There are more dangerous things in Washington than taking an elevator to the top of the Space Needle or getting caught on the Puget Sound during a storm.
The most dangerous cities in Washington are not as safe as they should be.
Why did we produce this list? We’re trying to help you make an informed decision on where to live in Washington State. We used Saturday Night Science to compare the violent and property crimes per capita in the 118 cities with a population of 5,000.
To see the location of these Washington cities with higher than average crime rates, review the following research.
927 violent crimes /100k · 15,244 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Washington
Located in
King County, Washington
For the second year running, Tukwila sees itself our list of Washington’s most dangerous places to live. It’s not hard to see why, either; Tukwila had an overall crime rate nearly seven times higher than the national average — yikes.
Residents of Tukwila had a 1 in 6 chance of being the victim of a property crime in 2024. That includes a whopping 597 car thefts and 176 burglaries.
Violent crime isn’t much better in Tukwila, the city with the second highest rate of rape cases in Washington. So while you can enjoy a day out at Crystal Springs Park, you’d be well-advised to bring a buddy and get home before dark.
With such high crime numbers, it’s no wonder that Tukwila also topped our list of Seattle’s worst suburbs.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,018 violent crimes /100k · 5,918 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Washington
Located in
Pierce County, Washington
Up now is the city of Fife, a Tacoma suburb with a hefty crime problem. You’ll have to guard your winnings closely after a big night at the local casino because Fife had the fifth highest property crime rate in Washington.
On top of all the burglaries and larcenies going down in Fife, there’s also a lot of violent crime. The city of 10,612 experienced 1 murders in 2024, reflecting the 16th highest murder rate statewide.
In other words, if you’re looking to move to one of Tacoma’s best suburbs, steer clear of Fife.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,063 violent crimes /100k · 5,604 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Washington
Located in
Pierce County, Washington
Tacoma was rated as one of the country’s “most walkable cities” in 2006, but we think the local population might disagree, given all the crime that goes down here. In fact, you’d have to be downright defiant to go walking by yourself at Point Defiance Park.
That’s because Tacoma had the highest violent crime rate in Washington, with residents facing 1 in 94 shot of being the victim of an attack in 2024. Violent crime is nearly three times as high in Tacoma as the rest of the country.
So keep your guard up in the City of Destiny, or you might be destined for a violent encounter.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
775 violent crimes /100k · 5,008 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Washington
Located in
King County, Washington
From the top of Seattle’s Space Needle, the city might look quite peaceful, but there’s a whole lot of crime going down in Washington’s biggest city.
Seattle’s not the sort of place you want to leave your home’s doors unlocked, considering it had the second highest burglary rate in Washington. Same goes for your car, what with the 7,400 car thefts recorded in 2024.
On top of that, violent crime ranked as the fourth highest statewide, with one rape, four robberies, and seven aggravated assaults a day, on average. Oh, and two murders a month, for good measure.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
675 violent crimes /100k · 4,841 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Washington
Located in
Spokane County, Washington
Washington’s 2nd most populous city, Spokane, is also its fifth most dangerous. To be fair, Spokane is a big city with plenty of safe neighborhoods, it’s just that some areas still have a lot of work to do.
Residents of Spokane had a 1 in 20 chance of having their belongings stolen or damaged in 2024, so it’s a good idea to check you still have all your valuables after a day out at Riverfront Park.
There were also 1,549 violent crimes reported for the year, so do keep your guard up in Spokane. On the bright side, Spokane fell a few positions on this list from last year, so hopefully, things continue to improve.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
545 violent crimes /100k · 4,372 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Washington
Located in
King County, Washington
Located in King County, Federal Way is a city that originated as a logging settlement in the early 20th century. Found between Seattle and Tacoma, it was officially incorporated in 1990. However, by 2026, Federal Way has earned a dubious distinction as the sixth most dangerous place to live in Washington.
The city has a high crime rate, with 545/100k instances of violent crimes and 4,372/100k cases of property crimes per capita. These unsettling statistics contribute to the city’s overall high crime index, making it a challenging place for its 96,631 residents to feel safe.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
468 violent crimes /100k · 4,545 property crimes /100k · #16 most violent in Washington
Located in
Asotin County, Washington
Clarkston is a city in Asotin County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Lewiston metropolitan area, and is located west of Lewiston, Idaho, across the Snake River.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
543 violent crimes /100k · 3,968 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Washington
Located in
Pierce County, Washington
Auburn is a city in King County, with a small portion in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 70,180 at the 2010 United States Census. Auburn is a suburb in the Seattle metropolitan area, currently ranked the fourteenth largest city in the state of Washington.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
648 violent crimes /100k · 3,622 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Washington
Located in
Pierce County, Washington
Located on the southwestern edge of Tacoma, Lakewood comes in as Washington’s ninth most dangerous city.
