Crime on the campus: Most dangerous US college towns revealed

When thinking about going to college, crime rates may not be on the top of the agenda. However, in the U.S. some colleges present more of a risk to personal safety and property than others. The most ‘dangerous’ college town in the U.S. is Gainesville, FL, with the highest rate of reported incidents in all crime categories. College towns in the South report the highest crime rates overall, with three of the top five, located in southern states.

Recent high-profile cases, like the fatal shooting at Florida State University in April 2025 and a wave of violent incidents on U.S. campuses have raised new concerns about student safety.

A study by Wasatch Defense Lawyers ranked 26 most dangerous college towns using crime data from May 2023 through May 2025. Each town centres around a major university and was selected for how strongly the school shapes the community. Reported crimes include assault, homicide, robbery, rape, burglary, vehicle theft, larceny, drug cases, and weapon law offenses. Cities were ranked by crime rate per 10,000 people.

The outcomes are:

Gainesville, home to the University of Florida, is the most dangerous college town in the U.S. with registered 179 crimes per 10K residents in the last two years. The city recorded 2,614 crimes, the highest total in the study. It also leads in larceny, with 977 reported cases, and aggravated assault, with 444 incidents which are more than any other town on the list. Gainesville stands out for topping both violent and property crime categories.

Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama, follows with 149 crimes. It reported more drug violations than Gainesville, at 728 in total, making it the top city for drug-related offenses. While its total crime count is lower, Tuscaloosa’s numbers suggest a focused issue around substance-related incidents, setting it apart from Gainesville’s broader crime mix.

Arizona State University’s host city, Tempe, is the third  most dangerous  college town in the U.S., with 136 reported crimes throughout the past two years. Among the towns ranked so far, it had the highest number of robberies, at 186, and the most motor vehicle thefts, at 273. It also reported 14 homicides, a figure not seen in any of the towns above.

Ithaca, where Cornell University and Ithaca College are based, saw 120 crimes in two years. Its 394 total crimes are mainly driven by larceny with 235 reported cases. The town reports no homicides and only 3 rapes, making it the least violent town among the top five.

Logan, home to Utah State University, recorded 112 crimes. Drug-related offenses made up more than half of the city’s 621 reported crimes, with 337 cases. While Logan doesn’t top any individual category, its crime pattern resembles Tuscaloosa’s, though at a much smaller scale.

Iowa City, where the University of Iowa is based, saw 109 crimes. Like Logan, its crime rate is driven by drug violations, which totaled 337, matching Logan exactly. But unlike Logan, Iowa City also reported higher assault and weapon cases, suggesting more diversity in offense types.

Cedar City, home to Southern Utah University, recorded 91 crimes. The town had 363 crimes in total, far below the towns ranked above. Drug and larceny cases were the most reported, but no category stood out in scale.

East Lansing, home to Michigan State University, reported 90 crimes. Among the lower-ranked towns so far, it had the most motor vehicle thefts, with 94 incidents. This puts it above Cedar City in property crime intensity, although its overall crime count remains modest.

Bloomington, where Indiana University is located, rounds out the top ten most dangerous  college towns in the U.S., with 85 crimes recorded in two years. With 670 total crimes, it reported the second-highest number of drug violations in the bottom half of the ranking. While not leading in any category, Bloomington shows a more even spread of offenses.