If you are moving to Georgia, you should be aware of the most dangerous places in the Peach State. Georgia is full of beautiful landscapes, gorgeous beaches, and historical towns. But it also has a few cities with areas that may be less beautiful at night.
Those would be the most dangerous places to live in Georgia.
Based on FBI data, we’ve identified the most dangerous cities in Georgia for 2026. Specifically, we compared the violent and property crimes per capita for the 103 cities over 5,000 people. We want you to know where crime occurs so that you can make an informed decision.
The southside of Atlanta is home to several of the most dangerous cities on our list.
1,387 violent crimes /100k · 7,344 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Fulton County, Georgia
Located on the south side of Atlanta, College Park once again features at the top of Georgia’s most dangerous cities. It might be home to the world’s busiest airport, but College Park is also home to a whole lot of crime.
College Park is the second most violent place in Georgia, with the 17th highest rate of rape cases and the second highest murder rate. Property crime isn’t much better, considering that 182 of College Park’s residents had their cars stolen in 2024.
To be fair, It’s important to remember that the FBI bases its crime data on where the crimes occurred and the police department for College Park covers places Clayton and Fulton County associated with the city and not just the city proper.
That being said, Ludacris, 2 Chainz, and Jung Joc all came from College Park and they don’t sing about rainbows and butterflies.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,203 violent crimes /100k · 6,666 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Fulton County, Georgia
East Point is a suburban city located southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,712. The city name is derived from being at the opposite end of the former Atlanta & West Point Railroad from West Point.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,033 violent crimes /100k · 5,028 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Ware County, Georgia
Waycross, located in the southeast section of Georgia, is all about travel. The town’s name comes from its location as a central railroad hub in the 19th century — it was the place where six rail lines crossed. Get it? Waycross — where a bunch of ways crossed.
Even now, it forms an important nerve center for regional travel, sitting at the nexus of several important highways.
Good thing too. You might need to make a quick getaway. Those escape routes exist whether you’re one of the prolific local criminals or just a concerned citizen looking for a break from Georgia’s number 3 highest crime rate.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,162 violent crimes /100k · 4,909 property crimes /100k · #4 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Colquitt County, Georgia
Moultrie, the county seat and largest city of Colquitt County, Georgia, is a historic agricultural community. It is the third largest city in Southwest Georgia and is known for its historic downtown district. Despite its rich history and charm, Moultrie has a concerning safety record. In 2026, it stood as the fourth most dangerous place to live in Georgia.
The city, with a population of 14,546, recorded a total of 169 violent crimes and 714 property crimes. This includes 2 murders, 8 rapes, and 18 robberies. The per capita rates paint a grim picture: 1,162/100k for violent crimes, 4,909/100k for property crimes, and 6,070/100k overall.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,654 violent crimes /100k · 3,932 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Sumter County, Georgia
Earning the fifth place medal for Georgia’s most dangerous places is Americus, a city of 15,541 in Sumter County. Americus had the 18th highest rate of rape cases in the state and 257 total violent crimes reported in 2024.
Murder and burglary rates in Americus are also the fourth highest and sixth highest statewide as well, so make sure you keep your guard up and your doors locked here.
Americus is the home of the Habitat for Humanity international headquarters, so if they could steer some charitable energy towards reducing local crime rates, we’re sure the city can get itself off this list in no time.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1,106 violent crimes /100k · 4,220 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Crisp County, Georgia
Cordele presents an amazing summer draw. The community markets itself as the Watermelon Capital of the World. What’s more, you can celebrate that informal status every June, when the town attracts crowds to its annual Watermelon Festival.
Just watch your wallet as you wander the event. Larceny represents a major problem in the area, with 321 such crimes in a population of just 9,762. That’s the number 13 highest pace in the state.
You’ll also need to worry about more serious attacks as well. Cordele also reported 2 sexual assaults over the course of a year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
718 violent crimes /100k · 4,672 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Toombs County, Georgia
Vidalia, located in Montgomery County, ranks as the seventh most dangerous place to live in the state for 2026. One of the main factors contributing to its ranking is its crime statistics. With a population of 10,724, Vidalia reported 77 violent crimes in the past year, including 4 murders, 8 rapes, 10 robberies, and 55 aggravated assaults.
Property crime is also prevalent in the area, with 501 reported incidents of burglary and other property-related offenses.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
965 violent crimes /100k · 3,321 property crimes /100k · #7 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Spalding County, Georgia
If you’re a legal scholar, you may have heard of Griffin. The city appears as one of the participants in an important First Amendment case from 1938, known as Lovell v. City of Griffin. In that proceeding, the court sided with Alma Lovell, who had been arrested in town for handing out religious literature.
