Detroit Named America’s Second Most Dangerous City in New Report

As soon as Detroiters start to feel like the city is on the rise, a new study comes in to remind us there’s still work to be done.

In a recent study from personal finance website WalletHub titled “Safest Cities in America,” the Motor City was ranked as the second least safe city in the U.S., just ahead of Memphis. The study compared 182 cities across 41 key safety metrics, and unfortunately, Detroit didn’t fare well in many areas.

Here’s how Detroit performed, with 1 being the safest and 91 being the national average:

165th – Traffic fatalities per capita
175th – Assaults per capita
138th – Hate crimes per capita
180th – Unemployment rate
63rd – % of households with emergency savings
72nd – % of uninsured population
100th – Natural-disaster risk level

While Detroit drives forward with ambitious citywide revitalization, its low position in national safety rankings underscores the challenges ahead. Yet, the city’s vibrant energy and rich culture outshine quieter, safer places like Burlington and South Burlington, Vermont; Casper, Wyoming; Warwick, Rhode Island; and Boise, Idaho.

The full report is available at wallethub.com.