You don’t have to worry about dying from hunger in Nebraska with all the corn and pork tenderloin sandwiches around.
But, if you’re looking to move to Nebraska or currently live in the state and need a change, it’s important to understand the location of the most dangerous places in Nebraska.
We used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI’s latest crime report for violent and property crime for the 30 cities with over 5,000 residents. There has been an uptick in violent crimes compared to the national average over the last four years in Nebraska. Not to mention Omaha keeps appearing on the most dangerous cities in the country list.
588 violent crimes /100k · 2,783 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Scotts Bluff County, NebraskaScottsbluff is the largest city in Nebraska’s panhandle region. Named after Scotts Bluff, a rounded cliff overlooking the Platts River, the city is the most dangerous city in Nebraska. Although the city moved from its previous rank of 6, if you’re visiting Scottsbluff you need to remember it still ranks highest in violent crime.
You may want to see the oldest concrete road called Scotts Bluff Sumit Road or get in some hiking on the bluff while you’re there. But be warned — you could need to pack a little extra protection for yourself along with your hiking gear.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
369 violent crimes /100k · 3,162 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Douglas County, NebraskaA stop on the Lewis and Clark national historic trail, Omaha is known for its pioneer history, museums, and cultural centers. But Omaha’s still number 2 on the list of most dangerous cities in Nebraska. Lewis and Clark would hate knowing they have a 1 in 271 chance of being a victim of violent crime if they were alive today.
Another notable fact is that Omahas is home to the NCAA College World Series. You may want to have a catcher’s mask and vest with you because Omaha also ranks 1 in the state for violent and property crimes. Either way, be aware of your surroundings, especially if you visit the east and south ends of town.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
348 violent crimes /100k · 2,446 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Lancaster County, NebraskaWhile in the capital of Nebraska, take a stroll in the Haymarket District and grab a runza sandwich (a baked yeast dough stuffed with ground beef, onions and cabbage). But watch out. This capital is number 3 on this list for a reason.
Lincoln has had 1,029 violent crimes in the last reporting year, which includes 8 murders, 188 rapes, and 120 robberies, giving it an overall number 4 rank in total crimes. Changing several spots from last year, Lincoln is not a place you want to be — unless you think carefully about your safety.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
318 violent crimes /100k · 2,007 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Adams County, NebraskaHasting rounds out this list with a rank of 4. Ranked as one of the worst places to live in Nebraska, crime is centralized in the south end of town. You’ll want to be careful if you travel to South Hastings.
Known as the town where Kool-Aid was invented in 1972, you’re more likely to experience a property crime than a violent crime because Hastings is ranked seventh highest for property crime.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
368 violent crimes /100k · 1,760 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Hall County, NebraskaIt’s a bit ironic that the home of the Law Enforcement Training Center is located in Grand Island, and this city made this list of most dangerous places in Nebraska. You’d think it would be one of the safest places to live.
In Grand Island, you have a 1 in 272 chance of being a victim of a violent crime and a 1 in 56 chance of experiencing some form of property crime. Needless to say, you better keep your wits about you, even though you’re in the town that trains our future law enforcement officers.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
201 violent crimes /100k · 2,532 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Saline County, NebraskaOn to the next place on our list, Crete — the sixth most dangerous in Nebraska for 2026. Crete ranks tenth highest in violent crime, not the best if we’re being honest.
It’s not all crime in Crete though. If you’re interested in a little hometown family fun, check out Crete’s Great Pumpkin Festival. The Great Pumpkin Festival lasts for 3 days, so make sure you are aware of your surroundings while you’re carving pumpkins and enjoying carnival games.
Crete is located in Saline County 20 miles southwest of Lincoln.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
181 violent crimes /100k · 2,652 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Nebraska
South Sioux City is located on the western side of the Missouri River across from Sioux City, Iowa and ranks number 7 on this list. Sioux City boasts that it has the only half-scale exact replica of the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is located in Siouxland Freedom Park. If you can’t make it to Washington DC to see the real memorial, then South Sioux City has the next best thing.
But be aware, South Sioux City changed up 1 positions from last year. That’s in part because you have a 1 in 552 of being a victim to a violent crime and 1 in 37 chance to experience a property crime each year. South Sioux City is certainly not one of the safest places to live in America.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
214 violent crimes /100k · 1,909 property crimes /100k · #8 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Dawes County, NebraskaChadron is a city in Dawes County, in the state of Nebraska in the Great Plains region of the United States. The population was 5,851 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dawes County, and the location of Chadron State College.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
148 violent crimes /100k · 2,582 property crimes /100k · #14 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Lincoln County, NebraskaSome of that wild west’s lawlessness still remains in North Platte, which is rank as the ninth most dangerous city in Nebraska. Home to Buffalo Bill and the Buffalo Bill State Historical Park, North Platte ranks 14th highest in violent crimes and fourth highest in property crimes.