Maybe the city should worry less about people handing out leaflets and more about old-fashioned criminals. At least that’s true these days, when the community counts among Georgia’s most dangerous locations.
Rather than ladies handing out Bible verses, the main trouble in today’s Griffin has more to do with larcenies and burglaries. The city ranks among the top five in the state in rates of both those crimes.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
555 violent crimes /100k · 6,485 property crimes /100k · #24 most violent in Georgia
Located in
Clayton County, Georgia
Another city to the south of Atlanta (starting to see a pattern here?), Morrow comes in as the ninth least safe place in Georgia. Morrow is actually the least violent place to feature on our list, but it still had the 35th highest rate of rape cases in Georgia.
Morrow also had the third highest property crime rate, with residents facing a 1 in 15 of having their stuff stolen or damaged over 2024. That ridiculously high rate means that Morrow also has the third highest overall crime rate in Georgia, outstripping the national average by 300%.
At least you can get away from all the crime by visiting Reynolds Nature Preserve — just get home before dark!
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
563 violent crimes /100k · 5,223 property crimes /100k · #22 most violent in Georgia
Located in
DeKalb County, Georgia
Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The municipality is northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 8,330.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Georgia’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Georgia
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Georgia for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Georgia. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Georgia, 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 Georgia.
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 Georgia cities over 5,000 in population. That left us with 103 cities in Georgia.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 103 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 Georgia — College Park. 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 Georgia and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Georgia
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 | College Park | 1.50 | 13,916 | 8,731 | 1,387 | 7,344 | 9 |
| 2 | East Point | 2.50 | 38,222 | 7,870 | 1,203 | 6,666 | 30 |
| 3 | Waycross | 6.00 | 13,644 | 6,061 | 1,033 | 5,028 | 1 |
| 4 | Moultrie | 6.00 | 14,546 | 6,070 | 1,162 | 4,909 | 2 |
| 5 | Americus | 7.50 | 15,541 | 5,585 | 1,654 | 3,932 | 5 |
| 6 | Cordele | 8.50 | 9,762 | 5,327 | 1,106 | 4,220 | 1 |
| 7 | Vidalia | 10.50 | 10,724 | 5,390 | 718 | 4,672 | 4 |
| 8 | Griffin | 12.50 | 24,238 | 4,287 | 965 | 3,321 | 3 |
| 9 | Morrow | 13.50 | 6,307 | 7,040 | 555 | 6,485 | 0 |
| 10 | Doraville | 13.50 | 10,837 | 5,786 | 563 | 5,223 | 0 |
| 11 | LaGrange | 14.00 | 32,833 | 5,111 | 630 | 4,480 | 1 |
| 12 | Garden City | 15.50 | 10,363 | 4,024 | 811 | 3,213 | 0 |
| 13 | Covington | 15.50 | 14,825 | 4,465 | 648 | 3,818 | 1 |
| 14 | Thomasville | 17.00 | 18,457 | 3,944 | 661 | 3,283 | 1 |
| 15 | Chamblee | 17.00 | 32,423 | 4,179 | 626 | 3,553 | 4 |
| 16 | Rome | 17.00 | 38,257 | 3,976 | 782 | 3,194 | 3 |
| 17 | Valdosta | 18.00 | 54,896 | 4,634 | 556 | 4,079 | 4 |
