St. Louis is the largest metropolitan city in Missouri along the Mississippi River. The city’s cultural significance and aesthetic appeal have set it apart from other cities in the USA.
In addition to that, there are numerous activities that tourists can indulge in. Famous landmarks include the Gateway Arch and the historic courthouse of the Dred Scott decision, amongst many others.
However, when it comes to the safety factor of St. Louis, it is relatively unsafe, but most criminal activities are limited to certain dangerous parts of the city.
Is St. Louis Safe?
Statistically speaking, St. Louis is a not the safest city to visit. In 2021, St. Louis had a violent crimes had a violent crime rate of 1,495.69 per 100,000 people, which is nearly 4 times the national average. It’s murder rate of 64.44 per 100,000 people is also one of the highest in the nation.
However, you should keep in mind that violent crime is concentrated in certain areas that a visitor wouldn’t want to visit anyways and if you stick to the tourist areas, you can have a relatively safe visit.
Here’s a graph showing you how St. Louis’ crime rate compares to other major U.S. cities.
Here’s a graph showing you how St. Louis’ crime rate compares the most dangerous cities in the U.S.
St. Louis Crime Rate
Violent Crime Rate
In 2021 St. Louis reported 4,387 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 1,495.69 per 100,000 people.
Year over year violent crime has decreased by 27%.
You have a 1 in 67 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in St. Louis.
Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended in St. Louis over a 12 year period. Violent crime peaked in 2017.
Murder Rate
In 2021, St. Louis reported 189 murders and had a murder rate of 64.44 per 100,000 people.
Year over year murder has decreased by 28%.
You have a 1 in 1,552 chance of becoming a victim of murder in St. Louis.
Here’s a graph showing you how murders has trended in St. Louis over a 12 year period. Murders peaked in 2020.
Here’s a graph showing you the cities with the highest murder rates in the United States. St. Louis had the second highest murder rate in the country.
Property Crime Rate
In 2021 St. Louis reported 16,146 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 5,504.76 per 100,000 people.
Year over year property crime in St. Louis has decreased by 7%.
You have a 1 in 18 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in St. Louis.
St. Louis Crime Stats
Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2021 compared to 2020:
2020
2021
Percent Change
Homicide
263
189
-28%
Rape
234
146
-38%
Robbery
1,242
808
-35%
Aggravated Assault
4,278
3,244
-24%
VIOLENT CRIMES TOTAL
6,017
4,387
-27%
Burglary
2,552
1,835
-28%
Larceny/Theft
11,626
10,802
-7%
Motor Vehicle Theft
3,221
3,509
9%
PROPERTY CRIMES TOTAL
17,399
16,146
-7%
TOTALS
23,416
20,533
-12%
What do residents say about the safety of St Louis?
One resident says to avoid North St. Louis; "Pretty much all of north St. Louis is a hellhole. Avoid at all costs."
Another resident when talking about East St. Louis mentioned that crossing the river into East St. Louis "means immediate death. Riding the Metro through East STL is like stepping into Fallout 3. The 5th and Missouri stop may as well be called Homicide and Knifepoint."
A resident who worked in East St. Louis says from his work window he saw "a woman defecate in the streets waiting for a train to pass, hundreds of drug deals, high speed car chases, and endless prostitutes."
Is Downtown St Louis safe?
Downtown St. Louis is not the safest area in St. Louis and has it share of problems, including an abundance of crime and property theft.
While visiting downtown, we recommend that you visit during the daytime. If you do visit at night, we recommend that you avoid walking by yourself and staying in well lit and well populated areas.
Is St Louis safe to walk at night?
Walking alone at night in certain parts of St. Louis is not a good idea. It is best to take a cab or call an Uber to get to your destination.
St Louis Safety Tips
Avoid North St. Louis or be very careful when visiting. Always travel with company and do not wander during the nighttime.
Avoid East St. Louis. Be on the lookout for any fishy activity and avoid visiting the spot without a valid reason.
Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t be listening to music or reading texts or look like you are day dreaming. Walk with a purpose, like you know exactly where you are going
Keep walking if someone says, "Hey do you have a light?" or "Do you know what the time is ?" Once you stop, you WILL be robbed.
Never leave anything in your car. Leaving your car empty is not guaranteed to prevent a window from being smashed in, but certainly doesn’t hurt.
Avoid making prolonged eye contact with strangers.
Don’t wear anything flashy that puts a target on your back. Keep that Rolex or fancy neckalace at home!
Keep a handle on your emotions and don’t expose yourself to needless risk.
Don’t walk around really late at night in an area you don’t know
SOURCES:
United States Census. “Quick Facts.” Accessed October 27 2022
Mariska is a recovering attorney who gave up her professional job to discover new perspectives of life while traveling in a 2009 Ford Transit.
She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since.
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