Statistically, Washington is a very safe place to call home (as well as the best place, in our opinion). But no matter what city or town you live in, you’ll certainly encounter crime now and then  – it happens everywhere, unfortunately. Recently, RoadSnacks compiled the most recent FBI data on property crime and violent crime and came up with a list of the most dangerous cities in Washington. That being said, these cities are all still great places to live, so if you call one of them home, we wouldn’t worry. Wherever you reside, just lock your doors, be aware of your surroundings, and enjoy life in the amazing PNW. Let’s take a look at the highest crime rates in Washington state

1. Fife
Fife, WA, USA
Curtis Cronn/Flickr
Fife is a small community with a population of about 10,300. It does have a bit of a rough-and-tumble reputation, and it's the most dangerous city in terms of violent crime. It has the highest murder rate in the state, and for a place so small, that's pretty concerning.

Get an aerial view of Fife:

2. Tukwila
Tukwila, WA, USA
jpellgen / Flickr
Poor Tukwila. It seems to top this list every year. But with residents facing a 1 in 6 chance of being a property crime victim and a 1 in 137 chance of being the victim of a violent crime, there's nowhere else for it to go. It has the third-highest incidence of reported rapes in Washington.
3. Tacoma
Tacoma, WA, USA
Atomic Taco/Flickr
Tacoma is a pretty happy city, and it's thriving - people are moving there in droves. Unfortunately, its violent crime rates come in relatively high, with residents having a 1 in 118 chance of being a victim of violence. Its violent crime rate is three times as high in Tacoma as it is in the rest of the state.

Take a driving tour through downtown Tacoma:

4. Toppenish
Toppenish, WA 98948, USA
Jasperdo / Flickr
Toppenish is the fourth most dangerous city in Washington overall, but that might change soon. While violent crime here ranks 19th in the state, property crime rates have steadily decreased over the years.
5. Seattle
Seattle, WA, USA
Michael Gwyther-Jones / Flickr
Seattle is our largest city, and it's a delight to visit if you ask us. However, if you look at the statistics, both violent crime and property crime rates have decreased in recent years - and unlike sensation-selling outlets, facts don't lie. That being said, there's also no denying that 1 in 147 of Seattle's residents was the victim of a crime in 2018, which is fairly substantial, so be very alert when you visit.

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6. Spokane
Spokane, WA, USA
Orin Blomberg/Flickr
Spokane might be Near Nature, Near Perfect, but that doesn't mean life here is idyllic. Both violent and property crimes have been increasing at a troubling speed over the past few years, but if you call the Lilac City home, don't worry - most people will agree that it's still a safe place to live.
7. Union Gap
Union Gap, WA 98903, USA
Union Gap, WA/Facebook
Union Gap comes in at #7 this year, thanks to its low population (6,206) and having the third overall highest property crime rate in the state of Washington. This doesn't mean we don't still love it, though!
8. SeaTac
SeaTac, WA, USA
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Located nearby the Seattle-Tacoma National Airport, SeaTac is a cute little place with a bad rep. Robberies and car thefts are the crimes committed most often here, and it's the 11th most dangerous town overall when it comes to violent crime.
9. Shelton
Shelton, WA 98584, USA
Lisa Cress/Google
Shelton is located in Mason County near the Hood Canal. The city's property crime rankings definitely outweigh the violence risks, but it's still considered the 9th most dangerous city for violent crimes, which is one spot better than the previous year.
10. Lakewood
Lakewood, WA, USA
Chuck Abbe / Flickr
Lakewood locals have a 1 in 161 chance of being the victim of violence (as of 2020). However, both violent crime and property crime rates have fallen in recent years, a trend that will hopefully continue.

What did you think of the most dangerous cities in Washington? Did your city make the list of the worst cities in Washington? Let us know in the comments. It seems as if, on a whole, both violent crime and property crime rates are slowly but surely falling in the Evergreen State. And believe it or not, this is actually a safe place to be when it comes to natural disasters as well.

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More to Explore

Most Dangerous Cities in Washington

Tori Jane | August 06, 2022

What are the most dangerous towns in Washington? 

The most dangerous towns in Washington include:

  • Fife
  • Toppenish
  • Union Gap

 

In this case, we’ll define towns as places with 15,000 people or fewer. At the time of this writing, some of the most dangerous towns in Washington include the town of Fife, which is a suburb of Tacoma. It has a population of 10,301 people and still experienced four murders in 2020, which is a lot (relatively speaking). Toppenish is another dangerous town in Washington, with a population of 8,792 that saw 6.48 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in 2020. Another less safe place in Washington state is Union Gap, a town of just over 6,200 that saw 3.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents in 2020.  

What are some dangerous places to avoid in Washington?  

Some dangerous places to avoid in Washington include:

  • Most places at night when alone.

 

Technically, Washington is one of the more dangerous states in the United States, ranking as #18 in terms of overall crime. It’s got the fourth-highest rate of property crime in the United States, too, but don’t let that scare you away entirely. There are no parts of Washington you must avoid outright; instead, use the buddy system and choose safety or simply visit during the day (or both, which you really ought to be doing anyway). Sure, there are towns listed here with higher crime rates than average, but they aren’t without their positive bits and sights worth seeing.  

What are the most dangerous cities in Washington?  

The most dangerous cities in Washington include:

  • Tukwila
  • Tacoma
  • Seattle
  • Spokane
  • Lakewood

 

Since we defined towns as places with 15,000 people or fewer, we’ll define cities as anywhere with more than 15,000 residents. Washington is a populous state with several large and medium-sized cities, and typically, those places tend to outdo the smaller towns when it comes to crime. In Washington’s case, though, the small town of Fife takes first place while second place is the city of Tukwila, which has a population of 20,483 and a 1 in six chance of being a victim of property crime. Another dangerous city in Washington is the larger metropolitan areas like Tacoma, Seattle, Spokane, and Lakewood.  

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