The most dangerous places in Kansas will need more than a pair of ruby-red slippers to turn their situations around. They’re going to need to get tougher on crime.
If you’re looking to move to this flyover state in the Midwest, you should take a look into our research of the most dangerous places in Kansas for 2026.
To determine the most dangerous cities in Kansas, we used Saturday Night Science to compare the FBI’s latest crime report for violent and property crime per capita statistics for every place with over 5,000 residents.
Crime seems centered around the bigger cities in The Jayhawker State like Wichita and Hutchinson.
Not sold on Kansas? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
857 violent crimes /100k · 3,643 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Shawnee County, Kansas
Situated along the Kansas River in northeast Kansas, Topeka moved up from last year to be one of the most dangerous places in Kansas for 2026. Topeka also ranks for being one of the most ghetto cities in Kansas and one of the “>best college towns in Kansas, as well. Residents of Topeka have a 1 in 27 chance of a property crime, particularly larceny and car theft. With 3,135 personal property crimes, make sure you keep your purses, wallets, and cell phones with you at all times, especially in the downtown area.
Situated along the Kansas River in northeast Kansas, Topeka gets its name from a Kansa-Osage word meaning “good place to dig potatoes”.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
1,047 violent crimes /100k · 3,606 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas, the county seat of Wyandotte County, and the third-largest city of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Kansas City, Kansas is abbreviated as “KCK” to differentiate it from Kansas City, Missouri. It is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the “Unified Government”. Wyandotte County also includes the independent cities of Bonner Springs and Edwardsville. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 145,786 residents. It is situated at Kaw Point, which is the junction of the Missouri and Kansas rivers.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,238 violent crimes /100k · 3,101 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Labette County, Kansas
Parsons was a railroad town. Like, such a railroad town that it was named after a railroad executive from the 1800s. It also served as the home for one of the founders of iconic motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson. (Walter Davidson lived there for a time).
So Parsons has a long tradition tied to the concept of transportation. That’s good: you might want to get out of town quickly. By rail, by motorcycle — whatever. Given the crime rate here, criminals need options when fleeing authorities and repeated victims need a way to get to safer communities. Either way, they need a way out of the number 3 most crime-laden town in Kansas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
522 violent crimes /100k · 3,606 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Montgomery County, Kansas
Independence ranks as one of the most dangerous cities and one of the worst places to live in Kansas. Although there were only 43 violent crimes and 297 property crimes, for such a small town, that’s some big numbers. Independence’s residents have a 1 in 27 chance of being involved in a burglary, car theft, larceny, or arson and a 1 in 191 chance of being a victim of rape, murder, or aggravated assault.
Located in Montgomery County in the Southeast part of Kansas, Independence is home to the Neewollah Festival, where a town of 8,237 becomes a town of 80,000 during Halloween time. Home to Laura Ingalls Wilder of Little House on the Prairie fame this small town is wilder than it should be.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
530 violent crimes /100k · 2,602 property crimes /100k · #7 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Montgomery County, Kansas
Coffeyville is a smaller town with a population of 8,494 people, and Coffeyville’s residents have something to be happy about this year. This town also ranks as one of the worst places to live and poorest places to live in Kansas.
Now, the name of this old cowtown may not be familiar to you, but it’s famous for bringing down the Dalton Gang in 1892. Coffeyville residents wouldn’t stand for their banks being robbed. So, they grabbed their guns and took down every gang member, except for one. Let’s hope they can band together again and bring these numbers down further.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
435 violent crimes /100k · 5,586 property crimes /100k · #15 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
The residents of Merriam have something to celebrate this year. Their town has dropped from last year, and that number is mainly due to a drop in this city’s violent crime. People who live here still have to keep an eye out for their valuables because they have a 1 in 17 chance of having something stolen like a car, cell phone, purse or wallet.
Located on the Missouri River on the Missouri-Kansas border, Merriam also ranks as one of the best places for singles in Kansas. So, if you’re single and you’re in the Kansas City metropolitan area, you have a good chance of finding your soulmate, but make sure you keep an eye on your valuables.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
777 violent crimes /100k · 2,307 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Kansas
Although Junction City made the most dangerous cities in Kansas lists, its residents can celebrate that their property crime has gone down from last year. But, they are still ranked fourth highest for violent crime. That means residents have a 1 in 128 chance of being a victim of a major crime, particularly aggravated assault.
