The Safest and Most Dangerous Cities In Virginia - 2018 Ranking!

Sir Walter Raleigh named the entire region "Virginia," to honor the "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I. Later, as the population of the settlers grew, Virginia was separated into colonies for effective governance.

Virginia is the home of more presidents than any other state in the US, earning it the nickname of “Home of Presidents”. Eight presidents were born in Virginia; namely George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. Moreover, seven of those presidents are buried there.

If you are considering moving to Virginia or you already live there, make sure to continue reading to find out how safe Virginia is compared to other states, and learn about its safest cities based on the most recent FBI crime report.

Ranking at #10, Virginia is home to almost 8.412 million residents and is the 14th most populated state in the country. Overall, Virginia is pretty safe, but when it comes to safe and dangerous cities, Bridgewater takes the #1 spot for being the safest city in the state with a 303 crime rate per 100,000 people only. Coming next as the 2nd safest place is Purcellville, a town located in the northeast and home to roughly 9,235 residents. Leesburg also ranked #14 and Alexandria, a major city that resides in Arlington County, is the 17th safest city in the state with a 1986 crime rate per 100,000 people.

Portsmouth comes in 1st as the most dangerous city, with a 6399 crime rate per 100,000 people. One of the 10 biggest cities in Virginia but also one of the most dangerous, Roanoke, which previously ranked #14 in terms of danger is now the 6th most dangerous city in Virginia, with a crime rate of 4609 per 100,000 people. Charlottesville ranked #20 with a 3135 crime rate per 100,000 people. Virginia Beach, however, being the biggest city in the state didn't make any lists, and is ranked #26 in terms of safety.

Find out if your city is one of the safest in the state, then review our resources for crime prevention tips and home security information.


More Information About Virginia

Capital: Richmond

Number of Counties: 95

Overall Population: 8.412 million inhabitants

Land Area: 42,774.6 square miles

Education Statistics: 36.9% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher, (percent of persons age 25 years+, 2011-2015)

Unemployment Rate: 3.7%

Crime Stats In Virginia

Violent Crime Rate Per 100,000 Inhabitants: 217.6

Property Crime Rate Per 100,000 Inhabitants: 1,859.4

Virginia’s Safety Rank: #10


Disclaimer:

In creating this ranking, we excluded all cities with population less than 5,000 residents as well as any cities that failed to submit a complete crime report to the FBI.

Table 1: Top 20 Safest Cities In Virginia

Rank City Population Total Crime Rate
Per 100,000 Inhabitants
1 Bridgewater
Previous rank: 1
5939 303.0
2 Purcellville
Previous rank: 2
9547 597.0
3 Buena Vista
Previous rank: 3
6576 882.0
4 Blacksburg
Previous rank: Not Ranked
44528 1016.0
5 Vienna
Previous rank: 5
16679 1055.0
6 Manassas Park
Previous rank: 6
15912 1157.0
7 Lexington
Previous rank: 4
7264 1198.0
8 Strasburg
Previous rank: 9
6622 1344.0
9 Dumfries
Previous rank: 12
5263 1425.0
10 Poquoson
Previous rank: 7
11975 1595.0
11 Williamsburg
Previous rank: 8
15256 1672.0
12 Herndon
Previous rank: Not Ranked
24806 1742.0
13 Falls Church
Previous rank: 15
14124 1742.0
14 Leesburg
Previous rank: 11
53016 1753.0
15 Fairfax
Previous rank: Not Ranked
24173 1779.0
16 Smithfield
Previous rank: 10
8418 1877.0
17 Alexandria
Previous rank: 17
155319 1985.0
18 Culpeper
Previous rank: 21
17733 2148.0
19 Salem
Previous rank: 18
25396 2170.0
20 Richlands
Previous rank: 24
5443 2186.0

