These Are Now The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Minnesota
Minnesota has a well-earned reputation as one of the best places in the country to put down roots. The state consistently ranks among the top 10 safest states in the U.S., with violent and property crime rates below national averages, strong road safety, and reliable financial and workplace protections.
One recent ranking even named Minnesota among the safest states in America, and reports indicate the state regularly shows up on lists of the best places to live nationwide.
That said, no state is perfect. A handful of Minnesota cities carry heavier crime numbers than the rest, driven by a mix of population size, poverty, tourism traffic and property-crime spikes.
A recently updated study broke down which communities land at the top of that list, and reportedly the results shifted a bit from last year.
The Most Dangerous Cities in Minnesota
To build the ranking, researchers used what they call "Saturday Night Science," comparing the FBI's latest crime report for both violent crime and property crime across 128 Minnesota cities with more than 5,000 residents.
The data reflects 2024 figures, and cities were scored on crime per capita rather than raw totals, which levels the field between big cities and small towns. Here's the countdown from No. 10 to No. 1.
10. Roseville
This Ramsey County suburb sits about 15 minutes from downtown St. Paul and is beloved for its shopping and 32 parks.
Violence here is relatively rare, but property crime is the sore spot, with 271 violent crimes and 5,772 property crimes per 100,000 residents, including 131 burglaries and 32 robberies in a population of roughly 35,000.
9. Bloomington
Home to the Mall of America and Minnesota's fifth-largest population, Bloomington draws huge crowds year-round, which tends to inflate crime totals.
The city logged 308 violent crimes and 3,924 property crimes per 100,000 residents, landing it 19th for violent crime statewide but ninth overall on this list.
A growing Hennepin County suburb of nearly 82,000, Brooklyn Park offers parks and river trails alongside its challenges.
The city recorded 313 violent crimes, including seven murders, 43 rapes, 82 robberies and 181 aggravated assaults, for a rate of 382 violent crimes per 100,000 residents.
7. Brainerd
The Crow Wing County seat is famous for its lakes and summer tourism, but that steady stream of visitors comes with a downside.
Brainerd posted 573 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, and reportedly carried the highest rate of reported rape cases in the state, giving locals roughly a 1-in-174 chance of being a violent-crime victim.
6. Maplewood
This east-metro suburb has plenty of parks and easy access to the Twin Cities, but property crime weighs it down.
Maplewood tallied 935 larcenies and one of the highest burglary rates in Minnesota, leaving residents with about a 1-in-32 chance of experiencing a property crime over the year.
5. St. Cloud
The largest population center in central Minnesota actually improved a spot from last year. Even so, St. Cloud recorded 343 violent crimes and 3,467 property crimes per 100,000 residents, with locals facing roughly a 1-in-291 shot of being violently attacked.
Sitting just north of Minneapolis, this suburb of about 31,500 offers golf courses and Mississippi River parks. It also carries the second-highest violent crime rate in the state at 742 per 100,000 residents, along with 228 car thefts and 75 robberies.
3. St. Paul
Minnesota's capital is packed with great neighborhoods and attractions, and like any big city, that draws crowds and crime.
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St. Paul logged 624 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, about two murders a month, and higher rates of car theft and arson than Minneapolis, with 2,081 stolen cars and 178 arson cases in 2024.
2. Bemidji
The northern Minnesota home of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox is a proud tourist town, but it ranks surprisingly high here.
Bemidji residents faced roughly a 1-in-16 chance of a property crime, with 6,134 property crimes per 100,000 residents and an aggravated assault occurring more than once a week on average.
1. Minneapolis
The state's largest city tops the list, and it's not especially close. Minneapolis posted 1,132 violent crimes and 5,253 property crimes per 100,000 residents, the highest murder rate and burglary rate in Minnesota, and a 1-in-88 chance of being a violent-crime victim over the year.
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Gallery Credit: Jessica On The Radio