Located in Geary County where the Smoky Hill and Republican Rivers meet, Junction City is a wholesale shipping center for wheat and dairy. Near Fort Riley, Junction City was a trading town during the days of George Custer and the Seventh Cavalry.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
539 violent crimes /100k · 2,303 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Sedgwick County, Kansas
Wichita makes the top of the list again this year as the number 13 most dangerous place to live in Kansas for 2026. Residents of Wichita have a 1 in 43 chance of being involved in a property crime, especially personal property theft. Ranked sixth highest in violent crime, residents need to be on guard against aggravated assault, rape and murder.
Home to a large aircraft production hub, this city is known as the Air Capital of the World. Birthplace of Pizza Hut and White Castle, Wichita is the largest city in Kansas. So, if you’re going out for a late-night pizza or sliders in this big city, make sure you keep your guard up and your valuables close.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers | Compare
495 violent crimes /100k · 2,588 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Leavenworth County, Kansas
Leavenworth is most famous for its prison. Originally built as an army fort, it converted to a military prison in the late 19th century. Eventually, the facility became a federal prison and it now dominates the public’s consciousness about the town.
Irony time: along with the federal prison, Leavenworth’s other claim to fame is that it is the number 9 most dangerous spot in Kansas. This community located just northwest of Kansas City has a major violence problem, with 183 such crimes in a year. At the same time, Leavenworth saw 63 car thefts during the 12-month span.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
339 violent crimes /100k · 4,573 property crimes /100k · #21 most violent in Kansas
Located in
Johnson County, Kansas
Part of the urban sprawl surrounding Kansas City, Mission sits southwest of the center of one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the Midwest. As a result, the 10,037 residents have quick access to fantastic amenities — a 15 minute drive will take them downtown.
Unfortunately, there’s a downside to the city life. Mission also represents the number 10 most dangerous location in Kansas. Luckily, the statistics on violent crime are relatively tame. However, property crime rates are extremely high, including large numbers of larcenies and car thefts.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Kansas’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Kansas
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Kansas for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Kansas. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Kansas, 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 Kansas.
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 Kansas cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 58 cities in Kansas.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 58 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 Kansas — Topeka. 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 Kansas and is updated for 2026. Property crime in Kansas runs about 11 percent above the national rate — worth a minute to compare home security systems before you sign a lease.
The full plate
Crime By City In Kansas
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 | Topeka | 3.00 | 125,156 | 4,499 | 857 | 3,643 | 20 |
| 2 | Kansas City | 3.00 | 153,363 | 4,654 | 1,047 | 3,606 | 19 |
| 3 | Parsons | 4.00 | 9,286 | 4,340 | 1,238 | 3,101 | 1 |
| 4 | Independence | 7.50 | 8,237 | 4,128 | 522 | 3,606 | 0 |
| 5 | Coffeyville | 8.00 | 8,494 | 3,132 | 530 | 2,602 | 1 |
| 6 | Merriam | 8.00 | 10,794 | 6,022 | 435 | 5,586 | 1 |
| 7 | Junction City | 9.00 | 21,504 | 3,083 | 777 | 2,307 | 0 |
| 8 | Wichita | 10.50 | 395,486 | 2,842 | 539 | 2,303 | 33 |
| 9 | Leavenworth | 11.00 | 36,939 | 3,083 | 495 | 2,588 | 0 |
| 10 | Mission | 11.50 | 10,037 | 4,912 | 339 | 4,573 | 0 |
| 11 | Salina | 12.50 | 45,447 | 2,968 | 493 | 2,475 | 0 |
| 12 | Pittsburg | 13.00 | 20,465 | 3,860 | 366 | 3,494 | 1 |
| 13 | Iola | 15.50 | 5,292 | 2,494 | 529 | 1,965 | 0 |
| 14 | Chanute | 15.50 | 8,378 | 2,542 | 525 | 2,017 | 0 |
