Everything is not ‘okie dokie’ in Oklahoma’s most dangerous cities.
We’re not talking about the kind of problems that give Ada’s hometown hero, Blake Shelton, sad lyrics for his country songs. We’re talking about the kind of danger that has landed Oklahoma as the 12th most dangerous state in the country.
We consulted the numbers and analyzed 75 cities with over 5,000 residents. The FBI’s latest crime report provides data on violent and property crime per capita statistics, which we ordered from highest to lowest. We discovered that Oklahoma’s violent and property crime rates are most felt in the areas around Tulsa and Muskogee.
942 violent crimes /100k · 3,627 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Wagoner County, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s second biggest city and the cultural center of the state’s northeast, Tulsa ranks as the most dangerous place to live in Oklahoma for 2026. Tulsa had the third highest violent crime rate in Oklahoma, recording 39 murders in 2024.
Overall, residents had a 1 in 106 chance of being the victim of a robbery, rape, assault, or murder. That’s a good enough reason to stay buddied up when you’re in Tulsa’s worst neighborhoods.
Property crime is also a big deal in Tulsa, especially burglaries. There were 3,073 burglaries in 2024 overall, giving the city the fifth highest burglary rate statewide. We just hope there’s enough security at the Philbrook Museum of Art to stop any would-be heisters.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,141 violent crimes /100k · 3,106 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Carter County, Oklahoma
Ardmore’s crime rate became much higher since last year, landing it in the #2 spot for 2026. Violent crime went up, and property crime rose too, in recent years — not a great combo.
Ardmore ended up with the highest violent crime rate in Oklahoma thanks to these gains. That works out to about four violent crimes per week, with the majority being aggravated assaults.
So if you don’t want to end up the protagonist of a horror movie, bring a friend (or a few) with you when you go out for a hike at Lake Murray State Park.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
987 violent crimes /100k · 2,949 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
You’d think having a castle and a submarine around, Muskogee would have its bases covered in preventing crime, but it doesn’t.
Muskogee ranked as the second most violent place in Oklahoma, with residents facing a 1 in 101 chance of being the victim of a robbery, rape, assault, or murder in 2024. A lot of that comes from Muskogee having the tenth highest rate of rape cases statewide.
If that doesn’t sound bad enough, consider that Muskogee also averaged one burglary a day over 2024 — truly, nowhere is safe in Muskogee.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
525 violent crimes /100k · 3,149 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
You won’t find Del City anywhere on our list of Oklahoma City’s best suburbs, and crime is a big reason why.
Del City had the tenth highest violent crime rate in Oklahoma. Residents had a staggering 1 in 190 shot of being the victim of a violent attack in 2024.
Add to that 666 property crimes over the year, and you’ve got a recipe for a full plate for the Del City Police Department.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
506 violent crimes /100k · 3,154 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Sequoyah County, Oklahoma
Sallisaw, located in Sequoyah County, is the fifth most dangerous place to live in Oklahoma. The city, which has a population of 8,688, has a troubling violent crime rate of 506/100k per capita. This includes 44 incidents of violent crime.
Historically an integral part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas”Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, Sallisaw’s safety issues starkly contrast its rich history and cultural significance.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
676 violent crimes /100k · 2,893 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma
Oklahoma City’s crime numbers actually fell a bit over the last year, despite it holding onto a spot on this list. That’s just because other cities in Oklahoma are improving faster than the capital city.
Still, residents have to contend with the fifth highest violent crime rate in Oklahoma. That includes more than one murder each week and more than one rape each day. Not exactly part of the Wild West image Oklahoma City was going for with the National Cowboy and Western Museum.
As for property crime, Oklahoma City recorded more than ten car thefts each day on average, and 20,528 property crimes overall. However, as OKC is the state’s biggest city, there are obviously some rougher areas, but if you stick to Oklahoma City’s best neighborhoods, you should be safe.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
820 violent crimes /100k · 2,653 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Comanche County, Oklahoma
The city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the State of Oklahoma. Located in southwestern Oklahoma, about 87mi southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton, Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, Lawton’s population was 96,867, making it the fifth-largest city in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
606 violent crimes /100k · 2,514 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Caddo County, Oklahoma
Anadarko got its name by accident. The town was supposed to be named after the Nadaco band of Native Americans. However, somewhere in the process of getting its first post office, someone added an “A” to the front of the word.
Not an auspicious start. But this community in central Oklahoma, about 50 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, has other problems to worry about than the history of its name. It also stands as the number 8 most dangerous spot in the state. The town suffers high rates of larceny and burglary, as well as a scary pace of violent crimes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
395 violent crimes /100k · 3,218 property crimes /100k · #19 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Okmulgee County, Oklahoma
Located about 40 miles south of Tulsa, Okmulgee comes in as Oklahoma’s ninth most dangerous city for 2026. Okmulgee is not the sort of place you can leave your doors unlocked, considering it had the fourth highest burglary rate statewide.
You also have to keep a close eye on your catch after a day fishing on Okmulgee Lake, seeing as Okmulgee recorded a theft each and every day on average.
