No state is immune to the problems of the world, and we like to keep our readers as informed as possible, even with negative news, like the following list of most dangerous cities in Oklahoma! Every year, the FBI releases the latest crime data for each of the 50 states, and Oklahoma ranked the 17th most dangerous state in the country. Keep scrolling to view the 10 cities we can thank for this less-than-desirable ranking.
- Tulsa
JustTulsa/Flickr The second-largest city in the state, Tulsa, comes in first place for the most dangerous city in the state. Residents have a 1 in 88 chance of being the victim of violence. There were 4,407 burglaries in Tulsa in 2021. Tulsa, OK, USA
- Idabel
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr As the smallest city to make the list, Idabel’s property crime has increased every year since 2017, making it the 2nd most dangerous city in Oklahoma. Its overall crime rate is the highest in the state when population is considered.
- Anadarko
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Anadarko climbed the dangerous ladder quite a bit this year. Last year they ranked 14th, and this year they are at the top of the list at #3. Violent and property crimes nearly tripled this year, so be careful if you visit this town.
- Ardmore
Adam Moss/Flickr Ardmore’s crime has not improved this year, making it the 6th most dangerous city when it comes to crime per capita in the state versus its previously ranking as #7 in recent years. With almost 25,000 residents, there were 869 violent crimes per 100,000 residents - which, if you do the math involved, places it unusually high when compared to the rest of the Sooner State.
- Ponca City
Warren Brown/Flickr Surprisingly, Ponca City located in northern Oklahoma, ranked the 8th most dangerous city in the state. They have the 7th worst rate of property crime in the state, but the good news is they had a 52% drop in violent crime between 2017-2018… though this trend does not appear to have continued beyond that. Oof.
- Hugo
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr With a population of just over 5,000 residents, Hugo actually comes in 4th place for overall crime, but its lower than average violent crime rate (14th worst in Oklahoma) bumps it to #6 on this list. The most commonly-reported crimes in Hugo are arson and larceny.
- Pauls Valley
Adam Moss/Flickr Residents of Pauls Valley have high chances of being the victim of a property crime, making it the 7th most dangerous city in the state in terms of sheer numbers when juxtaposed with population. The good news is it’s actually the least violent place on this list! Your main concern here would be burglary.
- Del City
Dcheagle/Wikipedia Just a few miles east of Oklahoma City is Del City - ranked as the 8th most dangerous city in the state thanks to its high rate of violent crime. On a positive note, this has been on the decline this past year; it’s down five spots from last year!
- Muskogee
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Muskogee has been making great strides in recent years, dropping in overall crime. It’s ranked as the most dangerous city in the state when it comes to violent crime, with residents facing a 1 in 82 chance of becoming a victim of rape, assault, or murder.
- Oklahoma City
Mike Trimble/Flickr The largest city in the state, Oklahoma City, comes in last place on the list (again). Property crime is still higher than we would like to see but it does have much less violent crime than Tulsa.
In case you’re curious, here are the safest cities in Oklahoma:
JustTulsa/Flickr
The second-largest city in the state, Tulsa, comes in first place for the most dangerous city in the state. Residents have a 1 in 88 chance of being the victim of violence. There were 4,407 burglaries in Tulsa in 2021.
Tulsa, OK, USA
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
As the smallest city to make the list, Idabel’s property crime has increased every year since 2017, making it the 2nd most dangerous city in Oklahoma. Its overall crime rate is the highest in the state when population is considered.
Anadarko climbed the dangerous ladder quite a bit this year. Last year they ranked 14th, and this year they are at the top of the list at #3. Violent and property crimes nearly tripled this year, so be careful if you visit this town.
Adam Moss/Flickr
Ardmore’s crime has not improved this year, making it the 6th most dangerous city when it comes to crime per capita in the state versus its previously ranking as #7 in recent years. With almost 25,000 residents, there were 869 violent crimes per 100,000 residents - which, if you do the math involved, places it unusually high when compared to the rest of the Sooner State.
Warren Brown/Flickr
Surprisingly, Ponca City located in northern Oklahoma, ranked the 8th most dangerous city in the state. They have the 7th worst rate of property crime in the state, but the good news is they had a 52% drop in violent crime between 2017-2018… though this trend does not appear to have continued beyond that. Oof.
With a population of just over 5,000 residents, Hugo actually comes in 4th place for overall crime, but its lower than average violent crime rate (14th worst in Oklahoma) bumps it to #6 on this list. The most commonly-reported crimes in Hugo are arson and larceny.
Residents of Pauls Valley have high chances of being the victim of a property crime, making it the 7th most dangerous city in the state in terms of sheer numbers when juxtaposed with population. The good news is it’s actually the least violent place on this list! Your main concern here would be burglary.
Dcheagle/Wikipedia
Just a few miles east of Oklahoma City is Del City - ranked as the 8th most dangerous city in the state thanks to its high rate of violent crime. On a positive note, this has been on the decline this past year; it’s down five spots from last year!
Muskogee has been making great strides in recent years, dropping in overall crime. It’s ranked as the most dangerous city in the state when it comes to violent crime, with residents facing a 1 in 82 chance of becoming a victim of rape, assault, or murder.
Mike Trimble/Flickr
The largest city in the state, Oklahoma City, comes in last place on the list (again). Property crime is still higher than we would like to see but it does have much less violent crime than Tulsa.
