Five Most Dangerous Iowa Cities – 2018

When we last ranked the most dangerous places to live in Iowa, it didn't seem like much of surprise that Waterloo ranked in the top five. In 2018 we're happy to report that town's "danger ranking" has been lowered to #7.

Here is how the five most troubling towns stack up for this year's safety survey:

5. Des Moines, IA - the state's largest city is also one of the most dangerous, with over 19 murders recorded between 2016-2018. Des Moines has a population of over 212,000, making it twice the size of Iowa's second largest city, Cedar Rapids.

4. Burlington, IA - this small town south of Iowa City is home to just over 25,400 people and has a 21.2 % poverty rate and a 6.9 % unemployment rate. It is home to Snake Alley, considered to be one of the crookedest alleys in the world.

3. Davenport, IA. - the third largest city in Iowa behind Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, it is the biggest of the Quad Cities. It is also one of the oldest and toughest, so perhaps one can understand why it's crime rate is higher than average.

2. Keokuk, IA - the southernmost city in the state of Iowa is next-door neighbors with Ft. Madison. The 10,600 population struggles with 25% poverty and 10% unemployment, making it a challenging place to earn a living.

1. Clinton IA - the easternmost city in Iowa, Clinton sits on the mighty Mississippi River and ranks as the most dangerous city in this year's survey. According to Road Snacks, while property crime has decreased in Clinton between 2014-2016, violent crime has risen by 32% with residents facing a 1 in 113 chance of being a victim of violence in 2016.

[Source: Road Snacks]