The 15 Most Dangerous Cities In Tennessee: 2022's Ultimate List

Tennessee’s nickname is the Volunteer State, and a name like that makes the state sound welcoming. You can find so much great entertainment, history, and natural beauty in Tennessee, but it sadly coexists with crime and darkness. Tennessee is home to 15 cities in particular that have high crime rates and an element of danger.

The most dangerous cities in Tennessee are Memphis, Nashville, Savannah, Newport, and Knoxville. Cities like Pigeon Forge, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Dyersburg, and Athens have above-average crime rates. Jackson, Millington, Millington, Chattanooga, and Sweetwater have a higher property and violent crime rates than the average city in Tennessee.

Tennessee is a great state, but it’s important to exercise caution when you’re in the 15 most dangerous cities. Factors such as population density and FBI crime statistics help to determine how safe a city is. Follow along as we explore the 15 most dangerous cities in Tennesee

Tennessee is largely safe, but sadly, 29% of residents have suffered a property crime in the last year. Property crimes include theft, car theft, and burglary, and they are quite common throughout the state. Violence is also common and crimes such as robbery, assault, rape, and murder affected 17% of Tennessee residents in the last year.

You can trace the crime back to unemployment, poverty, and addiction in Tennessee as with any other state. There is a 13.6% poverty rate in Tennessee, and it is currently the 11th poorest state in the U.S. Low income, high unemployment, and poor opportunities in some cities like Memphis or Nashville make Tennessee as dangerous as it is.

Not only is Memphis the most dangerous city in Tennessee, but it is also the 2nd most dangerous city in the United States. There are 160 crimes per square mile in Memphis, and there have been nearly 37,000 recent property crimes. Violent crimes are common as well and affect 1 in 41 Memphis residents.

Robbery and assault are the most common violent crimes in Memphis and the rates are more than double the national average. Property crime is widespread throughout Memphis and it affects 1 in 17 residents. The most common property crime in Memphis is theft with a rate of 41 per 1,000 residents.

Burglary and vehicle theft are also common in the city, and areas around central and southern Memphis are hot spots. Stick to safe areas such as Berclair where crime is less common, and avoid walking the streets at night. Neighborhoods such as Mallory and Capleville are among the most dangerous neighborhoods in Memphis.

Nashville is known for its great food, lively nightlife, music history, and unfortunately, widespread crime. Areas such as central Nashville and Germantown are a hotbed of both property and violent crime. The city spans 526 square miles, and there are 72 crimes per square mile in Nashville.

Property crime is sadly common in Nashville and there have been 27,809 recent reports. Crimes such as theft and burglary affect 1 in 25 Nashville residents and make up the majority of reports. Violent crimes are also common in Nashville and there have been 7,978 recent reports.

Violence is less common than property crimes but it still affects 1 in 87 Nashville residents. There have been 109 recent murders in Nashville, but the most common violent crimes are robbery and assault. Central Nashville has plenty of great restaurants and attractions, but it is also the most dangerous area in the city.

Savannah is a small city in Tennessee with only 6,947 residents, but the crime rate per capita is nothing to overlook. The city only spans 6.65 square miles and there are 65 crimes per square mile in Savannah. There may only be 427 recent crime reports in Savannah, but the small population and size of the city make it quite dangerous.

The theft rate in Savannah is more than twice the national average at 39 per 1,000 residents. Theft, vehicle theft, and assault are the most common crimes in Savannah. The 58 recent assaults in Savannah are disturbing, especially when you consider the small population.

Savannah is small enough that you should exercise caution throughout the city, but central Savannah in particular has the most crime reports. Sadly, residents in Savannah risk a 1 in 111 chance of suffering a property crime and a 1 in 20 chance of violent crime.

Newport, TN spans 5.53 square miles and has a small population with a high crime rate much like Savannah. There are 101 crimes per square mile in Newport and the majority of them are property crimes such as theft and vehicle theft. Property crime affects 1 in 14 Newport residents, but luckily violent crime is less common.

Violence affects 1 in 106 residents in Newport, and assault is the most common occurrence. Theft is nearly 4 times more common in Newport, Tennessee than the national average. There have been no recent murders in Newport, but there have been 65 violent crimes between assault, rape, and robberies.

The southern tip of Newport is the safest area in the city, but it is so close to the dangerous central and northern neighborhoods that crime spills over. Exercise caution in Newport and lock your car door because the car theft rate is more than twice the national average.

Knoxville is among the most well-known cities in Tennessee, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a safe place to live. There are 93 crimes per square mile in Knoxville and most of the crime is relegated to the city’s center. Neighborhoods such as Arlington and Lonsdale have high concentrations of both violent and property crime.

