25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in America, Cincinnati Tops List

by Tina Kells | June 23, 2009 at 09:58 am

95002 views | 41 Recommendations | 144 comments

Where is the most dangerous neighborhood in America? According to data compiled by Dr. Andrew Schiller and NeighborhoodScout.com the most dangerous neighborhood in the United States is in... Cincinnati, Ohio? Specifically, the "Brewery District" of the Cincinnati neighborhood known as "Over the Rhine."

The List of the 25 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in America contains many such surprises. Remember, this is not just a list of the most dangerous CITIES in the country, this top 25 list breaks it down to a much more specific geographical area... neighborhoods within cities.

The cities with the top 25 dangerous neighborhoods in the United States are:

Cincinnati, Ohio (Central Pky./Liberty St.)
Chicago, Ill. (State St./Garfield Blvd.)
Miami, Fla. (7th Ave./North River Dr.)
Jacksonville, Fla. (Beaver St./Broad St.)
Baltimore, Md.(North Ave./Belair Rd.)
Kansas City, Mo. (Bales Ave./30th St.)
Memphis, Tenn. (Warford St./Mount Olive Rd.)
Kansas City, Mo. (Forest Ave./41st St.)
Dallas, Texas (Route 352/Scyene Rd.)
Richmond, Va. (Church Hill)
Memphis, Tenn. (Bellevue Blvd./Lamar Ave.)
Dallas, Texas (2nd Ave./Hatcher St.)
Springfield, Ill. (Cook St./11th St.)
St. Louis, Mo. (14th St./Dr. Martin Luther King Dr.)
Little Rock, Ark. (Roosevelt Rd./Bond St.)
Philadelphia, Pa. (Broad St./Dauphin St.)
Tampa, Fla. (Amelia Ave./Tampa St.)
New York, N.Y. (St. Nicholas Ave./125th St.)
Chicago, Ill. (66th St./Yale Ave.)
Baltimore, Md. (Orleans St./Front St.)
Cleveland, Ohio (Cedar Ave./55th St.)
Orlando, Fla. (East-West Expy/Orange Blossom Trl.)
Detroit, Mich. (Mount Elliott St./Palmer Ave.)
Chicago, Ill. (Wallace St./58th St.)
Chicago, Ill. (Winchester, Ave./60th St.)

The methodology and data used to determine the list of the 25 most dangerous neighborhoods in America is simple and utilizes information from many reliable third party sources. Using FBI data from 17,000 different agencies Dr. Schiller and his team looked at key indicators as identified within the FBI Uniform Crime Reports. Incidents and rates per 1,000 people in a neighborhood population for specific violent crimes were then calculated.

The violent crimes considered by Dr. Schiller as key indicators of a "dangerous neighborhood" are:

murder
non-negligent manslaughter
forcible rape
armed robbery
aggravated assault

Other crimes like date rape, domestic assault and child abuse (not classified as aggravated), and petty theft were excluded from the data. Property crimes, however, were incorporated in to the rating given to the various neighborhoods identified in the study.

Researchers looking to identify the most dangerous neighborhood in America compiled ratings for each of these factors. An overall rating was assigned to neighborhoods based on a combination of violent crime data and property crime figures. A prediction was then made of the likelihood, per 1000 people in the neighborhood, that a resident would fall victim to one of the identified crimes.

The data was collected over a period of three years and deviations were added. Confounding variables such as socio-economic conditions, proximity to social service centers, policing resources per area, and age/condition of the neighborhood were not factored into the results.

NeighborhoodScout.com collects data from all 17,000 local law enforcement agencies in America, and uses a relational database to aggregate the statistics from each agency to the municipality that they protect. This provides an accurate representation of the total crimes and actual crime rates within any given city or town. NeighborhoodScout then uses proprietary computer models it develops to statistically estimate incidences of both violent and property crimes for every sub-zip code neighborhood in the U.S based on the aggregate crime data for the municipality containing that neighborhood averaged across the most recent three years of non-preliminary (final) data available from the FBI (2005, 2006, and 2007). This moving three-year window helps stabilize data where a single year could be uncharacteristically high or low, providing a more accurate risk assessment. It is important to note that very recent changes in a neighborhood may not be reflected in our findings, as we use non-preliminary data in our models that take a year to be released.