There were 388 car thefts in Lakewood over the year, one of the higher rates on this list. We just hope nobody tries to pull a grand theft auto at America’s Car Museum.
Violent crime is the bigger problem in Lakewood, though. Residents had a 1 in 154 chance of being the victim of an assault, murder, rape, or robbery in 2024.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
490 violent crimes /100k · 3,771 property crimes /100k · #13 most violent in Washington
Located in
King County, Washington
Kent is a city located in King County, Washington, United States. It is the sixth largest city in the state and third largest in the county. Kent is in the heart of the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area, located 19 miles south of Seattle and 19 miles northeast of Tacoma. Incorporated in 1890, it is the second oldest incorporated city in King County, after Seattle. Kent’s population as of April, 2010 was 92,411 according to the 2010 census. The total grew to an estimated 126,952 as of July 1, 2015, owing primarily to annexation.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Washington’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Washington
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Washington for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Washington. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Washington, 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 Washington.
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 Washington cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 118 cities in Washington.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 118 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 Washington — Tukwila. 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 Washington and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Washington
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 | Tukwila | 2.00 | 20,933 | 16,171 | 927 | 15,244 | 3 |
| 2 | Fife | 3.50 | 10,612 | 6,936 | 1,018 | 5,918 | 1 |
| 3 | Tacoma | 3.50 | 223,980 | 6,667 | 1,063 | 5,604 | 22 |
| 4 | Seattle | 5.50 | 760,058 | 5,783 | 775 | 5,008 | 52 |
| 5 | Spokane | 6.50 | 229,529 | 5,516 | 675 | 4,841 | 16 |
| 6 | Federal Way | 10.00 | 96,631 | 4,918 | 545 | 4,372 | 5 |
| 7 | Clarkston | 12.50 | 7,260 | 5,014 | 468 | 4,545 | 1 |
| 8 | Auburn | 12.50 | 82,838 | 4,511 | 543 | 3,968 | 10 |
| 9 | Lakewood | 13.50 | 61,873 | 4,270 | 648 | 3,622 | 4 |
| 10 | Kent | 15.50 | 132,324 | 4,261 | 490 | 3,771 | 7 |
| 11 | Vancouver | 16.00 | 198,194 | 3,990 | 582 | 3,407 | 11 |
| 12 | Moses Lake | 16.50 | 26,624 | 4,631 | 394 | 4,237 | 6 |
| 13 | Olympia | 16.50 | 55,775 | 4,000 | 565 | 3,435 | 4 |
| 14 | SeaTac | 17.00 | 31,950 | 4,354 | 410 | 3,944 | 2 |
| 15 | Chehalis | 19.50 | 7,603 | 4,301 | 381 | 3,920 | 0 |
| 16 | Airway Heights | 21.50 | 11,035 | 4,268 | 372 | 3,897 | 0 |
| 17 | Puyallup | 21.50 | 41,898 | 4,244 | 375 | 3,869 | 1 |
| 18 | Burien | 23.00 | 50,318 | 3,820 | 425 | 3,394 | 2 |
| 19 | Toppenish | 23.50 | 8,593 | 4,562 | 314 | 4,248 | 0 |
| 20 | Lynnwood | 24.50 | 45,807 | 6,329 | 264 | 6,065 | 4 |
| 21 | Bellingham | 25.50 | 95,717 | 4,107 | 350 | 3,757 | 2 |