- Lone Grove (Pop. 5,111)
- Blanchard (Pop. 9,028)
- Piedmont (Pop. 8,553)
Check out the FBI study on RoadSnacks to view how these cities were determined the most dangerous, and what math/stats were used (and why).
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Oklahoma, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Most Dangerous Cities in Oklahoma August 03, 2022 Tori Jane What are some of the most dangerous towns in Oklahoma? Oklahoma is a really beautiful state. There are some truly amazing state parks in Oklahoma, and life in Oklahoma really is just the best. But, unfortunately, like anywhere else, Oklahoma is not without its less inviting places. Some of the towns in Oklahoma are considered downright dangerous if you look at the statistics; among the most dangerous towns in Oklahoma at the time of this writing are places like Tulsa, Idabel, Anadarko, Ardmore, Ponca City, Hugo, and Pauls Valley. Now, don’t get us wrong – each of these places are lovely by day. Just use extra caution when traveling alone at night. What are the dangers of living in Oklahoma? Oklahoma typically isn’t any more dangerous than most places, but it does have a few factors that stick out in terms of being dangerous. Some of the dangers of living in Oklahoma include things like severe weather; Oklahoma is quite infamous for its tornadoes, which it typically gets in spring and sometimes summer. These storms can be incredibly destructive and outright deadly; the last EF5 tornado was in 2013 in Oklahoma. Other dangers of living in Oklahoma include heat waves, which tend to kill often when folks are caught unaware, and wildfires, which have been getting more serious over the last ten years or so. Finally, traffic accidents are another risk of living in the Sooner State. What are some dangerous places to avoid in Oklahoma? Let’s be perfectly real here for a moment: in theory, you shouldn’t have to avoid anywhere in Oklahoma. It’s one of the most beautiful states in the country, and we think you’ll love it as much as we do. But, like anywhere else, it has places where you might not want to be caught walking outside alone – and places where you ought to lock your doors. But, honestly, it’s that way everywhere – and the odds are still in your favor. If you’re afraid of tornadoes, though, definitely avoid the Moore area completely. Locals will know why.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Most Dangerous Cities in Oklahoma
August 03, 2022
Tori Jane
What are some of the most dangerous towns in Oklahoma? Oklahoma is a really beautiful state. There are some truly amazing state parks in Oklahoma, and life in Oklahoma really is just the best. But, unfortunately, like anywhere else, Oklahoma is not without its less inviting places. Some of the towns in Oklahoma are considered downright dangerous if you look at the statistics; among the most dangerous towns in Oklahoma at the time of this writing are places like Tulsa, Idabel, Anadarko, Ardmore, Ponca City, Hugo, and Pauls Valley. Now, don’t get us wrong – each of these places are lovely by day. Just use extra caution when traveling alone at night. What are the dangers of living in Oklahoma? Oklahoma typically isn’t any more dangerous than most places, but it does have a few factors that stick out in terms of being dangerous. Some of the dangers of living in Oklahoma include things like severe weather; Oklahoma is quite infamous for its tornadoes, which it typically gets in spring and sometimes summer. These storms can be incredibly destructive and outright deadly; the last EF5 tornado was in 2013 in Oklahoma. Other dangers of living in Oklahoma include heat waves, which tend to kill often when folks are caught unaware, and wildfires, which have been getting more serious over the last ten years or so. Finally, traffic accidents are another risk of living in the Sooner State. What are some dangerous places to avoid in Oklahoma? Let’s be perfectly real here for a moment: in theory, you shouldn’t have to avoid anywhere in Oklahoma. It’s one of the most beautiful states in the country, and we think you’ll love it as much as we do. But, like anywhere else, it has places where you might not want to be caught walking outside alone – and places where you ought to lock your doors. But, honestly, it’s that way everywhere – and the odds are still in your favor. If you’re afraid of tornadoes, though, definitely avoid the Moore area completely. Locals will know why.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Oklahoma is a really beautiful state. There are some truly amazing state parks in Oklahoma, and life in Oklahoma really is just the best. But, unfortunately, like anywhere else, Oklahoma is not without its less inviting places. Some of the towns in Oklahoma are considered downright dangerous if you look at the statistics; among the most dangerous towns in Oklahoma at the time of this writing are places like Tulsa, Idabel, Anadarko, Ardmore, Ponca City, Hugo, and Pauls Valley. Now, don’t get us wrong – each of these places are lovely by day. Just use extra caution when traveling alone at night.
What are the dangers of living in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma typically isn’t any more dangerous than most places, but it does have a few factors that stick out in terms of being dangerous. Some of the dangers of living in Oklahoma include things like severe weather; Oklahoma is quite infamous for its tornadoes, which it typically gets in spring and sometimes summer. These storms can be incredibly destructive and outright deadly; the last EF5 tornado was in 2013 in Oklahoma. Other dangers of living in Oklahoma include heat waves, which tend to kill often when folks are caught unaware, and wildfires, which have been getting more serious over the last ten years or so. Finally, traffic accidents are another risk of living in the Sooner State.
What are some dangerous places to avoid in Oklahoma?
Let’s be perfectly real here for a moment: in theory, you shouldn’t have to avoid anywhere in Oklahoma. It’s one of the most beautiful states in the country, and we think you’ll love it as much as we do. But, like anywhere else, it has places where you might not want to be caught walking outside alone – and places where you ought to lock your doors. But, honestly, it’s that way everywhere – and the odds are still in your favor. If you’re afraid of tornadoes, though, definitely avoid the Moore area completely. Locals will know why.
