When people think about Colorado, they picture the natural beauty of mountains, national parks, outdoor adventures, and tourist spots.
What’s often overlooked is the high crime rate of the state and some extremely dangerous cities where safety is a big concern.
We have picked the top 10 dangerous cities in Colorado based on their crime rates. We will share the recent statistics and crime data to help you understand the safety concerns and common crimes, along with a quick safety guide to safeguard your assets and loved ones.
Colorado’s Overall Crime Statistics
The overall crime rate of Colorado is 33.53 per 1,000 residents. Which is an elevated crime rate according to the national median of 23 per 1,000 residents.
The crimes per square mile are 53, which is twice the national median of 26.5. Both the violent and property crime rates of the state are elevated, which indicates there are many dangerous cities in the state.
The violent crime rate of the state is 4.74 per 1,000 residents, and there were a total of 27,859 crimes. The chances of becoming a victim of violent crime in Colorado are 1 in 121.
The property crime rate is 28.79 per 1,000 residents, and there are a total of 169,210 crimes. The chances of becoming a victim of property crimes are 1 in 35.
If we look at the violent crime trend of the past three years, it’s almost the same. Till June 2025, a total of 14,997 cases have been reported.
Source: Colorado Department of Public Safety,NeighborhoodScout
Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in Colorado
Pueblo
Pueblo is considered one of the most dangerous cities in Colorado without a doubt. The reason is its extremely high crime rate.
In the most recent FBI report 2024 (reflecting 2023), the total number of crimes is 7,798, which makes the total crime rate 70.20 per 1,000 residents.
The violent crime rate of the city is 14.76 per 1,000 residents, which is 3.5 times the national median of 4. There were 1,640 violent crimes reported in a year.
The property crime rate of the city is 55.44, which is extremely high and nearly three times the national median of 19.
Lone Tree
Lone Tree’s total population is only 14,000. But its crime rate is extremely high, specifically the property crime rate.
The property crime rate is 103.75 per 1,000 residents with a total of 1,459 crimes in a year. The chances of becoming a victim of property crime in Lone Tree are 1 in 10, which is insane.
The violent crime rate is 3.41 per 1,000 residents. It’s lower than the national median of 4, but the overall crime rate of the city is quite high.
Denver
Denver’s total crime reports in the FBI report 2024 (reflecting 2023) are 48,292, which is a lot higher than all cities in the state. Its overall crime rate is 67.39 per 1,000 residents, and the total population is 716,577.
The violent crime rate of the city is 10.16 per 1,000 residents, with 7,279 reported cases. The property crime rate is 57.23 per 1,000 residents, with a total of 41,013.
The chances of becoming a victim of violent crimes are 1 in 98, and property crimes are 1 in 17.
Lakewood
Lakewood’s violent crime rate is 7.17 per 1,000 residents, with a total of 1,118 reported cases. Which includes “14” murders, “77” rapes, “231” robberies, and “796” assaults. The chances of becoming a victim of violent crime are 1 in 140.
The property crime rate is also high, 46.26 per 1,000 residents. A total of 7,214 cases reported in a year. The chances of becoming a victim of property crimes are 1 in 22.
Aurora
The total population of Aurora is 395,052, which is a lot more than most cities. Its overall crime rate is 47.21 per 1,000 residents.
The violent crime rate is 9.56 per 1,000 residents, which is more than twice the national median of 4. There were 3,777 violent crime cases reported in a year.
The property crime rate is 37.65 per 1,000 residents with a total of 14,875 reported crimes.
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs has an overall crime rate of 44.11 per 1,000 residents with a total of 21,556 reported crimes.
Its violent crime rate is 6.94 per 1,000 residents, and the total number of violent crimes is 3,392. The murder rate is 0.05, which is less than the national rate of 0.06 per 1,000 residents. However, the rest of the violent crimes, including rape, burglary, and assaults, have a much higher rate than the country's.
Its property crime rate is 37.17 per 1,000 residents, with a total of 18,164 crimes.
Cortez
Cortez’s population is only 9,033, but its crime rate is still high.
Its violent crime rate is 6.75 per 1,000 residents, and there were 61 reported cases. The chances of becoming a victim of violent crimes are 1 in 148.
The property crime rate of the city is 36.42 per 1,000 residents. The total number of property crimes reported in a year is 329.
Both the violent crime and property crime rates are elevated compared to the national media of 4 and 19, respectively.
Westminster
The violent crime rate of Westminster is 3.23 per 1,000 residents, with a total of 371 crimes. It is a bit lower than the national media of 4, which is good.
