The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Indiana

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Indiana For 2024

Home to the University of Notre Dame and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, South Bend is the most dangerous place to live in Indiana for 2024.

South Bend is not a great place to leave the door to your house or car unlocked, seeing as the city had the fourth highest burglary rate in Indiana and 571 car thefts recorded in 2022.

The bigger issue, though, is violent crime — folks in South Bend had a 1 in 57 chance of being the victim of an attack over the year, representing the highest worst violent crime rate in Indiana.

Which kind of makes South Bend’s motto — “Peace” — seem like a wish rather than a reflection of the current state of affairs.

From the outside, it doesn’t seem scary. Located along the Wabash River, just east of the Illinois border, Terre Haute sits in the middle of rural Indiana. It provides the home to educational and cultural institutions, like the Indiana State University and the Swope Art Museum.

Yet, don’t let the amenities or the rural surroundings fool you. This ranks as the number 2 most dangerous community in Indiana. This includes a high rate of burglaries, with 694 such crimes in a city with 58,507 people. Terre Haute also experiences high numbers of arsons and car thefts.

Indiana’s third-biggest city, Evansville, goes by “Pocket City.” However, we think that “Pickpocket City” would be a more apt nickname, given that Evansville had 3,250 larceny cases in 2022.

Overall, Evansville residents had a 1 in 26 chance of being the victim of a property crime over the year. So definitely keep your winnings quiet after a big night out at Tropicana Casino.

Unfortunately, it’s not just small-time crime in Evansville — the city also had the eighth highest rate of rape cases in Indiana.

Indianapolis is the biggest city in Indiana. As such, it comes with its share of amenities. You can enjoy NBA and NFL games. Or, if you have a more artsy sensibility, you can go to Newfields, an art museum and nature park. Plenty to do. Just make sure you check your wallet and stay out of dark alleys.

Indianapolis isn’t just the state capital. It’s the capital of certain types of crimes. It suffers the number 3.0 highest pace of robberies in Indiana. Residents also have to worry about the 208 murders that happen in a year.

Situated a half-hour south of Chicago, Hammond “earned” its position on this list thanks to steadily high rates of both property and violent crime.

Hammond had the tenth highest murder rate in Indiana, logging 15 murders over 2022. Overall, the city reported 512 violent crimes over the year.

Don’t go showing off your winnings from Horseshoe Hammond Casino while you’re here because Hammond also saw 2,049 larceny cases over the year.

Elkhart, the sixth most dangerous place to live in Indiana, is plagued by high crime rates and a concerning level of violence. With a population of 53,947, this city in Elkhart County has experienced 575 violent crimes, including 8 murders, 41 rapes, 57 robberies, and 469 aggravated assaults. The property crime rate is also alarmingly high, with 1,538 reported incidents, including 300 burglaries.

Located east of South Bend and about 100 miles east of Chicago, Elkhart is strategically located within Indiana. By prioritizing crime prevention strategies and enhancing law enforcement efforts, there is hope for a safer future for the residents of Elkhart.

Michigan City, located in LaPorte County, Indiana, ranks as the seventh most dangerous place to live in the state for 2024. The city’s crime statistics reveal a concerning level of criminal activity, contributing to its reputation as a dangerous location.

However, it is essential to note that while Michigan City may currently face these challenges, there is potential for improvement through dedicated efforts. By addressing the underlying factors contributing to crime and fostering a safe environment, the city can work towards creating a better future for its residents. With these initiatives, Michigan City can strive towards becoming a safer place to live in Indiana.

It’s kind of a known thing that Gary, a former Mecca for manufacturing, has seen better days. It topped our list of Indiana’s worst places to live and one study even named it the most miserable city in America.

To quote a DEA agent, “we used to be the murder capital of the US, but there is hardly anybody left to kill. We used to be the drug capital of the US, but for that you need money, and there aren’t jobs or things to steal here.”

Unfortunately, he was a bit off the mark — Gary still has the highest murder rate in Indiana, averaging more than one per week in 2022. That’s a rate three times higher than in East Chicago, the place with the second-highest murder rate in Indiana.

And while there might not be as much to steal, that hasn’t stopped Gary’s criminals, who contributed to the city having the second highest burglary rate in Indiana.

Just across the Ohio River, you’ll find Louisville, Kentucky’s major metropolitan center. That makes New Albany a suburb of sorts. As such, you’ve got access to a significant number of amenities. These range from cultural stops, like the Carnegie Center for Art & History, to nature hikes, like you’ll find at the Loop Island Wetlands.

But you’ll also have to deal with some of the crime associated with urban sprawl. This factor makes New Albany the number 9 most dangerous location in Indiana. Violence remains under control for the most part. However, residents deal with high rates of property crime, including enormous numbers of car thefts and larcenies given the overall population in the area.

Located about 45 minutes northwest of Indianapolis, Anderson comes in as the tenth most dangerous place to live in Indiana.

Anderson averaged more than one rape case per week in 2022, giving the city the second highest rate of rape cases in the state.

While you can enjoy a lovely day out hiking at Mounds State Park, you should definitely triple lock your house before going out, considering Anderson also had the 14th highest burglary rate in Indiana.

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