The most dangerous places in Arkansas may surprise you.

Imagine for a moment that you’re not safe behind your screen. You’re in an unfamiliar Arkansas town, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, walking back to your car. It’s nighttime, you’re alone, the streetlights are so far away they’re bordering on nonexistent, and everything is creepier in an unfamiliar place anyway, so you pick up the pace. You’re not quite on the verge of sprinting to your car and jumping into it like you’re still a kid worried about the ankle-grabbing monster who lives under your bed and loves to have barefoot children for a midnight snack, but you’re not exactly having a leisurely stroll either. You finally get to your car. It hasn’t been a long walk, but that dark street made it feel long. You put your keys into the ignition and a wave of relieve passes through you. You feel silly about how much your pace and pulse quickened, but you lock the doors anyway, just in case. You tell yourself there was never anything to be worried about on that little journey. After all, your home is in the Natural State and it’s a pretty safe place to be, right?

Right?

Well, you’re sort of right. Compared to national averages, Arkansas is a fairly safe place. I spent some time with a website called Neighborhood Scout, which is a great place to find information about crime rates by state and by city, hunting for Arkansas crime statistics. The United States crime rate has declined over the years, and in general, Arkansas remains a safe place to live. We go above the national average when it comes to violent crime, however. According to Neighborhood Scout, 20,363 violent crimes occurred last year. There are some cities, however, where you’re much more likely to be a victim of crime, violent or otherwise. You’ll find ten cities you definitely don't want to be caught in at night below. Number one is definitely going to be Pine Bluff because you've heard terrible stories about that town, yeah? Nope. Pine Bluff isn't exactly a gem, but it's probably better off than you think.

1. Little Rock

That’s right, our capital city has repeatedly made national lists for being one of the most dangerous mid-sized cities in the United States. Though your chances of being a victim of violent crime in Little Rock might be similar to that of other U.S cities, there's no ignoring these statistics. According to Road Snacks, folks in Little Rock have a 1 in 16 chance of falling prey to a property crime. And out of 100,000 people, 1,516 residents were victims of violent crimes.

Hey, at least living in Little Rock means you’re safer than many of the other cities in the nation, right?

2. Helena-West Helena

Helena-West Helena comes to this list by way of its violent crime rate. A total of 11 murders occurred in 2019, with 187 violent crimes. That's quite a lot for a town with only 10,187 people in it! Yes, there are many reasons to love the Arkansas delta, but make sure to watch your back while you're here. You can never be too careful.

3. West Memphis

Pine Bluff has a terrible reputation for crime, but West Memphis is actually less safe than Pine Bluff. In West Memphis, as in Pine Bluff, you’d only be safer there than in a few of other U.S. cities, but your chance of being the victim of a violent crime jump to 1 in 50. That’s right. About 1 in 50 West Memphis residents will be the victim of violent crime.

4. El Dorado

According to the most recent statistics, El Dorado has the fifth highest crime rates - for both violent and property offenses. Yes, this charming town in Arkansas is perfect for a family getaway, but make sure to keep your valuables hidden. Lock your car doors and keep your wits about you.

5. Osceola

Oh, poor Osceola. Your chance of experiencing a violent crime there is significantly higher than in other cities. In fact, 1 in 38 Osceola residents will experience a violent crime. An in a town of only 6,653, that's especially jarring.

6. Newport

Hate to break it to you, but Newport residents have a 1 in 20 chance of being the victim of a property crime. Yes, including car theft! But don't let this statistic deter you. Newport is a fantastic place to go fishing and soak up the wonders of nature.

7. Fort Smith

Fort Smith is only the 13th most dangerous city in Arkansas when it comes to violent crimes, but its property crime rate shoots it to number 7 on our list. If you visit this large Arkansas city, you have a 1 in 17 chance of being the victim of a burglary or car theft.

8. Jacksonville

It's perhaps not surprising that this Little Rock suburb made the list, especially with its neighboring city ranking number one. Thankfully, Jacksonville is much safer than the Natural State's capital city. It's the 14th highest in violent crime and sixth highest in property crime. Not too bad, all things considered!

9. Paragould

Paragould is another city that’s safer than many other U.S. cities, but it still earns a spot on our list. Paragould’s position as being less safe that Pine Bluff and West Memphis is due to its high percentage of property crimes. It's the 10th most dangerous city in Arkansas when it comes to violent crimes, and it's the 11th most dangerous city in terms of property crimes. So maybe don’t park your car in Paragould.

10. Hot Springs

Last but not least, we have many people's favorite city: Hot Springs. Unfortunately, this beloved city is the state's most dangerous when it comes to property crimes. Luckily, its violent crime rate is quite low -- it ranks number 22 in the state for this. So as long as you lock your car and keep your eye on your valuables, you should be able to enjoy all that this city has to offer.

11. Pine Bluff

This year, Pine Bluff didn't even make it to the top 10! That's proof that even the most notoriously dangerous places in Arkansas can turn things around. According to Neighborhood Scout, Pine Bluff's crime rate is 18.08, which is much lower than many other cities we've mentioned.

Remember, crime is an unfortunate reality in every U.S city. Luckily, Arkansas is much safer than many other places in the nation. As long as you keep your wits about you and remember to trust your gut, you should have a wonderful time exploring The Natural State.

Were you surprised to learn about the most dangerous places in Arkansas? Despite these startling statistics, we still think The Natural State is the best place to be.

If you want to learn more about the dangerous places to avoid in Arkansas, read our previous article: Here Are The 9 Most Dangerous, Deadly Places In Arkansas. Eager for more? Check out our article about the most deadly places in Arkansas nature.