But its high property crime rate makes it a dangerous city. The property crime rate is 35.80 per 1,000 residents, which is 1.8 times higher than the national median of 19. There were 4,112 property crimes reported in a year. And the chances of becoming a victim of property crimes are 1 in 28.
Greeley
Greeley’s total population is 112,609, and its total crime rate is 35.19.
The violent crime rate of the city is 6.09 per 1,000 residents, with a total of 686 reported crimes. The chances of becoming a victim are 1 in 164.
The property crime rate of the city is 29.10 per 1,000 residents. A total of 3,277 property crimes were reported in a year. The chances of becoming a victim of property crime are 1 in 34.
Commerce City
Commerce City is the last, most dangerous city on the list. However, it also has a very high crime rate.
The violent crime rate is 7.63 per 1,000 residents. It’s 1.9 times higher than the national median (4 per 1,000 residents).
Similarly, the property crime rate is 28.78 per 1,000 residents. It’s also 1.5 times higher than the national median.
The chances of becoming a victim of violent and property crimes are 1 in 131 and 1 in 35, respectively.
Source: NeighborhoodScout, AreaVibes
Common Crimes in Colorado
Violent Crimes
Assaults: It is the most common violent crime at a rate of 3.45, which is much higher than the country rate of 2.64 per 1,000 residents. A total of 20,299 cases were reported in the FBI report 2024 (reflecting 2023).
Robbery: With 3,793 cases and a rate of 0.65 per 1,000 residents, this is the second most committed violent crime in the state.
Rape: The rate of rape in the state is 0.59, which is quite higher than the country rate of 0.38 per 1,000 residents. 3,453 rape cases were reported in the year.
Murder: 314 murder cases and a rate of 0.5 per 1,000 residents, which is slightly less than the national rate of 0.06.
Property Crimes
Theft: The most common property crime, with 109,817 reports in the state. The crime rate is 18.68 per 1,000 residents, which is higher than the country rate of 13.47.
Motor Vehicle Theft: 38,314 cases were reported in the year, and the crime rate is 6.52, which is more than twice the national median of 3.19.
Burglary: The burglary rate in the state is 3.59, which is much elevated compared to 2.51, the national rate. A total of 21,079 cases were reported in the year.
Source:NeighborhoodScout
How Residents Can Ensure Safety in the Most Dangerous Cities in Colorado?
Home Security
The primary measure for home security is a robust home security system. It protects your house from intruders and criminals and ensures the safety of your property and your loved ones.
eufy ExpertSecure System E10 is an all-in-one solution for home security. It secures your home with security cameras, doorbells, an alarm system, fire/smoke sensors, motion sensors, etc. It detects any threat or hazard and keeps you updated with real-time alerts. Most importantly, it has 24/7 professional monitoring to monitor every moment and respond quickly.
It could be overwhelming for small houses, so they can opt for eufy NVR System S4 Max, which is a PoE security camera system. It records everything using powerful triple lens security cameras and tracks every moment with auto-tracking and auto-focus. It is equipped with a local AI agent to detect threats and ensure tailored responses. You can place cameras at different locations and save footage in the encrypted storage.
Other than these things, you can invest in some smart gadgets, such as door locks, automated lights, window sensors, floodlights, etc.
Car Security
It is better to install a dash cam or car security camera. Also, use a GPS tracker to recover your car in case of theft. Park the car in well-lit and public spaces and keep your valuable items out of sight. You can also invest in some car security locks to prevent vehicle theft.
Night Security
When you are out at night, plan your route. Avoid empty streets and dark areas. Stick to public places with proper lighting. Do not engage with strangers and keep an eye on the surroundings. Hide your valuable items and stay alert.
Neighborhood Security
Make a good relationship with your neighbors. They can reach out quickly in case of any accident or problem. Participate in the neighborhood watch programs and report all suspicious activities and crimes.
FAQs
What is the most dangerous city in Colorado?
Pueblo is considered the most dangerous city in Colorado. Its violent crime rate is 14.76 per 1,000 residents, which is 3.5 times the national median of 4. And the property crime rate is 55.44, which is nearly three times the national median of 19.
What is the safest city in Colorado?
The safest city in Colorado is Gypsum. Its violent crime rate is 0.21, and the property crime rate is 2.65 per 1,000 residents. It’s a city with zero murders, zero rapes, and zero robbery cases.
Why is Colorado's crime rate high?
Colorado’s crime rate is high because of income inequality, homelessness, poverty, unemployment, and the drug crisis. These issues compel people to engage in criminal activities.
