recorded 426 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 1.3 times the national rate and down 15% since 2022. Of the 6 cities we cover, Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis have the highest rates and Lee's Summit the lowest. Each guide breaks down the specific blocks, transit points and hours where a little more attention pays off.
Kansas City
St. Louis
Columbia
Independence
Lee's Summit
SpringfieldFBI data · 2025
Most dangerous cities in Missouri, ranked
The 6 Missouri cities we cover, ordered by their official violent crime rate: murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents. 4 of 6 run above the state average of 426. A high citywide rate doesn't make a whole city unsafe: crime clusters in a few areas, and each guide above shows where.
- 1
Kansas City
1,376 violent crimes per 100k
3.2× the state average
- 2
Springfield
1,233 violent crimes per 100k
2.9× the state average
- 3
St. Louis
1,231 violent crimes per 100k
2.9× the state average
| # | City | Violent per 100k | Property per 100k | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | 1,376 | 3,991 | 518,039 |
| 2 | Springfield | 1,233 | 3,872 | 170,958 |
| 3 | St. Louis | 1,231 | 5,051 | 274,819 |
| 4 | Independence | 560 | 3,008 | 121,329 |
| 5 | Columbia | 360 | 1,891 | 132,072 |
| 6 | Lee's Summit | 112 | 1,953 | 107,668 |
| Missouri average | 426 | 1,690 | ||
| US average | 330 |
Safest cities in Missouri we cover
At the other end of the list, these have the lowest violent crime rates of the 6 cities in this ranking.
- Lee's Summit112 per 100k · 74% below the state average
- Columbia360 per 100k · 15% below the state average
- Independence560 per 100k · 1.3× 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.
Missouri crime: frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous city in Missouri?
Of the 6 Missouri cities in our ranking, Kansas City has the highest violent crime rate: 1,376 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2025, 3.2 times the state average. Springfield and St. Louis come next. Even in Kansas City, crime is concentrated in a few areas, and our Kansas City guide shows which ones.
What is the safest city in Missouri?
Among the cities we rank, Lee's Summit has the lowest violent crime rate, at 112 per 100,000 residents in 2025, 74% below the state average. Columbia follows with 360. A low citywide rate doesn't mean every block is the same, but day-to-day risk is lower.
Is Missouri safe to visit?
Most visits go without trouble, but Missouri has more violent crime than the US as a whole. Missouri recorded 426 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 6 city guides cover them block by block.
Which Missouri cities have above-average crime?
4 of the 6 cities we rank have a violent crime rate above the Missouri average of 426 per 100,000 residents: Kansas City, Springfield, St. Louis and Independence. The other 2 are below it.
Is crime going up or down in Missouri?
Violent crime in Missouri went from 501 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2022 to 426 in 2025, down 15%. Property crime went from 2,419 to 1,690 over 2022–2025, down 30%.
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.