Table 2: Top 20 Most Dangerous Cities In Virginia

Rank City Population Total Crime Rate
Per 100,000 Inhabitants
1 Portsmouth
Previous rank: 2
95813 6399.0
2 Emporia
Previous rank: 4
5382 5519.0
4 Bluefield
Previous rank: 7
5247 5280.0
4 Marion
Previous rank: 16
5956 5154.0
5 Colonial Heights
Previous rank: 5
17814 4907.0
6 Roanoke
Previous rank: 14
99978 4609.0
7 Norfolk
Previous rank: 13
245734 4572.0
8 Bedford
Previous rank: 3
6556 4500.0
9 Danville
Previous rank: 6
41686 4472.0
10 South Boston
Previous rank: 12
7944 4431.0
11 Petersburg
Previous rank: 17
32293 4060.0
12 Fredericksburg
Previous rank: 10
28823 3969.0
13 Franklin
Previous rank: 1
8423 3965.0
14 Hampton
Previous rank: 19
135504 3758.0
15 Newport News
Previous rank: 20
181676 3538.0
16 Galax
Previous rank: 8
6858 3514.0
17 Hopewell
Previous rank: 23
22204 3351.0
18 Pulaski
Previous rank: 24
8855 3196.0
19 Ashland
Previous rank: 11
7559 3162.0
20 Charlottesville
Previous rank: 27
46979 3136.0

Table 3: All Cities, Ranked By Population

City Population Total Crime Rate
Per 100,000 Inhabitants
Safety Rank
Virginia Beach 453017 2331.0 26
Norfolk 245734 4572.0 56
Chesapeake 236570 2947.0 38
Newport News 181676 3538.0 48
Alexandria 155319 1985.0 17
Hampton 135504 3758.0 49
Roanoke 99978 4609.0 57
Portsmouth 95813 6399.0 62
Suffolk 88342 2702.0 33
Lynchburg 80215 2618.0 32
Leesburg 53016 1753.0 14
Harrisonburg 52972 2296.0 24
Charlottesville 46979 3136.0 43
Blacksburg 44528 1016.0 4
Manassas 42267 2219.0 21
Danville 41686 4472.0 54
Petersburg 32293 4060.0 52
Fredericksburg 28823 3969.0 51
Winchester 27363 3059.0 41
Salem 25396 2170.0 19
Herndon 24806 1742.0 12
Staunton 24399 2332.0 27
Fairfax 24173 1779.0 15
Hopewell 22204 3351.0 46
Christiansburg 22134 2756.0 34
Waynesboro 21464 2450.0 29
Colonial Heights 17814 4907.0 58
Culpeper 17733 2148.0 18
Radford 17504 2279.0 22
Bristol 16908 2774.0 35
Vienna 16679 1055.0 5
Manassas Park 15912 1157.0 6
Williamsburg 15256 1672.0 11
Front Royal 15193 2462.0 30
Falls Church 14124 1742.0 13
Martinsville 13553 2908.0 37
Poquoson 11975 1595.0 10
Warrenton 9953 2281.0 23
Purcellville 9547 597.0 2
Pulaski 8855 3196.0 45
Franklin 8423 3965.0 50
Smithfield 8418 1877.0 16
Vinton 8266 2807.0 36
Farmville 8159 3076.0 42
Abingdon 8105 2345.0 28
Wytheville 8097 2964.0 40
South Boston 7944 4431.0 53
Ashland 7559 3162.0 44
Lexington 7264 1198.0 7
Galax 6858 3514.0 47
Strasburg 6622 1344.0 8
Buena Vista 6576 882.0 3
Bedford 6556 4500.0 55
Marion 5956 5154.0 59
Bridgewater 5939 303.0 1
Covington 5570 2316.0 25
Richlands 5443 2186.0 20
Emporia 5382 5519.0 61
Big Stone Gap 5378 2957.0 39
Woodstock 5277 2502.0 31
Dumfries 5263 1425.0 9
Bluefield 5247 5280.0 60

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