| 22 | Kennewick | 26.50 | 85,553 | 3,828 | 367 | 3,461 | 3 |
| 23 | Port Angeles | 28.00 | 20,133 | 3,050 | 566 | 2,483 | 2 |
| 24 | Union Gap | 28.50 | 6,403 | 8,652 | 234 | 8,418 | 0 |
| 25 | Bremerton | 28.50 | 46,079 | 3,249 | 434 | 2,815 | 2 |
| 26 | Port Orchard | 30.50 | 18,806 | 3,286 | 388 | 2,898 | 0 |
| 27 | Renton | 31.50 | 103,762 | 3,653 | 339 | 3,313 | 5 |
| 28 | Aberdeen | 32.00 | 17,010 | 3,345 | 370 | 2,975 | 0 |
| 29 | Shelton | 32.50 | 10,933 | 2,872 | 476 | 2,396 | 0 |
| 30 | Milton | 33.50 | 8,690 | 3,015 | 391 | 2,624 | 1 |
| 31 | Quincy | 34.50 | 8,557 | 3,868 | 245 | 3,623 | 0 |
| 32 | Spokane Valley | 36.00 | 109,852 | 3,758 | 242 | 3,516 | 1 |
| 33 | Yakima | 36.50 | 96,646 | 2,589 | 544 | 2,045 | 15 |
| 34 | Sumner | 37.00 | 10,922 | 3,653 | 247 | 3,406 | 0 |
| 35 | Everett | 37.00 | 111,276 | 3,484 | 265 | 3,219 | 6 |
| 36 | Des Moines | 39.00 | 31,694 | 3,146 | 297 | 2,849 | 1 |
| 37 | Edmonds | 39.50 | 42,659 | 3,261 | 260 | 3,001 | 1 |
| 38 | Othello | 40.00 | 8,989 | 2,592 | 378 | 2,214 | 0 |
| 39 | Centralia | 43.00 | 18,919 | 3,008 | 270 | 2,738 | 1 |
| 40 | Sunnyside | 43.50 | 16,220 | 2,867 | 277 | 2,589 | 2 |
| 41 | Grandview | 44.00 | 11,210 | 2,328 | 428 | 1,900 | 0 |
| 42 | Arlington | 44.00 | 21,610 | 2,559 | 338 | 2,221 | 2 |
| 43 | Pasco | 44.50 | 80,838 | 2,543 | 348 | 2,196 | 0 |
| 44 | Longview | 45.50 | 37,944 | 3,392 | 216 | 3,176 | 1 |
| 45 | Walla Walla | 47.00 | 33,062 | 2,498 | 284 | 2,214 | 2 |
| 46 | Wenatchee | 47.50 | 35,523 | 3,023 | 236 | 2,787 | 0 |
| 47 | Gig Harbor | 50.00 | 12,785 | 3,168 | 203 | 2,964 | 0 |
| 48 | Port Townsend | 53.00 | 10,614 | 1,884 | 471 | 1,413 | 0 |
| 49 | Burlington | 53.00 | 10,762 | 6,142 | 74 | 6,068 | 0 |
| 50 | Covington | 53.00 | 21,216 | 3,285 | 179 | 3,106 | 1 |
| 51 | Fircrest | 54.00 | 6,855 | 2,086 | 365 | 1,721 | 0 |
| 52 | Shoreline | 54.50 | 62,234 | 2,744 | 212 | 2,532 | 1 |
| 53 | Ephrata | 55.00 | 8,722 | 3,107 | 183 | 2,924 | 0 |
| 54 | Cheney | 55.50 | 12,393 | 2,041 | 371 | 1,670 | 0 |
| 55 | Bellevue | 55.50 | 151,520 | 3,478 | 139 | 3,339 | 1 |
| 56 | Yelm | 56.50 | 10,820 | 2,153 | 277 | 1,876 | 0 |
| 57 | Richland | 57.00 | 64,736 | 2,190 | 250 | 1,940 | 1 |
| 58 | Ellensburg | 58.50 | 18,472 | 2,409 | 227 | 2,182 | 1 |
| 59 | Lacey | 60.00 | 58,872 | 2,655 | 187 | 2,468 | 2 |
| 60 | University Place | 61.00 | 35,099 | 2,160 | 236 | 1,923 | 0 |
| 61 | Marysville | 61.00 | 73,573 | 2,187 | 234 | 1,953 | 0 |
| 62 | Mountlake Terrace | 61.50 | 21,595 | 2,385 | 194 | 2,190 | 0 |
| 63 | Edgewood | 62.50 | 13,551 | 2,236 | 214 | 2,022 | 0 |
| 64 | Kelso | 63.00 | 12,620 | 2,163 | 230 | 1,933 | 1 |
| 65 | Tumwater | 63.00 | 27,617 | 2,274 | 196 | 2,078 | 0 |
| 66 | Redmond | 63.00 | 82,746 | 2,870 | 131 | 2,740 | 0 |
| 67 | Monroe | 64.00 | 19,258 | 2,010 | 239 | 1,771 | 0 |
| 68 | East Wenatchee | 65.00 | 14,097 | 2,235 | 192 | 2,043 | 2 |
| 69 | Woodland | 66.00 | 6,477 | 2,825 | 124 | 2,702 | 1 |
| 70 | Blaine | 67.50 | 6,347 | 2,348 | 173 | 2,174 | 0 |
| 71 | Woodinville | 67.50 | 13,804 | 3,072 | 80 | 2,992 | 0 |
| 72 | Sequim | 68.50 | 8,248 | 2,340 | 170 | 2,170 | 0 |
| 73 | Washougal | 70.00 | 16,964 | 1,315 | 312 | 1,002 | 0 |
| 74 | Prosser | 70.50 | 6,444 | 1,862 | 233 | 1,629 | 0 |