| 15 | Winfield | 16.00 | 11,636 | 3,197 | 284 | 2,913 | 0 |
| 16 | Garden City | 16.00 | 27,156 | 2,592 | 512 | 2,081 | 1 |
| 17 | Newton | 16.50 | 18,147 | 2,287 | 617 | 1,670 | 0 |
| 18 | Emporia | 17.00 | 24,109 | 2,671 | 369 | 2,302 | 0 |
| 19 | Lawrence | 17.00 | 96,636 | 2,618 | 462 | 2,157 | 5 |
| 20 | Arkansas City | 18.00 | 11,700 | 2,573 | 402 | 2,171 | 0 |
| 21 | Hutchinson | 18.50 | 39,548 | 2,597 | 367 | 2,230 | 1 |
| 22 | Wellington | 22.00 | 7,530 | 2,789 | 226 | 2,563 | 0 |
| 23 | Bonner Springs | 22.50 | 7,631 | 1,992 | 406 | 1,586 | 0 |
| 24 | Park City | 24.50 | 8,950 | 2,603 | 201 | 2,402 | 0 |
| 25 | Fort Scott | 25.00 | 7,573 | 1,981 | 291 | 1,690 | 0 |
| 26 | Augusta | 25.00 | 9,247 | 2,044 | 281 | 1,763 | 0 |
| 27 | Shawnee | 25.00 | 70,089 | 2,049 | 277 | 1,772 | 0 |
| 28 | Great Bend | 26.00 | 14,265 | 1,872 | 315 | 1,556 | 1 |
| 29 | Roeland Park | 29.50 | 6,661 | 2,462 | 180 | 2,282 | 1 |
| 30 | El Dorado | 30.00 | 12,941 | 1,692 | 270 | 1,422 | 1 |
| 31 | Hays | 31.50 | 21,011 | 1,694 | 233 | 1,461 | 0 |
| 32 | Overland Park | 33.00 | 196,875 | 1,946 | 184 | 1,762 | 0 |
| 33 | Abilene | 33.50 | 6,440 | 1,537 | 264 | 1,273 | 0 |
| 34 | Haysville | 35.00 | 11,265 | 1,562 | 222 | 1,340 | 0 |
| 35 | Liberal | 35.00 | 18,760 | 1,397 | 256 | 1,141 | 0 |
| 36 | Dodge City | 36.50 | 27,441 | 1,341 | 251 | 1,090 | 0 |
| 37 | Lenexa | 38.00 | 58,871 | 1,530 | 183 | 1,347 | 4 |
| 38 | Colby | 40.50 | 5,578 | 1,094 | 233 | 861 | 0 |
| 39 | Atchison | 41.00 | 10,604 | 1,481 | 151 | 1,330 | 0 |
| 40 | Paola | 41.50 | 5,788 | 1,382 | 173 | 1,209 | 0 |
| 41 | McPherson | 42.00 | 13,855 | 1,530 | 123 | 1,407 | 0 |
| 42 | Olathe | 42.00 | 149,473 | 1,137 | 196 | 941 | 3 |
| 43 | Spring Hill | 43.50 | 10,283 | 827 | 204 | 622 | 0 |
| 44 | Leawood | 44.00 | 34,010 | 1,579 | 59 | 1,520 | 0 |
| 45 | Ottawa | 44.50 | 12,702 | 1,260 | 150 | 1,110 | 0 |
| 46 | Andover | 46.00 | 16,108 | 1,397 | 74 | 1,322 | 0 |
| 47 | Louisburg | 47.00 | 5,236 | 726 | 191 | 535 | 0 |
| 48 | Maize | 47.00 | 7,168 | 1,186 | 140 | 1,046 | 0 |
| 49 | Tonganoxie | 47.50 | 6,282 | 366 | 191 | 175 | 0 |
| 50 | Goddard | 48.00 | 5,915 | 1,150 | 101 | 1,048 | 0 |
| 51 | Lansing | 48.50 | 11,216 | 749 | 152 | 597 | 0 |
| 52 | Gardner | 48.50 | 26,071 | 1,016 | 138 | 878 | 0 |
| 53 | Basehor | 50.00 | 8,000 | 738 | 150 | 588 | 0 |
| 54 | Prairie Village | 50.00 | 22,878 | 1,141 | 61 | 1,080 | 0 |
| 55 | Bel Aire | 51.50 | 9,989 | 791 | 80 | 711 | 0 |
| 56 | Mulvane | 53.00 | 7,161 | 698 | 70 | 628 | 0 |
| 57 | Ulysses | 55.00 | 5,565 | 144 | 90 | 54 | 0 |
| 58 | Eudora | 57.00 | 6,485 | 339 | 15 | 324 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 58 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Kansas
So what is the most dangerous city in Kansas? After analyzing 58 cities in Kansas, Topeka takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Kansas based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Topeka ranks as the most dangerous city in Kansas for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Kansas are Topeka, Kansas City, Parsons, Independence, Coffeyville, Merriam, Junction City, Wichita, Leavenworth, and Mission.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Topeka and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Wondering how Topeka stacks up against a bigger name? See Topeka, KS vs. Wichita, KS side by side.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Kansas FAQs
Is Kansas a dangerous state?
Yes, Kansas is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #16 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Kansas ranks 19th most dangerous in the United States — 14.94% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Sunflower State ranks 17th most dangerous in the United States — 12.52% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Wichita, KS a dangerous city?
Yes, Wichita is a dangerous city. Wichita ranks as the #64 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 Wichita might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Sherwood Glen is the safest in Wichita, while Murdock is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Wichita ranks 47th highest in America — 68.16% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 72nd highest in the United States — 29.13% 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.
