The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Louisiana

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Louisiana For 2024

Monroe ranks as Louisiana’s most dangerous city, mostly thanks to all the violence that goes down there. Monroe had the 29th highest rape and seventh highest murder rates in Louisiana.

Overall, residents had a 1 in 36 shot of being the victim of violence over 2022. That gives Monroe the highest violent crime rate in all of Louisiana.

Monroe also experienced 662 burglaries over the year; we just hope nobody’s planning to heist the local Biedenharn Museum.

West Monroe might not be as crime-ridden as its eastern neighbor, but it’s still far from safe. Property crime here ranked as the fourth highest in Louisiana, with folks facing a 1 in 15 chance of having something stolen or damaged over 2022.

There was also an average of two violent crimes here each week. So if you’re going out for a walk at Kiroli Park, bring a buddy and get home before the sun sets.

Folks in Alexandria already know to avoid the city’s northeast side, the hotbed of its criminal activity. But they may not know that two violent crimes go down in Alexandria each day. So while there are lions and tigers and bears at The Alexandria Zoo, the really scary stuff is happening on the city’s streets.

While Alexandria doesn’t top this list, it did have the fourth highest overall crime rate, which is nearly quadruple the national average.

That’s because Alexandria had the fifth highest rate of property crime in Louisiana, with residents facing a 1 in 15 chance of having their stuff stolen or damaged in 2022.

The data is in, and Opelousas turned out to be the fourth most dangerous city in Louisiana for 2024. Once a haven of gambling and prostitution, Opelousas has had a tough time moving away from those sorts of criminal activities. You can still gamble at Evangeline Downs, but you shouldn’t brag about your winnings too much.

That’s because Opelousas is the second most violent place in Louisiana, with residents facing a 1 in 45 shout of being assaulted, robbed, raped, or outright killed.That includes the 28th highest rape and second highest murder rate statewide.

Opelousas didn’t fare much better in the property crime, considering the city also had the highest burglary rate in Louisiana. Opelousas is located about 25 miles north of Lafayette.

Hammond, the fifth most dangerous place to live in Louisiana, presents safety concerns due to its crime rate. With a population of 20,847, this city in Tangipahoa Parish experiences a significant amount of violent crime, including 256 incidents reported in 2023. These crimes consist of 0 murders, 13 rapes, 18 robberies, and 225 aggravated assaults.

Hammond also faces challenges regarding property crimes, with 1,373 incidents reported. This includes 156 burglaries, among other property-related offenses.

As one of Louisana’s oldest cities, you’d think Natchitoches would have gotten its act together by now. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the poorest places in Louisiana, with about a third of the population living below the poverty line.

It makes you wonder how many residents can actually enjoy everything on display in the historic shopping district. Apparently not many, since Natchitoches had the second highest burglary rate statewide.

Not to mention the 6 murders in 2022; enough to give Natchitoches the eighth highest murder rate in Louisiana.

You may have expected to see New Orleans higher up on this list, but it’s relatively safe as far as big cities go. Everyone knows folks in New Orleans love to have fun, what with the world-famous Mardi Gras celebrations and the eye-catching French Quarter.

But there are some troubling crime numbers here, especially when it comes to violent crime. New Orleans recorded the fourth highest rape and highest murder rate in Louisiana.

You’ll also want to make sure that you park your car in one of New Orleans’ safest neighborhoods, or you might join the 4,202 people who had their cars stolen here in 2022.

Bogalusa gets its name from a Choctaw phrase meaning “smoky water.” Located in the far eastern part of the state, near the Mississippi border, Bogalusa existed as a lumber town for much of its early history, with sawmills and, eventually, paper mills dominating the economy.

You can imagine how dangerous a sawmill could be. A sharpened metal instrument designed to cut a tree in half will make quick work of a human torso. But saw accidents fall behind crime in terms of the dangers in this area. In fact, in town of just 10,461 people, Bogalusa saw 6 homicides last year — the number 3 highest murder rate in Louisiana.

Baton Rouge, the capital city of Louisiana, is located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River in East Baton Rouge Parish. The city has seen a rise in crime, earning it the ninth most dangerous place to live in the state in 2024. With a population of 219,913, Baton Rouge has a significant number of violent crimes with 2,260 reported incidents, including 64 murders and 1,722 cases of aggravated assault.

The city also has a high property crime rate, with 12,870 reported incidents. This includes 3,109 burglaries, contributing to its overall crime rate. This alarming situation places Baton Rouge at the 14th highest position for violent crime and at the ninth position for total crime in Louisiana.

Leesville has a population of 5,502 but boasts at least four former NFL players among its one-time residents. And, just to prove it isn’t only the kind of hometown that develops great athletes, this community in a rural part of western Louisiana also served as the birthplace of Carolyn Huntoon, NASA scientist and the first woman to hold the position of director of Johnson Space Center.

So far, seems like a nice place to live, developing both brains and brawn. However, residents struggle with massive crime problem. Violence is relatively subdued, but property crime has reached epidemic proportions. This includes the number 10 highest rate of larceny in Louisiana.

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