As soon as the report was released residents of "Over the Rhine" in Cincinnati were quick to respond that their neighborhood was safe. Bloggers were up in arms that their little corner of the United States had been singled out as the most dangerous neighborhood in America and wanted to publicly set the record straight.

One blogger and photojournalist had a compelling rebuttal to the assertion that "Over the Rhine" was the most dangerous neighborhood in America. The entire blog post, with photos, can be seen at the QueenCity Blog, but here is an excerpt:

From February - March 2008 I was on an assignment from Ohio University in which I participated in three "ride alongs" with officers of the Cincinnati Police Department's District 1. I love Cincinnati, but for the sake of photography I was kind of hoping to catch some compelling photographs of crime in Cincinnati since District 1 patrols some of the most "notorious" areas of the city such as Over-The-Rhine, the West End in addition to the riverfront and Mt. Adams.

Need more proof that Cincinnati isn't as dangerous as they say it is? Imagine walking down into one of these "notorious neighborhoods" at midnight. Why would anyone do such a thing? What if local radio 700 WLW radio personality Bill Cunningham dared you to go down to the corner of "15th and Vine St." at midnight on a Saturday night? Would you be able to stomach venturing into one of "the worst neighborhood in the United States?" I did...

...and it was pretty boring. The only person who said anything to me were some drunken college kids heading towards the bars on Main St. No one tried to rob, rape, stab or kill me.

See the predicted crime rates and ratings for your neighborhood, is it a safe place or a dangerous haven for crime?

See the top 100 most dangerous cities in the United States

See the top 100 safest cities in the United States

Update: June 27, 2009

A person identifying themselves as a staff member at the Baltimore Mayor's Office sent a private message refuting the inclusion of any Baltimore City neighborhood in this list. In the interest of fairness, the fact that somebody connected to the Baltimore Mayor's Office objects to claims that its neighborhoods should be placed as currently ranked on the top 25 list should be noted.

Here is how that message read:

"I wanted to let you know that the rankings of the Baltimore neighborhoods in your article is completely inaccurate. I will be reporting to the Mayor and the Baltimore City Law Department as such. Please feel free to contact me if you care to discuss. I have also contacted the company that produced the data."

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South Side ChiTown (not verified)

at 10:32 on June 23rd, 2009

Number 25, 60th Winchester is a joke. The Stones over there are straight pvssies. The Lords bang hard over there but the Lords on 55th Damen (5th Ward) and 55th Hoyne (Lordville) are straight murderers. This list is a joke. And the Stones from Moe Town (51st Lowe-Ashland) are straight killas. And I hang on 55th State at least three nights a week and practically live at the liquor store on the corner. The MC's and GD's and are straight gangsta but they are on some playa sh!t in the hood and only go to war about three times a year. But definitely Englewood murders the rest of country. CVLN for life.

Chitowngal (not verified)

at 07:31 on June 24th, 2009

You are such a pathetic excuse for a "gangsta". Get a job, make a contribution to society instead of hanging out at the liquor store with your homies.

White (not verified)

at 21:17 on June 24th, 2009

Oh man you're hardcore there buddy. "Practically living" at a liquor store eh? Sounds like you're really going places, get a fucking job and stop being a scourge on society

T-Dot (not verified)

at 18:23 on July 9th, 2009

What fuckin goof rat tells the whole world where he posts up, are u fuckin stupid? u aint no gangsta. your a fuckin loser, fuck i hate people that churp shit over the internet

Samanta (not verified)

at 06:24 on June 25th, 2009

Gee, you are going to go far in life aren't you. whats your drink of choice? MD 20/20?

Respek in (not verified)

at 08:04 on June 25th, 2009

yo my boy chitown kno what up, yall just trippin. white folk suburbia up in diz bizznatcH! when you aint got a rock or crumb yo gotta fight for it. dats how it be in da hood understood?

White (not verified)

at 09:55 on June 25th, 2009

Again, you're fighting each other for some fucked up sense of respect. Are you fighting people for a JOB or an EDUCATION? No, you're fighting for bullshit "respek y0" and the best corner to deal crack from. Grow the fuck up, the only people depriving you of your "rock or crumb" are the people in y0 hood y0 that would kill you for a pair of sneakers.