While you’re there, get out above it all and take in the sights at the Golden Spike Tower. It’s 7th floor open-air observation tower overlooks the world’s largest train classification yard at Union Pacific Railroad Bailey Yard. You’ll see more trains in one place than you’ve ever seen before.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
301 violent crimes /100k · 1,625 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Nebraska
Located in
Buffalo County, NebraskaIf you’re into travel, Kearney might be the place for you. Founded as a railroad town, the former western outpost celebrates that past with the Trails & Rails Museum. Meanwhile, the current community sits just off I-80 in the south-central part of the state. If you’re on a cross-country trip, you might consider a stop for gas and a meal — there’s not many other options nearby.
However, when you stop, keep your guard up. This represents the number 10 most dangerous spot in Kansas. The city reports high rates of both property and violent crimes, including 466 larcenies and 63 assaults in a year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Nebraska’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Nebraska
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Nebraska for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Nebraska. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Nebraska, 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 Nebraska.
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 Nebraska cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 30 cities in Nebraska.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 30 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 Nebraska — Scottsbluff. 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 Nebraska and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Nebraska
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 | Scottsbluff | 1.50 | 15,306 | 3,371 | 588 | 2,783 | 0 |
| 2 | Omaha | 1.50 | 480,235 | 3,531 | 369 | 3,162 | 19 |
| 3 | Lincoln | 5.00 | 295,808 | 2,794 | 348 | 2,446 | 8 |
| 4 | Hastings | 6.00 | 24,815 | 2,325 | 318 | 2,007 | 0 |
| 5 | Grand Island | 6.50 | 52,488 | 2,128 | 368 | 1,760 | 0 |
| 6 | Crete | 7.50 | 7,463 | 2,733 | 201 | 2,532 | 0 |
| 7 | South Sioux City | 7.50 | 13,801 | 2,833 | 181 | 2,652 | 1 |
| 8 | Chadron | 8.00 | 5,134 | 2,123 | 214 | 1,909 | 0 |
| 9 | North Platte | 9.00 | 22,268 | 2,730 | 148 | 2,582 | 0 |
| 10 | Kearney | 9.00 | 34,525 | 1,926 | 301 | 1,625 | 1 |
| 11 | York | 11.00 | 8,220 | 1,837 | 195 | 1,642 | 0 |
| 12 | Fremont | 11.00 | 27,767 | 2,071 | 180 | 1,891 | 0 |
| 13 | Norfolk | 13.00 | 26,234 | 1,346 | 202 | 1,144 | 0 |
| 14 | Lexington | 14.50 | 10,867 | 1,482 | 129 | 1,353 | 0 |
| 15 | Alliance | 15.00 | 8,024 | 1,122 | 237 | 885 | 0 |
| 16 | Sidney | 15.50 | 6,448 | 1,613 | 124 | 1,489 | 0 |
| 17 | Ralston | 18.00 | 6,374 | 1,318 | 110 | 1,208 | 0 |
| 18 | Nebraska City | 20.50 | 7,483 | 1,123 | 120 | 1,002 | 0 |
| 19 | Bellevue | 20.50 | 63,510 | 1,231 | 99 | 1,132 | 0 |
| 20 | Blair | 21.50 | 8,018 | 848 | 125 | 723 | 0 |
| 21 | La Vista | 21.50 | 16,205 | 1,234 | 49 | 1,185 | 0 |
| 22 | Wayne | 22.00 | 6,232 | 674 | 128 | 546 | 0 |
| 23 | Columbus | 23.00 | 24,595 | 1,012 | 85 | 927 | 0 |
| 24 | McCook | 23.50 | 7,200 | 1,083 | 42 | 1,042 | 0 |
| 25 | Schuyler | 24.50 | 6,529 | 459 | 123 | 337 | 1 |
| 26 | Beatrice | 24.50 | 12,272 | 904 | 81 | 823 | 1 |
| 27 | Papillion | 24.50 | 23,597 | 1,038 | 34 | 1,004 | 0 |
| 28 | Wahoo | 25.50 | 5,040 | 635 | 99 | 536 | 0 |
| 29 | Seward | 26.50 | 7,664 | 731 | 78 | 652 | 0 |
| 30 | Plattsmouth | 27.50 | 6,879 | 770 | 15 | 756 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 30 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Nebraska
So what is the most dangerous city in Nebraska? After analyzing 30 cities in Nebraska, Scottsbluff takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Nebraska based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Scottsbluff ranks as the most dangerous city in Nebraska for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Nebraska are Scottsbluff, Omaha, Lincoln, Hastings, Grand Island, Crete, South Sioux City, Chadron, North Platte, and Kearney.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Scottsbluff and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Not sold on Nebraska? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Nebraska FAQs
Is Nebraska a dangerous state?
No, Nebraska is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #22 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Nebraska ranks 29th most dangerous in the United States — 9.66% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Cornhusker State ranks 28th most dangerous in the United States — 2.31% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Omaha, NE a dangerous city?
Yes, Omaha is a dangerous city. Omaha ranks as the #88 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 Omaha might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Omaha ranks 13highest in America — 1.38% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 79th highest in the United States — 27.1% 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.