| 18 | Douglasville | 18.50 | 40,595 | 5,168 | 532 | 4,636 | 3 |
| 19 | Milledgeville | 19.50 | 16,302 | 3,889 | 613 | 3,276 | 0 |
| 20 | Warner Robins | 20.00 | 85,900 | 3,646 | 666 | 2,980 | 7 |
| 21 | Eastman | 22.00 | 5,538 | 5,670 | 307 | 5,363 | 0 |
| 22 | Fitzgerald | 24.50 | 8,922 | 3,755 | 392 | 3,362 | 1 |
| 23 | Forest Park | 25.00 | 19,232 | 3,437 | 572 | 2,865 | 6 |
| 24 | Hinesville | 25.00 | 36,562 | 3,118 | 687 | 2,431 | 1 |
| 25 | Bainbridge | 26.50 | 14,402 | 3,631 | 486 | 3,145 | 2 |
| 26 | Blakely | 29.50 | 5,178 | 2,878 | 792 | 2,086 | 1 |
| 27 | Hiram | 32.00 | 5,492 | 5,171 | 218 | 4,953 | 0 |
| 28 | Columbus | 32.00 | 201,061 | 2,839 | 604 | 2,236 | 26 |
| 29 | Gainesville | 33.00 | 48,944 | 2,789 | 488 | 2,301 | 6 |
| 30 | McDonough | 34.00 | 33,140 | 2,960 | 335 | 2,625 | 1 |
| 31 | Conyers | 34.50 | 20,274 | 2,851 | 375 | 2,476 | 0 |
| 32 | Athens-Clarke County | 35.50 | 129,765 | 2,683 | 406 | 2,276 | 5 |
| 33 | Albany | 36.00 | 66,169 | 2,432 | 824 | 1,608 | 17 |
| 34 | Locust Grove | 38.00 | 11,978 | 3,223 | 259 | 2,964 | 0 |
| 35 | Dunwoody | 38.50 | 51,752 | 3,497 | 224 | 3,273 | 1 |
| 36 | Statesboro | 39.00 | 34,788 | 2,610 | 371 | 2,239 | 3 |
| 37 | Stockbridge | 39.00 | 35,352 | 2,580 | 385 | 2,195 | 0 |
| 38 | Thomaston | 39.50 | 9,893 | 2,739 | 303 | 2,436 | 2 |
| 39 | Norcross | 39.50 | 18,213 | 2,778 | 280 | 2,498 | 2 |
| 40 | Stone Mountain | 40.50 | 6,505 | 2,414 | 538 | 1,875 | 0 |
| 41 | Brookhaven | 41.50 | 58,329 | 2,544 | 303 | 2,241 | 5 |
| 42 | South Fulton | 41.50 | 112,441 | 2,378 | 470 | 1,908 | 25 |
| 43 | Newnan | 42.00 | 45,655 | 2,295 | 552 | 1,744 | 3 |
| 44 | Toccoa | 42.50 | 9,348 | 2,985 | 225 | 2,760 | 2 |
| 45 | Lawrenceville | 43.00 | 31,160 | 2,497 | 324 | 2,173 | 3 |
| 46 | Cairo | 43.50 | 9,953 | 2,723 | 241 | 2,482 | 2 |
| 47 | Cedartown | 43.50 | 10,338 | 2,360 | 368 | 1,993 | 0 |
| 48 | Rockmart | 44.50 | 5,274 | 2,484 | 303 | 2,181 | 0 |
| 49 | Fort Oglethorpe | 49.50 | 10,679 | 3,128 | 150 | 2,978 | 0 |
| 50 | Lilburn | 50.50 | 16,426 | 2,453 | 177 | 2,277 | 1 |
| 51 | Fayetteville | 50.50 | 20,451 | 2,699 | 156 | 2,543 | 2 |
| 52 | Marietta | 50.50 | 63,354 | 2,109 | 298 | 1,810 | 6 |
| 53 | Monroe | 51.00 | 16,241 | 1,952 | 320 | 1,632 | 3 |
| 54 | Suwanee | 51.00 | 23,585 | 3,235 | 127 | 3,108 | 1 |
| 55 | Dalton | 53.00 | 34,537 | 2,146 | 243 | 1,902 | 0 |
| 56 | Cartersville | 54.50 | 25,543 | 1,950 | 262 | 1,687 | 1 |
| 57 | Snellville | 55.00 | 22,586 | 2,258 | 186 | 2,072 | 1 |
| 58 | Oakwood | 57.50 | 7,029 | 2,120 | 171 | 1,949 | 1 |
| 59 | Decatur | 58.50 | 24,112 | 2,401 | 133 | 2,269 | 0 |
| 60 | Madison | 60.50 | 5,154 | 2,328 | 136 | 2,192 | 0 |
| 61 | St. Marys | 61.00 | 19,882 | 1,428 | 292 | 1,137 | 1 |
| 62 | Smyrna | 61.50 | 56,700 | 1,540 | 228 | 1,312 | 2 |
| 63 | Camilla | 63.00 | 5,063 | 1,679 | 178 | 1,501 | 0 |
| 64 | Alpharetta | 63.50 | 67,788 | 1,401 | 249 | 1,152 | 1 |
| 65 | Sylvester | 64.00 | 5,379 | 1,506 | 204 | 1,301 | 1 |
| 66 | Carrollton | 64.00 | 28,124 | 1,927 | 156 | 1,771 | 0 |
| 67 | Perry | 65.50 | 25,159 | 1,896 | 155 | 1,741 | 0 |
| 68 | Winder | 67.00 | 20,117 | 1,372 | 199 | 1,173 | 0 |
| 69 | Port Wentworth | 68.00 | 15,911 | 1,458 | 170 | 1,288 | 1 |
| 70 | Kennesaw | 68.00 | 35,138 | 1,099 | 253 | 845 | 2 |
| 71 | Bremen | 69.50 | 7,879 | 1,942 | 102 | 1,840 | 0 |