Respek in (not verified)

at 05:10 on June 26th, 2009

i be kinda hungry for some saltines...

its funny, you all talk about getting educated and jobs, yet all you look forward to day in and day out is mowing the yard, sitting in front of a computer, and spankin your brat kid.

enjoy the next 30 years of you bland lives honkies.

RACISTSPLZDYE (not verified)

at 10:47 on July 25th, 2009

No, whats stupid is the people that make racist comments without knowing anything about the world. If you had actually looked at the real people that went and did documentaries, reports, and took pictures of the arrest on officer patrols and went into the neighborhoods, a percent of these people were cracked out, meth smoking, hooking ass, alcoholic, caucasians, it's not always about race dumb asses! Take your aryan blood and choke on it. Hell half of the time we don't know the crimes in your neighborhoods, cause your putting them in the refridgerators and eating the evidence " Jeffrey Dahmers " and burying them in your basements, and the back of your yards, but that wasn't added in the tally's now was it! Hey speaking of rapes, did they tally in the catholic priest malasting your children everyday, or the teachers sleeping with your children, no I didn't think so. Not to mention you people politically and financially screw each other over everyday until one of your corporate American asses jump off a building, thanks for saving us the time.

Concerned one (not verified)

at 10:32 on June 25th, 2009

It appears niggers have stolen some computers.

Cinci Life (not verified)

at 09:44 on June 25th, 2009

Ummm..You are NOT gangster, your english skills are too good and you don't talk like a moron. Throwing a couple of slang words in there doesn't fool anyone.

Jackie Shipley (not verified)

at 09:52 on June 25th, 2009

wow. i live in anchorage, alaska, and the gang problem here is on the rise, but nowhere near these cities. and for the "southside chi-town dude", get a life. we NEVER have street wars, stupid. life is measured by what you make of it, not by how many ppl you rip off/hurt. get a life and make yourself worth SOMETHING.

Dave Brown (not verified)

at 09:17 on June 28th, 2009

You belong in a zoo, with all the other apes.

RUSERIOUS (not verified)

at 09:38 on June 30th, 2009

This is great! All you morons who think gangsta is cool! Really its so pathetic to see all you losers whos greatest achievement in life will be to eat your watermelon and fried chicken and sip you forties while sitting in your pathetic ghettos living on the welfare check that we the normal working people provide for you. Hey south side moron! Get a job or just go eat a bullet and do the rest of us a favor so we can start cleaning up our neighborhoods and then there will be no need to compile these statistics!

mm453506

at 21:36 on July 13th, 2009

wow, it seems like all the people on here are extremely racist. it's pathetic. "watermelon and fried chicken," wow.

DBOY (not verified)

at 13:02 on August 29th, 2009

surprised Oakland aint on the list

South Side ChiTown (not verified)

at 10:37 on June 23rd, 2009

If this covered murders and shootings Moe Town would win hands down. About 16-18 cats have gotten shot in the last two weeks as the GD's and Stones war it out in the hood. Half them hoods up there got on this list for sexual assaults, domestic violation, and child abuse..all crimes for pvssies and the scum of the earth. We keep it straight gangsta in Englewood..CVLN, BDN, GDN, MCN, LKN, and BPSN.

What an idiot (not verified)

at 19:55 on June 24th, 2009

Why don't you do me a favor...eat some lead and quit wasting my oxygen. Dipshit...

South Side ChiTown (not verified)

at 10:55 on June 23rd, 2009

This is what happens when pvssies pull stats instead of hitting the hood themselves, which of course really will never happen. Niggas in the ChiTown rank hoods by one thing and one thing only..murder.

I hang around 55th State (#2) at least three times a week. The GD's and MC's are some real brothas over their but the projects are gone and 2007 was when they were pushin wigs back; 2008 and 2009 weren't/aren't that bad.

66th Yale (#19) I don't really know about in detail. All I know is that those GD's over there are no joke, but so are the rest of the niggas on the South Side.

