Arizona sells itself on desert sunsets and desert silence, but the state’s crime data tells a louder story. The 2026 RoadSnacks analysis of FBI crime data compared 53 Arizona cities and found that Tolleson, a small Phoenix-metro city of just 7,141 people, has the highest crime rate in the state — with a violent crime rate of 1,008 per 100,000 residents. Below is the full ranking of the 10 most dangerous cities in Arizona, with every violent-crime figure verified against the published 2026 compilation of official FBI data.
TL;DR: RoadSnacks’ 2026 ranking (built from the FBI’s 2024 Crime in the United States report) names Tolleson the most dangerous city in Arizona, with 1,008 violent crimes per 100,000 residents and a staggering 9,158 property crimes per 100k. Small cities dominate the top spots — Globe (811) and Winslow (813) — while the big metros land mid-list: Phoenix ranks 6th (800 per 100k) and Tucson 5th (589 per 100k). All 53 ranked cities had populations over 5,000.
How the ranking works: methodology and sources
This list comes from RoadSnacks’ 2026 edition of its annual “most dangerous cities in Arizona” ranking, which draws on the FBI’s most recently released detailed dataset at publication time: the 2024 Crime in the United States report for Arizona. The analysts kept only the 53 Arizona cities with more than 5,000 residents, ranked each on violent and property crimes per capita, and averaged the two ranks into a single “Dangerous Index.”
1. Tolleson — 1,008 violent crimes per 100,000
Tolleson, on the west side of the Phoenix metro area, takes the top spot. Its 7,141 residents saw the equivalent of 1,008 violent crimes per 100,000 people in 2024, alongside a staggering 9,158 property crimes per 100,000 — roughly a 1-in-10 annual chance of being a property-crime victim. Per RoadSnacks, Tolleson’s total crime rate is about four times the national average.
2. Globe — 811 violent crimes per 100,000
The historic mining city of Globe (population 7,156) in Gila County held its place near the top for the second year running, logging 811 violent crimes per 100,000. Residents faced a 1-in-123 chance of being a violent-crime victim in 2024, with 52 aggravated assaults reported. Its property-crime rate of 5,408 per 100,000 ranked second-highest in the state. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
3. Winslow — 813 violent crimes per 100,000
Winslow, the Navajo County town immortalized in song, recorded 68 violent-crime cases in 2024 across a population of 8,362 — a rate of 813 per 100,000, more than double the national average. Property crime was also high, at 3,635 per 100,000, or more than one property crime a day. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
4. Page — 549 violent crimes per 100,000
Page, the Coconino County gateway city of 7,288 near major national parks and recreation areas, posted 549 violent crimes per 100,000 — about a 1-in-182 chance of a violent attack for residents in 2024. Page also had the state’s third-highest property-crime rate (5,200 per 100,000), largely thefts tied to heavy tourist traffic. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
5. Tucson — 589 violent crimes per 100,000
Tucson, Arizona’s second-largest city (548,789 residents), had the sixth-highest violent-crime rate statewide: 589 per 100,000, including the 13th-highest rape rate and 9th-highest murder rate among Arizona cities. Property crime was also heavy — 3,313 per 100,000, with 1,629 burglaries and 2,830 car thefts in 2024. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
6. Phoenix — 800 violent crimes per 100,000
Arizona’s capital and largest city (1,662,809 people) lands sixth. Phoenix recorded 13,296 violent crimes in 2024, a rate of 800 per 100,000 — the state’s fourth-highest violent-crime rate, with the fifth-highest murder rate and sixth-highest rate of rape cases. Residents also faced a 1-in-43 chance of property crime, with 5,274 burglaries and 7,084 car thefts. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
7. Show Low — 737 violent crimes per 100,000
The eastern-Arizona mountain town of Show Low (12,341 residents) recorded 91 violent crimes in 2024 — 737 per 100,000 — making it the 7th most dangerous city on the index and the 5th most violent per capita. Property crime ran at 2,261 per 100,000. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
8. Glendale — 488 violent crimes per 100,000
The Phoenix-metro suburb of Glendale (population 255,512) is the 8th most dangerous city in Arizona for 2026, with 1,248 violent crimes reported — 488 per 100,000 — including 20 murders, plus 6,824 property crimes. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
9. Tempe — 470 violent crimes per 100,000
Tempe, the East Valley city of 191,376 that hosts Arizona State University, ranks 9th, with 470 violent crimes per 100,000. Tempe had Arizona’s second-highest rate of rape cases for 2024, though other violent-crime categories were comparatively lower. Its property-crime rate (2,894 per 100,000) ranked 8th-highest statewide. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
10. Flagstaff — 463 violent crimes per 100,000
The northern-Arizona college and tourism city of Flagstaff (76,433 residents) closes the top 10 at 463 violent crimes per 100,000 — the 12th-highest violent-crime rate in the state — with 2,232 property crimes per 100,000. Source: RoadSnacks’ 2026 Arizona ranking.
What the numbers mean: caveats to keep in mind
Per-capita rates can exaggerate risk in very small cities — a handful of incidents in a town of 7,000 moves the rate far more than the same count in Phoenix. RoadSnacks also notes that crime clusters by neighborhood: safe pockets exist in every city on this list, and the ranking blends violent and property crime, so a city can rank high mostly on property offenses. These are 2024 FBI figures published in a 2026 compilation, not real-time data.
For context on how other states compare, see our rankings of the 10 most dangerous cities in Texas and our look at whether Memphis is safe in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous city in Arizona?
Tolleson is the most dangerous city in Arizona for 2026, according to RoadSnacks’ analysis of FBI 2024 data. It logged 1,008 violent crimes and 9,158 property crimes per 100,000 residents — the highest combined rate among the 53 Arizona cities ranked.
What are the 10 most dangerous cities in Arizona?
The 10 most dangerous cities in Arizona, ranked by RoadSnacks’ 2026 dangerous index (FBI 2024 data), are: 1. Tolleson, 2. Globe, 3. Winslow, 4. Page, 5. Tucson, 6. Phoenix, 7. Show Low, 8. Glendale, 9. Tempe, 10. Flagstaff.
Is Phoenix one of the most dangerous cities in Arizona?
Yes — Phoenix ranks 6th, with 800 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, the 4th-highest violent-crime rate in the state.
Is Tucson dangerous?
Tucson ranks 5th most dangerous in Arizona for 2026, with 589 violent crimes per 100,000 residents — the 6th-highest violent-crime rate statewide.
Why do small cities like Tolleson top Arizona’s danger rankings?
Per-capita math amplifies small-city crime: in a city of 7,141 like Tolleson, each incident moves the rate far more than it would in a large city.
What data and methodology does the ranking use?
RoadSnacks’ 2026 ranking uses the FBI’s 2024 Crime in the United States report for Arizona, analyzing all 53 cities with more than 5,000 residents, ranked on violent and property crimes per capita averaged into a Dangerous Index.
Is Arizona a dangerous state overall?
RoadSnacks ranks Arizona the 18th most dangerous state in the U.S., though statewide averages hide wide variation — the highest city-level rates belong to small cities like Tolleson, Globe, and Winslow.
Where can I look up current crime data for an Arizona city?
The FBI’s Crime Data Explorer (cde.ucr.cjis.gov) lets you search current reported crime by agency and city.