Property crimes such as theft and burglary affect 1 in 23 Knoxville residents. It can be difficult to feel safe as a homeowner in Knoxville due to the 1,098 recent burglaries. You are more than twice as likely to be the victim of theft in Knoxville than in the rest of the United States.

Violent crimes are thankfully less common in Knoxville, but it still affects 1 in 124 residents. There have been a shocking 1,127 recent assaults in Knoxville and it’s important to exercise caution at night.

Pigeon Forge is another dangerous city in Tennessee that makes up for its small population with a high crime rate per capita. You may know Pigeon Forge as the home of Dolly World, but it is also home to 25 crimes per square mile. Property crime is the biggest threat in Pigeon Forge and it affects 1 in 23 residents.

Theft is the most common crime in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and there are 30 thefts per 1,000 residents. Violent crime is rare in Pigeon Forge but it still occurs and affects 1 in 132 residents. Murder is rare with a single recent report, but assault and robbery are common enough to encourage residents to exercise caution at night.

Central Pigeon Forge is the most dangerous area in the city, but even safe neighborhoods like Wear Valley have crime reports. With that said, attractions like Dolly World make it worth the trip to Pigeon Forge as long as you travel in groups and lock your car.

While it may only span 15.51 square miles, Athens is one of the most dangerous cities in Tennessee. Tennessee has an average of 16 crimes per square mile, and there are 67 crimes per square mile in Athens. Both violent and property crimes are commonplace in Athens, but crimes like theft are particularly widespread with 621 recent reports.

Crime affects pedestrians and homeowners alike, and there are 7 burglaries per 1,000 residents in the city. You risk a 1 in 18 chance of suffering a burglary, theft or having your car stolen in Athens. Violent crimes such as assault and robbery aren’t as common in Athens, but the 131 recent reports are truly disturbing.

There is a 1 in 108 chance that you’ll experience a violent crime in Athens, Tennessee. Stick to areas such as Pond Hill and Clearwater if you want to minimize the risk that you’ll become the victim of a crime.

Dyersburg is spread across 17.43 square miles of land in Northwest Tennessee, and it is a hotbed of crime. The 75 crimes per square mile are mostly relegated to property crimes such as theft and burglary. Sadly, 857 of the recent 1,103 property crimes in Dyersburg were thefts, and 190 were burglaries.

Theft affects 53 out of every 1,000 residents in Dyersburg, and 1 in 15 residents suffer a property crime. Violence is another sad reality in Dyersburg with 207 recent violent crimes, the majority of which are assaults. The 178 recent assaults in the city suggest that you need to be careful and stick to a well-lit path when you travel at night.

Areas such as Finley and Bogota are safer than the rest of Dyersburg. Avoid central Dyersburg and neighborhoods like Tigrett where crime is more common. Dyersburg is a great city, but you should always remember that the theft and assault rates are more than double the national average.

You can find Clarksville in northern Tennessee where the nearby Cumberland River nearly overshadows the city’s danger. The 4,621 recent crimes are mostly made up of property crimes, but the 987 violent crime reports are worth extra caution. Clarksville is a large city that stretches across 95 square miles, and there are 47 crimes per square mile.

Recently, there have been 3,634 property crimes in Clarksville, and nearly 2,800 of them were thefts. You risk a 1 in 18 chance of suffering a property crime as a Clarksville resident, but violent crime is luckily much less common. Violence affects 1 in 169 residents in Clarksville, and there have been 809 recent assaults.

New Providence, Cumberland Heights, and Salem are among the most dangerous neighborhoods in Clarksville. Stick to areas such as Port Campbell and Port Royal to avoid the epicenter of crime in the city.

Chattanooga is a large city in southeastern Tennessee that spans 143 square miles. The 99 crimes per square mile in Chattanooga are spread throughout the city but are most common in areas like Bushtown and Alton Park. Central and southern Chattanooga, in particular, are dangerous, but even safer areas like Ryall Springs have plenty of crime reports.

Property crime is overwhelmingly common in Chattanooga and affects 1 in 15 residents. The 8,542 recent thefts point to a serious problem in Chattanooga, and the 2,507 violent crimes show the city is dangerous. There have been 2,022 recent assaults in Chattanooga and 1 in 72 residents suffer a violent crime.

Chattanooga has a 20.7% poverty rate that helps drive crime throughout the city. There was a 16.6% increase in crime in Chattanooga between 2019 and 2020. Downtown Chattanooga is particularly at risk for both violent and property crime, and it’s best to avoid the area late at night.

Cleveland, Tennessee shares its name with a similarly dangerous city in Ohio, but there are several key differences. The main difference is that Cleveland, TN is a city with property crime statistics that are hard to top. You risk a 1 in 20 chance of falling victim to a property crime in Cleveland, and there were 1,735 recent thefts.