Okmulgee also had the 57th highest murder rate in Oklahoma, so it’s more than just picked pockets and broken windows going down here.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
382 violent crimes /100k · 3,463 property crimes /100k · #21 most violent in Oklahoma
Located in
Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
Warr Acres, located in Oklahoma County, has earned the reputation of being one of the most dangerous places to live in the state. With a population of 10,482, this city has experienced a concerning crime rate, making safety a significant concern for its residents.
In terms of violent crime, Warr Acres has recorded 40 incidents, including 0 murder cases, 6 rapes, 6 robberies, and 28 aggravated assaults. Additionally, property crime has been a prevalent issue, with 363 reported cases, including 37 burglaries.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Oklahoma’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Oklahoma
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Oklahoma for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Oklahoma. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Oklahoma, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Oklahoma.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Oklahoma cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 75 cities in Oklahoma.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 75 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Oklahoma — Tulsa. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Oklahoma and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Oklahoma
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulsa | 2.00 | 411,310 | 4,569 | 942 | 3,627 | 39 |
| 2 | Ardmore | 4.00 | 24,886 | 4,247 | 1,141 | 3,106 | 2 |
| 3 | Muskogee | 5.50 | 36,898 | 3,935 | 987 | 2,949 | 4 |
| 4 | Del City | 7.50 | 21,151 | 3,674 | 525 | 3,149 | 1 |
| 5 | Sallisaw | 8.00 | 8,688 | 3,660 | 506 | 3,154 | 1 |
| 6 | Oklahoma City | 8.00 | 709,456 | 3,569 | 676 | 2,893 | 73 |
| 7 | Lawton | 9.50 | 90,209 | 3,473 | 820 | 2,653 | 9 |
| 8 | Anadarko | 11.00 | 5,449 | 3,120 | 606 | 2,514 | 0 |
| 9 | Okmulgee | 11.00 | 11,405 | 3,612 | 395 | 3,218 | 0 |
| 10 | Warr Acres | 11.50 | 10,482 | 3,845 | 382 | 3,463 | 0 |
| 11 | Miami | 11.50 | 12,836 | 3,381 | 514 | 2,867 | 1 |
| 12 | Ponca City | 12.00 | 24,286 | 3,080 | 576 | 2,503 | 2 |
| 13 | Shawnee | 13.00 | 31,966 | 3,344 | 501 | 2,844 | 1 |
| 14 | Enid | 14.00 | 50,382 | 2,922 | 538 | 2,384 | 0 |
| 15 | Grove | 18.00 | 7,409 | 3,334 | 297 | 3,037 | 0 |
| 16 | Poteau | 19.50 | 9,161 | 3,231 | 295 | 2,936 | 0 |
| 17 | Pryor Creek | 20.50 | 9,697 | 2,681 | 433 | 2,248 | 3 |
| 18 | McAlester | 21.00 | 18,134 | 2,741 | 369 | 2,371 | 1 |
| 19 | Wagoner | 21.50 | 8,630 | 2,677 | 429 | 2,248 | 0 |
| 20 | Durant | 21.50 | 20,850 | 3,376 | 269 | 3,108 | 1 |
| 21 | Blackwell | 22.50 | 6,073 | 2,585 | 445 | 2,141 | 1 |
| 22 | Kingfisher | 24.00 | 5,102 | 2,215 | 549 | 1,666 | 0 |
| 23 | Ada | 24.50 | 16,655 | 2,396 | 468 | 1,927 | 1 |
| 24 | Seminole | 25.50 | 7,308 | 2,531 | 369 | 2,162 | 0 |
| 25 | Cushing | 26.00 | 8,416 | 2,673 | 273 | 2,400 | 0 |
| 26 | Bartlesville | 27.50 | 38,361 | 2,492 | 368 | 2,125 | 1 |
| 27 | Sand Springs | 29.00 | 20,133 | 3,005 | 243 | 2,762 | 1 |
| 28 | Duncan | 29.00 | 23,345 | 2,425 | 351 | 2,073 | 0 |
| 29 | Midwest City | 29.00 | 57,961 | 2,427 | 347 | 2,081 | 4 |
| 30 | Hugo | 31.00 | 5,200 | 2,481 | 269 | 2,212 | 0 |
| 31 | Norman | 31.00 | 130,681 | 2,527 | 260 | 2,267 | 1 |
| 32 | Clinton | 31.50 | 8,345 | 1,941 | 455 | 1,486 | 1 |
| 33 | Pauls Valley | 32.00 | 6,059 | 2,542 | 248 | 2,294 | 0 |
| 34 | Chickasha | 32.00 | 16,979 | 2,161 | 312 | 1,849 | 1 |
| 35 | The Village | 33.50 | 9,302 | 2,462 | 258 | 2,204 | 0 |
| 36 | Claremore | 36.00 | 20,645 | 1,913 | 291 | 1,623 | 0 |
