We all know that “everything’s bigger in Texas,” but there are some things that you don't want "bigger." And one of those is a crime. There are so many great cities across Texas, but many of these deal with high crime rates. In fact, in a survey conducted by Safewise, Texans are 32% more worried about crime and safety than the rest of the country. In addition, the survey found that Texans expressed the second-highest overall concern in America about gun violence.
In 2020 there were34 mass shooting incidents in Texas and 258 officer-involved shooting incidents statewide. Both of these were increases over 2019.
But which cities in Texas have the highest crime rates based on population?
Let's look at the 3 most dangerous cities in Texas based on the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, which compiles crime statistics on hundreds of metro areas.
1. Bellmead
Bellmead, located to the northeast of Waco, has the unenviable title of the most dangerous in Texas. The word Bellmead means "Beautiful Autumn Valley" and was the name given to the region by its native inhabitants, but if you judge the city on crime rates, it may not be as "beautiful." In fact, in 2017, based on crime statistics, it was ranked as the 10th most dangerous city in the entire United States.
There are 9.2. violent crimes per 1,000 people and 110.5 property crimes per 1000 people. If you live in Bellmead, you have a 1 in 109 chance of being the victim of a crime.
2. Humble
Humble is a city located in Harris County, Texas, within the Houston metropolitan area. Located 50 miles inland from the Gulf Coast, it was an oil boomtown following the discovery of oil there in 1904.
Now Humble is a more famous crime than for oil. In 2017 it was ranked just two spots below Bellmead, ranking 12th on the most dangerous cities in the United States.
The crime statistics don't make for good reading for Humble residents. They have a 1 in 82 chance of being the victim of a violent crime. In fact, there are 195 crimes per square mile in Humble. This compares to the Texas average of 28 crimes per square mile.
3. Snyder
Coming in third on the podium is Snyder, located in the county seat of Scurry County. The city is located in the lower part of the Southwestern Tablelands ecological region.
Snyder has 14.3 violent crimes per 1000 people and 20.2 property crimes per 1000 people. There are 43 crimes per square mile.
The big city with the big crime rate
You may be reading this and thinking, well, those are all small towns; I guess the big cities are much safer. I'm afraid that is incorrect.
In fact, coming in fourth on this list is the biggest city in Texas- Houston. Houston has more murders and violent crimes than any city in Texas. Despite the big population, there are still 11 violent crimes per 1000 people in Houston. With a 1 in 90 chance of being he victim of a crime, Houston is ranked the 43rd most dangerous city in the United States.
Tips to improve safety
Whether you live in one of the cities listed above or elsewhere in Texas, it is important to be aware of your personal safety. The City of Houston has compiled an information sheet with great tips on how to keep safe, which you can read here. It is worth taking a look if you are concerned about crime in your city.
Hopefully, we can see the crime rates in Bellmead, Humble, Snyder, Houston, and all cities in Texas decrease in 2021.