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1. Detroit, Michigan
Though it is America's most violent city with a population of more than 200,000 for the third year in a row, according to Law Street, Detroit residents can perhaps take small comfort in knowing that violent crime again experienced a slight decrease in 2014, declining by 4 percent. The numbers of murders, rapes, and robberies fell, with murders falling to the lowest point in 47 years. However, the number of reported aggravated assaults climbed by about 4.5 percent.
2. Memphis, Tennessee
Thanks to a violent crime increase of about 5 percent in 2014, Memphis saw itself climb one spot in this year's rankings. The Tennessee city saw increases across the board in every category of violent crime, according to Law Street, with the biggest increases coming in the number of rapes and murders, which jumped 14.5 percent and 13 percent, respectively. On top of that, murders hit an eight-year high, reaching 140 in 2014.
3. Oakland, California
Oakland may have only moved down one spot in this year's rankings by Law Street, but the city saw a notable decline in violent crime of almost 15 percent. The only category the city saw an increase in was rape, with the biggest drop coming from the number of robberies. Oakland saw nearly 1,500 fewer robberies in 2014, for a decline of about 30 percent.
4. St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis retains its No. 4 ranking despite seeing a 5 percent increase in its violent crime rate in 2014, according to Law Street. Only the number of rapes fell last year, while the number of crimes in each of the other categories climbed. The most notable increase came in murders, with 159 taking place in 2014 as compared to 120 in 2013.
5. Birmingham, Alabama
Alabama's biggest city saw its violent crime rate climb by 18 percent in 2014, enough to move up three spots in this year's rankings. In fact, Law Street notes that Birmingham had the highest growth in violent crime among all the cities on the list, largely due to a 27-percent increase in aggravated assaults and higher levels of robberies and rapes. Despite that, the city did see murders decrease by more than 10 for a total of 52 in 2014.
6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee experienced an increase in violent crime of about 8 percent in 2014, moving up one spot in Law Street's rankings. While reported rape statistics stayed relatively flat and the number of murders decreased by about 13 percent, robberies and aggravated assaults saw increases of 7 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
7. Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland's largest city saw a slight decrease of about 4 percent in its violent crime rate from 2013 to 2014, moving down one spot in this year's rankings. The biggest change came in reported aggravated assaults, which declined by about 5.5 percent. Although Baltimore saw eight straight years of falling crime rates through 2014, Law Street did caution that is likely to change once the final 2015 numbers are tallied due to riots following the controversial death of Freddie Gray in police custody and unusually high murder counts during several months.
8. Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland saw its violent crime rate drop by about 10 percent from 2013 to 2014. While the number of reported robberies and aggravated assaults both decreased by about 14 percent and 8 percent respectively, the city did see eight more murders in 2014 than it had in 2013.
9. Stockton, California
Stockton saw a crime decrease in 2013 that left it out of the top 10, but returned in 2014 thanks to a 10 percent increase in its violent crime rate. The biggest increases were seen in reported aggravated assaults, which climbed from 2,411 in 2013 to 2,707 in 2014 for an increase of 12 percent, and in murders, with 49 in 2014, a more than 50 percent increase from the previous year.
10. Indianapolis, Indiana
*Indianapolis saw its overall violent crime rate climb by 2 percent from 2013 to 2014, although the FBI concluded that the years can't really be compared due to changes in reporting practices. Overall, the Indiana capital had 136 murders, 573 rapes, 3,808 robberies and 6,251 aggravated assaults in 2014.
*Because of changes in the state/local agency's reporting practices, figures are not comparable to previous years' data.
The 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America
Though it is America's most violent city with a population of more than 200,000 for the third year in a row, according to Law Street, Detroit residents can perhaps take small comfort in knowing that violent crime again experienced a slight decrease in 2014, declining by 4 percent. The numbers of murders, rapes, and robberies fell, with murders falling to the lowest point in 47 years. However, the number of reported aggravated assaults climbed by about 4.5 percent.
2. Memphis, Tennessee
Thanks to a violent crime increase of about 5 percent in 2014, Memphis saw itself climb one spot in this year's rankings. The Tennessee city saw increases across the board in every category of violent crime, according to Law Street, with the biggest increases coming in the number of rapes and murders, which jumped 14.5 percent and 13 percent, respectively. On top of that, murders hit an eight-year high, reaching 140 in 2014.
3. Oakland, California
Oakland may have only moved down one spot in this year's rankings by Law Street, but the city saw a notable decline in violent crime of almost 15 percent. The only category the city saw an increase in was rape, with the biggest drop coming from the number of robberies. Oakland saw nearly 1,500 fewer robberies in 2014, for a decline of about 30 percent.
4. St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis retains its No. 4 ranking despite seeing a 5 percent increase in its violent crime rate in 2014, according to Law Street. Only the number of rapes fell last year, while the number of crimes in each of the other categories climbed. The most notable increase came in murders, with 159 taking place in 2014 as compared to 120 in 2013.
5. Birmingham, Alabama
Alabama's biggest city saw its violent crime rate climb by 18 percent in 2014, enough to move up three spots in this year's rankings. In fact, Law Street notes that Birmingham had the highest growth in violent crime among all the cities on the list, largely due to a 27-percent increase in aggravated assaults and higher levels of robberies and rapes. Despite that, the city did see murders decrease by more than 10 for a total of 52 in 2014.
6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee experienced an increase in violent crime of about 8 percent in 2014, moving up one spot in Law Street's rankings. While reported rape statistics stayed relatively flat and the number of murders decreased by about 13 percent, robberies and aggravated assaults saw increases of 7 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
7. Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland's largest city saw a slight decrease of about 4 percent in its violent crime rate from 2013 to 2014, moving down one spot in this year's rankings. The biggest change came in reported aggravated assaults, which declined by about 5.5 percent. Although Baltimore saw eight straight years of falling crime rates through 2014, Law Street did caution that is likely to change once the final 2015 numbers are tallied due to riots following the controversial death of Freddie Gray in police custody and unusually high murder counts during several months.
8. Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland saw its violent crime rate drop by about 10 percent from 2013 to 2014. While the number of reported robberies and aggravated assaults both decreased by about 14 percent and 8 percent respectively, the city did see eight more murders in 2014 than it had in 2013.
9. Stockton, California
Stockton saw a crime decrease in 2013 that left it out of the top 10, but returned in 2014 thanks to a 10 percent increase in its violent crime rate. The biggest increases were seen in reported aggravated assaults, which climbed from 2,411 in 2013 to 2,707 in 2014 for an increase of 12 percent, and in murders, with 49 in 2014, a more than 50 percent increase from the previous year.
10. Indianapolis, Indiana
*Indianapolis saw its overall violent crime rate climb by 2 percent from 2013 to 2014, although the FBI concluded that the years can't really be compared due to changes in reporting practices. Overall, the Indiana capital had 136 murders, 573 rapes, 3,808 robberies and 6,251 aggravated assaults in 2014.
*Because of changes in the state/local agency's reporting practices, figures are not comparable to previous years' data.
The 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America
