Most Dangerous Cities in Virginia

Top 38 cities (≥10,000 pop) by highest FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 · 2024. Lead: Petersburg at 1043.6/100K.

FBI UCR Highest-Crime Snapshot: Virginia

Virginia lists 38 cities with 10,000+ population for 2024, spanning Petersburg at 1043.6/100K violent down to Vienna at 61.5/100K on this highest-crime cut. That is a 982.1/100K spread inside the elevated cohort alone, not a single statewide rate. Cohort average: 320.8 violent offenses per 100,000 residents.

Petersburg reported 350 violent and 969 property offenses on a 33,538 reporting population in 2024. Property rate 2889.3/100K sits beside the 1043.6/100K violent rate. Top five on the table: Petersburg, Portsmouth, Newport News, Roanoke, Fredericksburg.

Petersburg offense desk

Petersburg's 2024 violent book concentrates in aggravated assault (80% of 350 Part I violent offenses; mix index 6,589).

Petersburg's violent rate rose 49.1% vs 2023 (700.1 → 1043.6 per 100K) while staying #1 on this Virginia highest-crime list.

Petersburg 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 Petersburg 33,538 1043.6/100K 2889.3/100K
2 F Portsmouth 97,156 752.4/100K 3860.8/100K
3 F Newport News 183,563 736/100K 2416.1/100K
4 F Roanoke 97,027 620.4/100K 4055.6/100K
5 F Fredericksburg 29,474 603.9/100K 3070.5/100K
6 F Norfolk 230,460 469.5/100K 3772.5/100K
7 D Colonial Heights 18,605 462.2/100K 3181.9/100K
8 D Bristol 16,775 435.2/100K 3028.3/100K
9 C Martinsville 13,968 386.6/100K 1131.2/100K
10 C Hopewell 22,843 380.9/100K 2040/100K
11 C Suffolk 103,506 371/100K 1570.9/100K
12 D Danville 41,915 365/100K 2834.3/100K
13 D Charlottesville 44,844 359/100K 3191.1/100K
14 C Lynchburg 80,339 357.2/100K 1737.6/100K
15 C Chesapeake 257,248 339.4/100K 1744.2/100K
16 D Richmond 231,805 336.9/100K 3179.4/100K
17 C Front Royal 15,524 335/100K 1533.1/100K
18 B Poquoson 12,788 312.8/100K 664.7/100K
19 C Manassas 43,028 274.2/100K 1905.7/100K
20 C Harrisonburg 51,270 267.2/100K 1693/100K
21 B Leesburg 49,626 255.9/100K 1573.8/100K
22 C Hampton 138,100 247.6/100K 2882/100K
23 B Waynesboro 23,673 245/100K 1516.5/100K
24 B Herndon 25,058 239.4/100K 1795.8/100K
25 C Winchester 27,700 238.3/100K 2328.5/100K
26 C Christiansburg 22,297 224.2/100K 2596.8/100K
27 C Alexandria 155,153 219.1/100K 2640/100K
28 B Radford 17,399 212.7/100K 902.4/100K
29 B Williamsburg 16,098 198.8/100K 1205.1/100K
30 B Staunton 26,151 141.5/100K 1506.6/100K
31 C Fairfax City 25,672 128.5/100K 3303.2/100K
32 B Culpeper 21,302 122.1/100K 1675.9/100K
33 A Falls Church 14,801 101.3/100K 1520.2/100K
34 A Warrenton 10,265 97.4/100K 1285.9/100K
35 A Virginia Beach 455,155 92.3/100K 1639.9/100K
36 A Manassas Park 16,228 80.1/100K 764.1/100K
37 A Blacksburg 45,734 76.5/100K 715/100K
38 A Vienna 16,258 61.5/100K 848.8/100K

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