The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Idaho

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Idaho For 2026

Garden City, Idaho is a small city with a population of around 12,956 residents. Although it is nearly surrounded by the large city of Boise, it remains a separate entity. It is one of the most dangerous cities in the state of Idaho for 2026.

Garden City ranks highest with 85 violent crimes reported in the city. There were also 186 property crimes and 148 cases of larceny. When considering its relatively small population, this makes it one of the more dangerous cities in Idaho.

Garden City is quite small, with just over four square miles of space. It is located along the Boise River and State Highway 44.

In many different surveys and reports, Pocatello is recognized as one of the most dangerous cities to live in or visit in the state of Idaho. In the 2024 reporting year, there were 930 cases of property crimes and 697 cases of larceny. This is a huge amount of crime for a town with a population of only 58,618.

Despite its level of property and total crimes, Pocatello continues to be a town that people move to. You can see views of the Rocky Mountains and many residents love to spend time in the outdoors, exploring trails and other recreational activities with friends and family.

Idaho Falls has 68,716 residents. That’s the number of people you’d find in a few choice blocks in Manhattan. Yet, for eastern Idaho, that counts as a massive urban center — complete with key cultural highlights, like the Museum of Idaho. You’ll also get a taste of nature with picturesque river walks along the Snake River.

This all comes with a cost, however. If Idaho Falls wants to be the big city in eastern Idaho, it has to deal with big-city problems. Like crime. The city experienced 245 violent crimes last year and suffers the number 6.0 highest pace of car theft in the state.

Twin Falls, Idaho is the gateway to the fascinating Snake River Canyon. It is a popular tourist spot because of all of the people that want to see the canyon. It also happens to be one of the most dangerous cities in the state.

It ranked fourth highest for violent crimes in our 2026 list. In the year 2024, there were 233 violent crimes, 174 aggravated assaults, and 630 property crimes reported this year. Twin Falls’ large and growing population of 55,932 residents combined with the thousands of seasonal tourists that spend time in the area each year make good targets for criminals.

Chubbuck is located north of Pocatello, Idaho and is the home to the largest tennis court in East Idaho, known as the Osborn Tennis Complex. What often is overlooked in this small, otherwise peaceful community is the crime rate. The area has a problem specifically with property crimes.

In 2024, the small town of just 16,600 residents reported 391 larceny cases and 446 property crimes. This accounts for a large 2,686/100k. This means that for 2026, Chubbuck ranks highest for property crimes and highest for total crimes committed in 2026. Having additional protections on your car and home would be well worth it if you live in this dangerous city.

The College of Idaho is located in Caldwell, making it a bustling college town full of young people and an active community full of restaurants and things to do. Its large and growing population of 71,115 makes it the 4th in population size.

It has been frequently recognized as one of the most dangerous cities in Idaho. Its previous rank was 9th. In 2026, it ranks third highest after it reported 322 violent crimes in 2024. 695 property crimes and 524 larceny cases were also reported.

While it is one of the more dangerous cities in Idaho, Caldwell is not one of the most dangerous cities in the United States.

Payette, Idaho has a disproportionate problem with rape. In 2026, it ranks 19th for the number of rape cases filed in the state. This translates to 2 cases reported in 2024. While this may not seem like a lot, Payette is a very small town with only 8,790 residents. This might explain why it has a slightly declining population rate.

The area has a general lack of employment, particularly in good paying jobs. There is a large number of minimum wage jobs available, if they haven’t already been filled by other residents. This can be a contributing factor for crime.

It is located about an hour away from Boise.

If you are looking to move to a new city in Idaho, Lewiston might not be the best place to buy or rent a home. While there are many positive things about the city, it is among the most dangerous cities in Idaho in 2026.

In 2024, it had 102 burglary cases and 460 property crimes. This leads to its status as the sixth highest in total crime and the fourth highest in property crime. For a population the size of 35,036, this is an alarming rate of crime for residents to be concerned with protecting themselves from.

Lewiston is a relatively affordable place to live in Idaho.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Idaho FAQs

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No, Idaho is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #5 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Idaho ranks 42nd most dangerous in the United States — 34.4% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Gem State ranks 48th most dangerous in the United States — 43.11% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.

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No, Meridian is not a dangerous city. Meridian ranks as the #3 safest out of 328 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Meridian might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Meridian ranks 302nd highest in America — 74.64% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 326th highest in the United States — 76.88% better than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.

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