Most Dangerous Cities in Iowa

Top 37 cities (≥10,000 pop) by highest FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 · 2024. Lead: Fort Dodge at 1061.1/100K.

FBI UCR Highest-Crime Snapshot: Iowa

Iowa lists 37 cities with 10,000+ population for 2024, spanning Fort Dodge at 1061.1/100K violent down to Carroll at 39.5/100K on this highest-crime cut. That is a 1021.6/100K spread inside the elevated cohort alone, not a single statewide rate. Cohort average: 268.1 violent offenses per 100,000 residents.

Fort Dodge reported 260 violent and 783 property offenses on a 24,502 reporting population in 2024. Property rate 3195.7/100K sits beside the 1061.1/100K violent rate. Top five on the table: Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Davenport, Sioux City, Waterloo.

Fort Dodge offense desk

Fort Dodge's 2024 violent book concentrates in aggravated assault (80% of 260 Part I violent offenses; mix index 6,689).

Fort Dodge's violent rate rose 55.1% vs 2023 (684.1 → 1061.1 per 100K) while staying #1 on this Iowa highest-crime list.

Fort Dodge violent offense mix (2024)

Mix index is HHI × 10,000 on Part I violent shares for the #1 city only, distinct from the per-100K ranking table.

# Grade City Population Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate
1 F Fort Dodge 24,502 1061.1/100K 3195.7/100K
2 F Des Moines 209,245 703/100K 3126.5/100K
3 F Davenport 99,926 581.4/100K 3540.6/100K
4 F Sioux City 85,711 555.4/100K 3324/100K
5 D Waterloo 66,385 476/100K 2444.8/100K
6 D Council Bluffs 62,269 420.8/100K 2452.3/100K
7 C Burlington 23,444 413.8/100K 1825.6/100K
8 C Dubuque 58,620 400.9/100K 1434.7/100K
9 D Ottumwa 25,185 397.1/100K 2616.6/100K
10 C Newton 15,611 384.3/100K 1390/100K
11 C Clinton 24,171 359.9/100K 2726.4/100K
12 C Iowa City 75,934 321.3/100K 1673.8/100K
13 C Marshalltown 27,576 297.4/100K 1773.3/100K
14 C Storm Lake 11,494 287.1/100K 1679.1/100K
15 B Indianola 16,104 273.2/100K 1471.7/100K
16 C Cedar Rapids 135,363 261.5/100K 2689.1/100K
17 B Muscatine 23,208 245.6/100K 1228/100K
18 C Mason City 26,786 224/100K 2322.1/100K
19 B Clive 19,124 209.2/100K 1166.1/100K
20 A Ankeny 76,547 165.9/100K 1021.6/100K
21 B West Des Moines 73,335 165/100K 1714.1/100K
22 B Ames 65,426 148.3/100K 1505.5/100K
23 B Altoona 22,422 142.7/100K 2011.4/100K
24 A Waukee 34,520 141.9/100K 640.2/100K
25 A Waverly 10,611 141.4/100K 885.9/100K
26 A Oskaloosa 11,419 140.1/100K 902/100K
27 B Coralville 24,033 133.2/100K 2063.8/100K
28 A Marion 42,420 122.6/100K 497.4/100K
29 A Pella 10,940 109.7/100K 950.6/100K
30 A Norwalk 15,588 109.1/100K 179.6/100K
31 A Bettendorf 40,105 104.7/100K 867.7/100K
32 A Le Mars 10,624 94.1/100K 922.4/100K
33 A Urbandale 47,119 89.1/100K 634.6/100K
34 A Johnston 24,819 76.6/100K 749.4/100K
35 A+ North Liberty 21,635 69.3/100K 397.5/100K
36 A Spencer 11,501 52.2/100K 991.2/100K
37 A Carroll 10,118 39.5/100K 978.5/100K

Iowa overview · Safest cities · National most dangerous cities · Methodology - FBI UCR Part I rates; cities ≥10,000 pop; 2024.