58th Wallace (#24) also known as Dark City is ran by the MC's with GD's on a couple of blocks. They have two flat row houses over there and they do tear holes and niggas' azzes and push wigs back. Top 25 in the country..I don't know but definitely top 25 in the city.

60 Winchester (#25) also known as J Town is ran by CVL's (my guys) but there are some Black Stones sharing the block. They all grew up together but they've been at odds lately with no one getting shot or killed. Back in the 80's J Town was decent but this hood has never been in the top100 in the city let along being 25th in the country. This is a flat joke. The Lords on 55th Damen and 55th Hoyne are in the top 20 in the Chi.

This is what happens when the white man try to explain the black man and all that he goes through in his daily life. A rough hood is a hood that you wouldn't walk through at night. From the Chi, on this list, would be number 19 and 24. You walk through there at night you might not get killed unless you're the opposition but you're definitely are going to get screened, harrassed, and shook down.

FThomas (not verified)

at 11:19 on June 24th, 2009

Seriously,

Life as you know it does not exist. I hope that you will wake up one day and really think about how your living, you need to appreciate our wonderful nation and stop being angry, it will honestly get you no where positive...

White (not verified)

at 21:21 on June 24th, 2009

"This is what happens when the white man try to explain the black man and all that he goes through in his daily life."

It's your own fault, I don't believe Da White Man came down to your "hood," put a gun in your hand and told you to kill your asshole friends. Of course, Whitey jus tryin ta keep ya down, gnomesain?

Unbelieveable (not verified)

at 07:06 on June 25th, 2009

Wow, ChiTown South Side, you're really upset that your hood isn't one of the most dangerous, aren't you? You may think murder is the only stat worthwhile, but tell that to the 115 lb woman who is gang raped by a group of your contemporaries. I've always felt very strongly about civil rights for Americans but people like you and your "homies" are a blight on society. Straight gansta? Like killing people and hanging out in liquor stores is noble or good? If it is any comfort, perhaps you will become a victim of a violent homicide while you are within the confines of your hood. This way, YOUR neighborhood might also make the top 25!!

bryantrv (not verified)

at 00:28 on June 30th, 2009

So I'm an artist and I've been thinking... I'm going to make a weapon of mass destruction... and somehow... it's going to explode a chemical into the air that will turn every single human being into the same shade of blue... so that everyone can stop being stupid little fucking complaining idiots, who are ALL getting on my goshdarn nerves... I don't care who you are or where you came from or what you abuse you had to grow up with... that doesn't make you have to fight another race off or even bring race into it... I'm a white woman, sexually abused by a white man, in a fucking suburbian town... you think I look at you in the city like it's a black thing that people are getting murdered and abused? Shut it and go turn blue or something...

And stop using all these abbreviations on an extremely public site, hardly anyone knows what you are talking about!!

BUT! On a lighter note, I do appreciate that you take the time to read and learn about the world around you. I can see that you care... so please buy into the chemical weapon of mass destruction thing, and just go do something about it... start with your "gangstas"... there is one right way to do something... and a million ways to do it wrong.. but what matters, is that you tried, and if you don't make it in the process, a million people behind you will try all the other ways until it finally happens.

matt browning (not verified)

at 15:27 on July 17th, 2009

No one gives a shit where you're from, what gang you roll with-especially since you hang outside of a goddamned liquor store, (get a life by the way ;), and don't even belong to a gang. No, the average joe does not plan on going to the 'hood', mostly because of what you dumbshits do there. Why don;t you stupid shits take a step into the real world-and hopefully a step in the right direction- because this 'respect' you seek by committing crimes is only a word and not something you will ever achieve on the road you are on thus far. Gangbangers only make it hard for themselves. You dont get food or money by killing-you get disrespect and arrested. You put your family and friends in danger for something you deem of greater value then them-the 'respect' you will never earn. Get an education, get a job, step out into the real world, and maybe you wont die at the age of 30 and live a decent-non violent- life.

Show Me State (not verified)

at 18:51 on June 23rd, 2009

Wow!!!! I live in KC and didn't know that we had two neighborhoods that were classified as "Dangerous" 6 and 8 on the list. More people need to know about what is going on in this streets.