| 75 | Pacific | 71.00 | 6,827 | 1,992 | 190 | 1,802 | 0 |
| 76 | Orting | 71.00 | 8,924 | 1,210 | 314 | 896 | 0 |
| 77 | Mount Vernon | 72.00 | 35,244 | 1,966 | 190 | 1,776 | 1 |
| 78 | Hoquiam | 72.50 | 8,791 | 1,877 | 205 | 1,672 | 1 |
| 79 | North Bend | 75.00 | 8,540 | 2,506 | 82 | 2,424 | 1 |
| 80 | Bonney Lake | 75.50 | 22,839 | 1,887 | 184 | 1,703 | 0 |
| 81 | Buckley | 79.50 | 6,236 | 1,058 | 241 | 818 | 0 |
| 82 | Poulsbo | 79.50 | 12,236 | 1,847 | 155 | 1,692 | 0 |
| 83 | Mill Creek | 79.50 | 20,687 | 1,958 | 126 | 1,832 | 0 |
| 84 | Newcastle | 80.50 | 12,636 | 2,319 | 47 | 2,271 | 0 |
| 85 | Snohomish | 81.50 | 10,265 | 1,773 | 166 | 1,607 | 0 |
| 86 | Liberty Lake | 83.50 | 13,559 | 1,682 | 155 | 1,527 | 0 |
| 87 | College Place | 85.00 | 9,706 | 1,906 | 93 | 1,813 | 0 |
| 88 | Lynden | 85.00 | 16,805 | 1,309 | 179 | 1,131 | 0 |
| 89 | Mukilteo | 86.00 | 20,845 | 1,823 | 106 | 1,717 | 0 |
| 90 | Kirkland | 86.00 | 90,687 | 2,073 | 61 | 2,012 | 1 |
| 91 | Normandy Park | 88.00 | 6,451 | 1,380 | 140 | 1,240 | 0 |
| 92 | Ferndale | 90.50 | 16,293 | 1,706 | 104 | 1,602 | 0 |
| 93 | Maple Valley | 90.50 | 28,551 | 1,580 | 109 | 1,471 | 1 |
| 94 | Bothell | 91.50 | 50,917 | 1,479 | 110 | 1,369 | 0 |
| 95 | Anacortes | 92.00 | 18,123 | 1,589 | 94 | 1,495 | 1 |
| 96 | Sultan | 92.50 | 7,402 | 703 | 189 | 513 | 0 |
| 97 | Selah | 92.50 | 8,712 | 1,182 | 126 | 1,056 | 1 |
| 98 | Lake Forest Park | 93.50 | 12,812 | 1,748 | 62 | 1,686 | 0 |
| 99 | Pullman | 96.00 | 33,105 | 952 | 130 | 822 | 2 |
| 100 | West Richland | 97.00 | 19,202 | 687 | 146 | 542 | 2 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 118 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Washington
So what is the most dangerous city in Washington? After analyzing 118 cities in Washington, Tukwila takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Washington based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Tukwila ranks as the most dangerous city in Washington for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Washington are Tukwila, Fife, Tacoma, Seattle, Spokane, Federal Way, Clarkston, Auburn, Lakewood, and Kent.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Tukwila 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 Washington FAQs
Is Washington a dangerous state?
Yes, Washington is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #18 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Washington ranks 35th most dangerous in the United States — 20.58% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Evergreen State ranks fourth most dangerous in the United States — 39.81% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Seattle, WA a dangerous city?
Yes, Seattle is a dangerous city. Seattle ranks as the #12 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 Seattle might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Hawthorne Hills is the safest in Seattle, while Belltown is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Seattle ranks 6highest in America — 51.4% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 12th highest in the United States — 109.65% 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.