There are 36 thefts per 1,000 residents in Cleveland, and the odds are also stacked against you when it comes to burglary. The nearly 480 recent burglaries and 204 vehicle thefts in Cleveland are enough to make any resident or visitor nervous. Violence is another reason to worry as a Cleveland, TN resident because 369 residents were recently assaulted.

You risk a 1 in 104 chance of suffering a violent crime as a Cleveland, TN resident. There have been 354 violent crimes between robbery, rape, assault, and murders in the city recently. Stick to areas such as Fairview and Hopewell to reduce the risk that you will get robbed, assaulted, or worse.

Jackson is a medium-sized city in Madison County, Tennessee with a surprisingly high crime rate. There are 58 crimes per square mile in Jackson, and the city spans nearly 59 square miles. Burglary, car theft, and theft are the most common crimes in Jackson with 2,414 recent reports.

Residents risk a 1 in 28 chance of suffering a property crime in Jackson, Tennessee. Violence is also widespread in Jackson, and 1 in 97 residents suffer crimes such as assault and robbery. The assault rate is 4 times higher than the national average in Jackson, and 583 assaults recently rocked the city.

Crime is mostly evenly spread throughout Jackson, but it is particularly concentrated in areas like Hicksville and Westwood Gardens. Neighborhoods such as Windy City and Oakfield have crime reports, but violent and property crime are less dense in the area.

Sure, Justin Timberlake may be the most well-known Millington resident, but the city is also famous for its crime. This small Tennesee city has a dense concentration of both violent and property crimes spread throughout the small area. Neighborhoods such as Kerrville are particularly dangerous and account for many of the crime reports.

You risk a 1 in 122 chance of suffering a violent crime in Millington, Tennessee, and assault is the most common. There haven’t been any recent murders, but the 87 recent violent crimes are a sign that the threat is always there. Property crime may seem unavoidable in Millington because of the 559 recent reports.

However, you can avoid much of the crime if you stick to eastern or western Millington and avoid the city’s center. There are 20 crimes per square mile in Millington which isn’t bad compared to the other most dangerous cities in Tennessee. That is because crime is relegated to specific areas, so steer clear of central Millington.

Crime may not seem rampant in Sweetwater, TN with 307 reports, but the small population is what counts. There are only 5,873 residents in Sweetwater, but there are 36 crimes per square mile in this small city. Sweetwater is home to 29 thefts per 1,000 residents and most of it occurs in the middle of the city.

The 267 recent property crimes affect 1 in 24 Sweetwater residents between burglary and theft. Sweetwater is such a small city that it is difficult to avoid crime, but areas like Christianburg are slightly safer. Crime spills over from cities that neighbor Sweetwater such as Vonoroe and Madisonville.

Murfreesboro is one of the most dangerous cities in Tennessee even though it is primarily a family town. Sadly, 538 of the 743 recent violent crimes were assaults, and there have been 11 murders recently in Murfreesboro. You risk a 1 in 206 chance o suffering a violent crime such as robbery, assault, or murder in the city.

There are 82 crimes per square mile in Murfreesboro, and they are mostly concentrated in the city’s center. Neighborhoods such as Leanna, Mankinville, Mount Olive, and Dilton are particularly dangerous. Property crime is sadly all too common in Murfreesboro and affects 1 in 40 residents.

Theft, vehicle theft, and burglary all exceed the national average in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. You can avoid much of the crime in the area if you stick to northern and eastern Murfreesboro.

Statistically speaking, Church Hill is the most crime-free town in the state of Tennessee. With only 45 violent crimes per 100,000 people, this small town has a crime rate that’s markedly below the national average. Due to its excellent amenities and school systems, it also happens to be one of the best places to live in Tennessee.

Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, multiple town critics all agreed that Gatlinburg is the prettiest town in the state. Gorgeous scenic overlooks, hauntingly pretty nature trails, and an overall pastoral ambiance are what make this a truly breathtaking city to visit. We suggest taking the Aerial Tramway to get a better view of the local landscape.

Gangs might not be what most people think of when it comes to Tennessee, but in Nashville, gang activity is scarily common. Detectives believe that over 2,000 locals have some form of gang affiliation within the Davidson County’s limits. Some of the gangs found include Bloods, Crips, MS-13, as well as white supremacist groups.

Though Tennessee may have an idyllic look to it, many parts of the state suffer from pollution problems. The most common pollution problems include cyanobacteria infestations, coal ash dumping, as well as improper toxic waste disposal. Tennessee was rated as one of the most toxic states in the union in both 2011 and 2012 as a result.