| 37 | Tahlequah | 38.00 | 17,037 | 2,477 | 182 | 2,295 | 0 |
| 38 | Purcell | 38.50 | 6,938 | 2,306 | 245 | 2,061 | 1 |
| 39 | Tecumseh | 39.50 | 6,344 | 2,002 | 252 | 1,750 | 2 |
| 40 | Holdenville | 40.00 | 5,917 | 1,791 | 270 | 1,521 | 0 |
| 41 | Henryetta | 40.50 | 5,604 | 1,499 | 393 | 1,106 | 2 |
| 42 | Altus | 40.50 | 18,613 | 1,735 | 290 | 1,445 | 2 |
| 43 | Woodward | 41.50 | 11,641 | 1,701 | 283 | 1,417 | 2 |
| 44 | Skiatook | 44.50 | 8,861 | 1,422 | 293 | 1,129 | 1 |
| 45 | Catoosa | 45.00 | 7,544 | 1,750 | 212 | 1,538 | 0 |
| 46 | Bethany | 46.00 | 20,221 | 1,741 | 208 | 1,533 | 0 |
| 47 | Idabel | 46.50 | 6,966 | 2,283 | 158 | 2,125 | 1 |
| 48 | Vinita | 47.50 | 5,349 | 2,075 | 168 | 1,907 | 0 |
| 49 | Stillwater | 48.00 | 49,910 | 1,733 | 182 | 1,551 | 0 |
| 50 | Moore | 48.50 | 63,609 | 1,703 | 190 | 1,512 | 1 |
| 51 | Guthrie | 50.00 | 11,609 | 1,835 | 164 | 1,671 | 0 |
| 52 | El Reno | 51.00 | 19,965 | 1,563 | 205 | 1,357 | 1 |
| 53 | Broken Arrow | 51.00 | 121,004 | 1,424 | 223 | 1,201 | 4 |
| 54 | Lone Grove | 51.50 | 5,252 | 1,123 | 267 | 857 | 0 |
| 55 | Sapulpa | 52.50 | 23,322 | 1,578 | 184 | 1,394 | 1 |
| 56 | Elk City | 54.00 | 11,201 | 1,259 | 223 | 1,036 | 1 |
| 57 | Choctaw | 56.00 | 12,253 | 1,379 | 171 | 1,208 | 2 |
| 58 | Noble | 57.00 | 7,989 | 1,239 | 188 | 1,051 | 0 |
| 59 | Guymon | 57.00 | 12,090 | 1,216 | 199 | 1,017 | 0 |
| 60 | Edmond | 57.00 | 99,249 | 1,521 | 165 | 1,356 | 2 |
| 61 | Yukon | 57.50 | 27,315 | 1,355 | 168 | 1,186 | 0 |
| 62 | Harrah | 58.00 | 6,615 | 1,300 | 181 | 1,119 | 0 |
| 63 | Glenpool | 59.00 | 14,568 | 1,599 | 110 | 1,490 | 0 |
| 64 | Owasso | 59.50 | 42,134 | 1,533 | 123 | 1,410 | 1 |
| 65 | Jenks | 61.50 | 28,063 | 1,304 | 150 | 1,155 | 0 |
| 66 | Bixby | 65.00 | 31,380 | 857 | 159 | 698 | 0 |
| 67 | Newcastle | 66.50 | 15,096 | 961 | 126 | 835 | 1 |
| 68 | Coweta | 67.50 | 11,170 | 725 | 152 | 573 | 0 |
| 69 | Mustang | 68.00 | 24,424 | 807 | 139 | 667 | 1 |
| 70 | Blanchard | 69.50 | 9,919 | 796 | 111 | 686 | 0 |
| 71 | Collinsville | 70.00 | 9,763 | 840 | 92 | 748 | 0 |
| 72 | Tuttle | 71.50 | 8,714 | 493 | 115 | 379 | 0 |
| 73 | Verdigris | 72.00 | 5,879 | 510 | 102 | 408 | 0 |
| 74 | Weatherford | 74.00 | 12,009 | 450 | 42 | 408 | 0 |
| 75 | Piedmont | 74.50 | 9,293 | 312 | 75 | 237 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 75 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Oklahoma
So what is the most dangerous city in Oklahoma? After analyzing 75 cities in Oklahoma, Tulsa takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Oklahoma based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Tulsa ranks as the most dangerous city in Oklahoma for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Oklahoma are Tulsa, Ardmore, Muskogee, Del City, Sallisaw, Oklahoma City, Lawton, Anadarko, Okmulgee, and Warr Acres.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Tulsa and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Oklahoma FAQs
Is Oklahoma a dangerous state?
Yes, Oklahoma is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #8 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Oklahoma ranks 13th most dangerous in the United States — 24.01% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Sooner State ranks sixth most dangerous in the United States — 38.44% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Oklahoma City, OK a dangerous city?
Yes, Oklahoma City is a dangerous city. Oklahoma City ranks as the #114 most dangerous 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 Oklahoma City might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Oklahoma City ranks 103rd highest in America — 16.0% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 107th highest in the United States — 12.1% worse 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.
