Missouri Suddenly Appears Near Top of Most Dangerous States List

This is not something I would brag about if I were Missouri. This just in. I'm not Missouri, but it is my home state and current home and I'm certainly not proud that we've collectively soared to near the top of the brand new most dangerous states list for 2024.

Unlike many things you'll find on the internet (which I love to ignore), this is not just one blogger's opinion. This is the annual 10 Most Dangerous States in America list from US News and World Report that was just issued yesterday, May 9.

Coming in as the 10th most dangerous state in America is...(*drum roll*)...you guessed it - Missouri.

The numbers that led to this infamous honor are damning. Here's what the data they shared which led to Missouri now appearing in the top 10 of the dangerous places:

• Violent Crime Rate: 488 per 100,000
• Property Crime Rate: 2,340 per 100,000

The violent crime rate is shameful and Saint Louis, Kansas City and Springfield are known for being on the wrong side of that issue. But, Branson, Missouri has skyrocketing property crime, too. Neighborhood Scout says you have a 1 in 16 chance of being a victim of property crime in Branson. In other words, homeowners beware.

As far as other states included in the danger list are New Mexico at #1 followed by Louisiana.

If there's any consolation to this, it's the fact that Missouri's crime numbers overall are trending down finally. Perhaps there's a silver lining to this dark storm cloud after all or at least we can hope.