| 72 | Duluth | 69.50 | 32,511 | 1,363 | 169 | 1,193 | 0 |
| 73 | Sandy Springs | 70.50 | 105,580 | 1,600 | 139 | 1,461 | 1 |
| 74 | Pooler | 71.50 | 30,962 | 1,796 | 107 | 1,689 | 0 |
| 75 | Adairsville | 73.00 | 5,107 | 1,586 | 117 | 1,469 | 0 |
| 76 | Eatonton | 73.50 | 6,661 | 1,471 | 120 | 1,351 | 0 |
| 77 | Byron | 74.00 | 6,277 | 1,227 | 159 | 1,067 | 0 |
| 78 | Hampton | 74.50 | 9,440 | 593 | 254 | 339 | 0 |
| 79 | Roswell | 75.00 | 91,789 | 1,181 | 160 | 1,021 | 2 |
| 80 | Kingsland | 76.00 | 21,064 | 1,253 | 147 | 1,106 | 1 |
| 81 | Canton | 76.50 | 38,085 | 929 | 171 | 759 | 0 |
| 82 | Richmond Hill | 79.50 | 19,051 | 1,234 | 115 | 1,118 | 0 |
| 83 | Jasper | 81.00 | 5,298 | 1,265 | 76 | 1,189 | 0 |
| 84 | Fairburn | 82.50 | 16,784 | 1,144 | 101 | 1,043 | 1 |
| 85 | Braselton | 84.00 | 16,240 | 788 | 123 | 665 | 1 |
| 86 | Acworth | 85.00 | 22,364 | 1,230 | 27 | 1,203 | 0 |
| 87 | Loganville | 87.50 | 17,366 | 944 | 63 | 881 | 0 |
| 88 | Woodstock | 87.50 | 39,613 | 1,080 | 56 | 1,025 | 1 |
| 89 | Temple | 88.00 | 6,836 | 1,039 | 59 | 980 | 0 |
| 90 | Flowery Branch | 88.00 | 12,402 | 911 | 73 | 839 | 0 |
| 91 | Dallas | 88.00 | 15,276 | 681 | 98 | 583 | 0 |
| 92 | Rincon | 90.00 | 11,833 | 617 | 85 | 532 | 0 |
| 93 | Milton | 92.50 | 41,603 | 543 | 94 | 449 | 0 |
| 94 | Peachtree City | 93.50 | 40,820 | 838 | 22 | 816 | 0 |
| 95 | Palmetto | 94.00 | 5,024 | 518 | 60 | 458 | 0 |
| 96 | Johns Creek | 94.50 | 81,056 | 572 | 36 | 537 | 0 |
| 97 | Tyrone | 95.50 | 8,025 | 511 | 50 | 461 | 0 |
| 98 | Jefferson | 97.00 | 16,643 | 493 | 36 | 457 | 0 |
| 99 | Grovetown | 98.00 | 18,169 | 253 | 55 | 198 | 0 |
| 100 | Auburn | 98.50 | 10,527 | 532 | 0 | 532 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 103 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Georgia
So what is the most dangerous city in Georgia? After analyzing 103 cities in Georgia, College Park takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Georgia based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that College Park ranks as the most dangerous city in Georgia for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Georgia are College Park, East Point, Waycross, Moultrie, Americus, Cordele, Vidalia, Griffin, Morrow, and Doraville.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in College Park and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Georgia FAQs
Is Georgia a dangerous state?
No, Georgia is not a dangerous state as it ranks as the #29 safest state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Georgia ranks 22nd most dangerous in the United States — 8.19% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Peach State ranks 24th most dangerous in the United States — 2.71% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Atlanta, GA a dangerous city?
Yes, Atlanta is a dangerous city. Atlanta ranks as the #61 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 Atlanta might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are. For example, Morningside-Lenox Park is the safest in Atlanta, while West End is considered dangerous by many based on recent crime stats.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Atlanta ranks 60th highest in America — 51.87% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 62nd highest in the United States — 37.35% 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.
