Most Dangerous Cities in West Virginia

Top 12 cities (≥10,000 pop) by highest FBI UCR violent crime rate per 100,000 · 2024. Lead: Wheeling at 982.6/100K.

FBI UCR Highest-Crime Snapshot: West Virginia

West Virginia lists 12 cities with 10,000+ population for 2024, spanning Wheeling at 982.6/100K violent down to Weirton at 137.7/100K on this highest-crime cut. That is a 844.9/100K spread inside the elevated cohort alone, not a single statewide rate. Cohort average: 441.5 violent offenses per 100,000 residents.

Wheeling reported 255 violent and 517 property offenses on a 25,951 reporting population in 2024. Property rate 1992.2/100K sits beside the 982.6/100K violent rate. Top five on the table: Wheeling, Huntington, Beckley, Charleston, Fairmont.

Wheeling offense desk

Wheeling's 2024 violent book concentrates in aggravated assault (89% of 255 Part I violent offenses; mix index 7,985).

Wheeling's violent rate fell 1.0% vs 2023 (992.2 → 982.6 per 100K) while staying #1 on this West Virginia highest-crime list.

Wheeling 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 Wheeling 25,951 982.6/100K 1992.2/100K
2 F Huntington 44,860 800.3/100K 3602.3/100K
3 F Beckley 16,367 604.9/100K 7912.3/100K
4 F Charleston 46,252 542.7/100K 3119.9/100K
5 D Fairmont 18,066 520.3/100K 1322.9/100K
6 F South Charleston 13,098 488.6/100K 5519.9/100K
7 C Clarksburg 15,316 372.2/100K 2219.9/100K
8 C Parkersburg 28,815 260.3/100K 3217.1/100K
9 C St. Albans 10,245 224.5/100K 2088.8/100K
10 B Morgantown 30,510 209.8/100K 1960/100K
11 C Vienna 10,397 153.9/100K 3308.6/100K
12 A Weirton 18,151 137.7/100K 330.6/100K

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