Pennsylvania’s a pretty amazing place to live – from its natural beauty to its one-of-a-kind residents. Alas, despite it being such a wonderful state, PA has its fair share of problems like other states. Following, for example, are the 10 most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania, according to data from the FBI.

Please note: This list contains data from the FBI which is from 2018. (You’ll have to scroll down to or do a search for Pennsylvania, as the file lists all 50 states.) *Update: Visit the FBI’s Crime in the United States for 2019 for an updated list (the most recent currently available at the time of this update).

1. McKees Rocks
McKees Rocks, PA 15136, USA
Flickr/formulanone
McKees Rocks comes in at the top of the list of the most dangerous places in PA. With a population of just under 6,000, McKees Rocks experienced 100 violent crimes in 2018. It has the highest crime rate in PA of all the cities included in this list. Of those violent crimes, 60 were aggravated assaults, 27 were robberies, eight were rapes, and five were murders. Property crime, on the other hand, tallied 280, the majority of which (206) were larceny/thefts.
2. Uniontown
Uniontown, PA 15401, USA
Flickr/Jon Dawson
Approximately 9,751 Pennsylvanians live in Uniontown, which saw a total of 136 violent crimes – 111 aggravated assaults, 22 robberies, two rapes, and one murder. Property crimes were significantly higher, coming in at 455, of which 369 were larceny/thefts.

Get an aerial view of Uniontown:

3. Chester
Chester, PA, USA
Flickr/Elvert Barnes
Chester boasts a population of just over 34,000. Violent crimes totaled 474 in 2018. Those numbers broke down to 286 aggravated assaults, 159 robberies, 18 murders, and 11 rapes. Property crimes were also significant, totaling 1,151, 642 of which were larceny/thefts while there were 352 burglaries. It's certainly one of the most dangerous towns in PA.
4. Darby
Darby, PA, USA
Jukie Bot/Flickr
Violent crimes totaled 149 in Darby, a city of 10,702, in 2018. Ninety-four of the 149 violent crimes were aggravated assaults, and there were 37 robberies, 17 rapes, and one murder. Property crimes were almost double the violent crimes, coming in at 346. The majority of property crimes, 251, were larceny/theft.
5. Pottstown
Montgomery County Planning Commission
Home to 22,792 Pennsylvanians, Pottstown tallied 196 violent crimes in 2018 – 123 aggravated assaults, 36 robberies, 35 rapes, and two murders. Property crimes were significantly higher at 753, of which 606 were larceny/theft and 113 were burglaries.

Take a drive around Pottstown:

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6. Yeadon
Yeadon, PA, USA
Wikipedia/Smallbones
Yeadon, population 11,512, saw 86 violent crimes in 2018. Aggravated assaults totaled 65. There were 15 robberies, five rapes, and one murder. Property crime was quite a bit higher, tallying 384, of which 288 were larceny/theft.
7. Johnstown
Johnstown, PA, USA
Flickr/Jon Dawson
Our next three cities take us to Western Pennsylvania. With a population of nearly 21,000, Johnstown experienced 240 violent crimes. Those numbers break down to 177 aggravated assaults, 32 robberies, 26 rapes, and five murders. Six hundred and twenty property crimes were reported with 406 larceny/thefts and 190 burglaries.
8. Duquesne
Duquesne, PA, USA
Flickr/Jon Dawson
A suburb of Pittsburgh, Duquesne is home to 5,544 residents. Duquesne experienced 58 violent crimes in 2018 – 32 aggravated assaults, 20 robberies, three rapes, and three murders. Property crime was more than double violent crime with a total of 163, 95 of which were larceny/theft.

Take a ride on the Duquesne Incline:

9. Ambridge
Ambridge, PA 15003, USA
Flickr/Jon Dawson
Eighty-nine violent crimes were recorded in Ambridge, a city of 6,679 residents. Aggravated assaults tallied 79 followed by seven robberies, one rape, and two murders. Property crime, on the other hand, totaled 182. Larceny/theft came in at 139 with 26 burglaries.
10. Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Flickr/karenmarcus
Let’s head to the eastern part of the state and Philadelphia, a city of more than 1.5 million people. The city experienced 14,420 violent crimes in 2018 – 7,712 aggravated assaults, 5,262 robberies, 1,095 rapes, and 351 murders. Property crimes totaled just over 49,000, the majority of which were larceny/thefts at 36,968.

Do you agree that these are some of the most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania? Join the conversation in the comments! Let’s change the tune a bit. Are you prepared if zombies invade Pennsylvania? Here are the eight best places to hide during a zombie apocalypse.

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Most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania

Sarah | January 02, 2022

What are the safest cities in Pennsylvania?

The safest cities in Pennsylvania include:

  • Luzerne Township
  • Jackson Township
  • Brecknock Township

 

Don't let the above list of the most dangerous cities in Pennsylvania color your perception of the state; PA is, by and large, a safe and wonderful place to call home! Safety plays a significant role in all of our lives. After all, we all want to keep ourselves and our families safe. It’s probably fair to say that safety is a serious consideration when we decide to move to another town in Pennsylvania or relocate from another state. Safewise recently released its list of the top 10 safest cities to live in Pennsylvania, and we share the findings in this article. Spoiler alert: in terms of the safest city in Pennsylvania, Luzerne Township topped the list with Jackson Township in Luzerne County and Brecknock Township in Berks County comprising the top three. Curious to learn more about Pennsylvania's safest locales? Click here!

What are the best small towns in Pennsylvania to live in?

The best small towns in Pennsylvania to live in include:

  • New Hope

 

Pennsylvania's big-name towns get all the attention; in fact, we bet that you’re sick of us talking about all the biggest cities in Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and the area of Lancaster! Sometimes we’ll throw in Hershey or Harrisburg. Today, let’s focus on the places that go without as much recognition but do just as much to make our state a marvelous place to visit and live. Craving small-town life in PA? Topping the list is New Hope, one of our absolute favorite spots in the state. Just a few thousand people live in New Hope, which is across the Delaware River from New Jersey. It is a popular spot for Broadway shows to be tested and is located six miles north of where George Washington historically crossed the Delaware. 

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