10. Oklahoma City

Despite a slight decrease in crime rates over the past year, Oklahoma City still features on this list because other cities in the state have shown faster improvement.

The city’s residents must contend with the ninth highest violent crime rate in the state, including more than one murder per week and more than one rape per day. The city also reported an average of more than ten car thefts per day, totaling 25,853 property crimes in the year.

Nonetheless, as Oklahoma’s largest city, it has both safe and unsafe areas. Sticking to the safer neighborhoods in Oklahoma City can help residents avoid crime.

• Population: 663,661
• Rank Last Year: 9 (Down 1)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 725 (Ninth most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,895 (13th most dangerous) 

9. Muskogee

Despite having attractions like a castle and a submarine, Muskogee hasn’t been successful in preventing crime. It ranks as the most violent place in Oklahoma, with residents facing a 1 in 82 chance of falling victim to a violent crime in 2020. Furthermore, it ranks ninth in the state for reported rapes.

Moreover, Muskogee reported an average of one burglary per day throughout 2020. Therefore, safety in Muskogee is a major concern.

• Population: 36,884
• Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 1,209 (Most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,500 (21st most dangerous) 

8. Del City

Del City is absent from the list of Oklahoma City’s best suburbs, and its high crime rate is a significant factor in this omission.

Del City has the third highest violent crime rate in the state. Residents faced a 1 in 100 chance of being a victim of violent crime in 2020. Add to this the fact that the city reported 792 property crimes that year, and you have a situation that undoubtedly keeps the Del City Police Department on its toes.

• Population: 21,750
• Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 5)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 993 (Third most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 3,641 (16th most dangerous) 

7. Pauls Valley

An hour’s drive south of Oklahoma City takes you to Pauls Valley, the seventh most unsafe place in Oklahoma. The town reported the second highest number of burglaries in the state and an average of one property crime per day – an alarming rate for a city of only 6,111.

Let’s hope that the local Toy and Action Figure Museum is well-secured against any grand heist schemes by criminal collectives. On a brighter note, while Pauls Valley ranks eighth in property crime, it is the least violent place on this list.

In Pauls Valley, the most horrific crime was the murder of Chanda Turner in 2000. Initially ruled a suicide, her parents fought for over a decade to have her cause of death changed. In 2013, after exhuming her body and performing a second autopsy, her death was reclassified as a homicide. The case remains unsolved.

• Population: 6,111
• Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 3)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 687 (11th most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,401 (Eighth most dangerous)

6. Hugo

Hugo has an interesting past – it was once the winter home for about 20 traveling circuses. Although a charming piece of trivia, the town has unfortunately developed a different reputation in recent years. It is now the sixth most dangerous place in Oklahoma. High rates of arson and larceny are a cause for concern for Hugo’s residents.

• Population: 5,067
• Rank Last Year: 13 (Up 7)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 611 (14th most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,637 (Fourth most dangerous) 

5. Ponca City

Located in north-central Oklahoma, Ponca City was a flourishing oil town at one point. The first oil lease, signed in the early 1910s, catalyzed an economic boom, expanding the population tenfold over fifty years.

However, that growth has now stagnated. The city’s current population of 23,484 is less than what it was in 1970. Meanwhile, crime has escalated considerably, with high instances of robberies and burglaries.

• Population: 23,484
• Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 6)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 770 (Eighth most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,415 (Seventh most dangerous)

In Ponca City, the murder of Tracey Neilson on her 21st birthday in 1981 stands out as a particularly horrific crime. Tracey was found stabbed to death in her apartment, and despite extensive investigations and a $100,000 reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killer, the case remains unsolved.

4. Ardmore

Ardmore’s crime rates have surged since last year, resulting in its rise to the fourth position in 2024. Both violent and property crimes have seen an increase, which is concerning.

Ardmore now suffers the sixth highest violent crime rate in Oklahoma due to these increases, with about four violent crimes per week – the majority being aggravated assaults.

So, if you’re planning a hike at Lake Murray State Park, it would be wise to bring a companion to avoid potential risks.

• If you want to read more articles on Oklahoma check here.

In Ardmore, one of the most horrific crimes was the murder of Denice Haraway in 1984. This case was infamous due to the wrongful conviction of two men, Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot, who were sentenced to life imprisonment based on their coerced confessions. The real killer was never found, and the case was featured in John Grisham’s book “The Innocent Man” and a Netflix documentary of the same name.

• Population: 24,718
• Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 3)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 869 (Sixth most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 4,543 (Fifth most dangerous)

3. Anadarko

Anadarko’s name, ironically, was an accident. It was supposed to be named after the Nadaco tribe of Native Americans but a clerical error in establishing its first post office added an “A” to the beginning.

Despite its historical hiccup, this central Oklahoma community, located about 50 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, has far more serious issues to contend with – notably its ranking as the third most dangerous place in the state. High rates of larceny and burglary, coupled with a worrying rate of violent crimes, plague this town.

• Population: 6,473
• Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 11)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 926 (Fifth most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 5,020 (Third most dangerous)

2. Idabel

Unlike most American cities, crime rates in Idabel are on an upward trend. A rise in both violent and property crime has been observed in recent years.

Idabel, having the highest property crime rate in Oklahoma, presented residents with a 1 in 15 chance of being victims of theft or damage in 2020. In fact, Idabel’s property crime rate is so high that it tops the overall crime rate for the state.

Even though Idabel is ranked fourth in terms of violence, the situation is grimmer than it seems – Idabel has the fourth highest rape and the highest murder rates statewide. Therefore, it’s advisable to get home early if you’re visiting Little River National Wildlife Refuge.

• Population: 6,827
• Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
• Violent Crimes Per 100k: 952 (Fourth most dangerous)
• Property Crimes Per 100k: 6,386 (Most dangerous) 

1. Tulsa

Most Horrific Crime Ever in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma City Bombing (1995)

The Oklahoma City bombing remains the most horrific crime ever committed in Oklahoma. The bombing resulted in the deaths of 168 people, including 19 children, and injured more than 500 others. It was the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history until the attacks of September 11, 2001. The bombing shocked the nation and led to extensive changes in U.S. security and law enforcement procedures.