The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Virginia

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In Virginia For 2026

If you thought having a a whole bunch of battleships around would make Portsmouth any safer, think again. Portsmouth ranked #3 in both violent and property crime in Virginia for 2026, with an overall crime rate three times higher than the statewide average.

Residents faced a 1 in 132 chance of being the victim of an attack, murder, or rape reported in 2024, so it’s not a bad idea to keep your guard up on the streets of Portsmouth.

You also want to keep your doors locked in Portsmouth because the city had the third highest burglary rate in Virginia, with 412 cases recorded over the year.

Portsmouth is located on the west bank of the Elizabeth River, across from Norfolk.

Roanoke is the commercial hub of Southwest Virginia and also one of the state’s most dangerous cities.

Property crime is disturbingly high in Roanoke. To give you an idea, a resident living in Roanoke had a 1 in 24 shot of having their stuff stolen or damaged in 2024. And with the fourth highest burglary rate in Virginia, we hope there’s enough security at Roanoke’s museums to stave off any would-be heists.

On top of property crime, Roanoke experienced about one murder a month on average, so keeping your guard up here is just good protocol.

Ultimately, the word “Emporia” harkens back to ancient Carthage. However, that’s not quite the source of this town’s name. Instead, the moniker comes from a town Kansas — not quite as fancy a namesake..

Wherever the name comes from, this town in south-central Virginia, sits along I-95, about 15 minutes north of the North Carolina border. Fleeing the jurisdiction quickly might be part of the appeal for certain residents of Emporia. After all, this town endures high rate of larceny, robbery and arson.

Farmville, in Virginia’s Cumberland County, has a population of 7,477. However, recent statistics reveal that this locale ranks as the fourth most dangerous place to live in Virginia. The last reporting year saw a distressing rise in violent crimes, with 41 reported incidents.

In addition to violent crime, Farmville’s property crime rates are also cause for concern. The town reported 265 instances of property-related crimes, earning it the 5 spot in the state for this category.

Virginia’s 4th most populous city, Norfolk, also ranks as the state’s fifth most dangerous city.

Violent crime is especially bad in Norfolk, where residents had a 1 in 213 chance of being the victim of an assault, rape, or murder in 2024. That’s the kind of thing that makes it hard to stop and smell the flowers at Norfolk Botanical Garden.

That being said, Norfolk is a city of 230,460, so if you steer clear of the worst neighborhoods in Norfolk, you should be as safe as houses.

Located just south of the Appomattox River from Colonial Heights, Petersburg has a bigger problem with violent crime than its northern neighbor.

Petersburg experienced 15 murders in 2024, which gave it the highest murder rate in Virginia. Overall, residents faced a 1 in 95 shot of being the victim of an attack over the year.

Makes you wonder if the Petersburg National Battlefield Park is a memorial site or a testament to day-to-day life in Petersburg.

Located in Virginia, the city of Fredericksburg ranks as the seventh most dangerous place to live in the state for 2026. With a population of 29,474, Fredericksburg has experienced concerning crime statistics contributing to its reputation as a dangerous area. The city has witnessed 178 violent crimes. Additionally, 905 property crimes, such as burglaries, have been reported.

Located near the Rappahannock River and with its historical significance during the colonial era and the Civil War, Fredericksburg possesses unique assets that can be leveraged to enhance safety and attract visitors. By working together, residents and authorities can strive towards making Fredericksburg a safer place for all its residents.

A part of the Tri-City area a half-hour south of Richmond, Colonial Heights comes in as Virginia’s eighth most dangerous city for 2026.

Property crime is all too common in Colonial Heights. Residents had a 1 in 31 chance of being having their stuff stolen or damaged in 2024.

It’s not just stolen bikes and a few broken windows either — Colonial Heights also had the 39th highest rate of rape cases in Virginia for 2024.

Located on the peninsula side of Hampton Roads in the Tidewater region of Virginia, Newport News ranks as the state’s tenth most dangerous city.

While Newport News is home to a the Virginia War Museum, the real violence is going down on the city’s streets. Folks in Newport News had a 1 in 135 chance of being the victim of a violent crime in 2024.

On the bright side, property crime in Newport News ranks as the lowest on this list. Now if they could cut down on aggravated assaults, they’ll be off this list by next year.

Most Dangerous Places To Live In Virginia FAQs

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No, Virginia is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #7 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Virginia ranks 45th most dangerous in the United States — 43.58% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Old Dominion ranks 40th most dangerous in the United States — 25.48% better than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.

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No, Virginia Beach is not a dangerous city. Virginia Beach ranks as the #48 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 Virginia Beach might be considered safe you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, US Navy Little Creek Amphibious Base is the safest in Virginia Beach, while North Central is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.

Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Virginia Beach ranks 320th highest in America — 84.21% better than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 268th highest in the United States — 40.98% 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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